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The Oklahoma City Thunder (11-3) roll into San Antonio riding a wave of impressive early-season form, though a recent stumble has them looking to bounce back against the struggling Spurs (6-8). While the Thunder's 78.6% win rate is among the NBA's best, they're coming off a rare loss that snapped a modest three-game streak.
Much of OKC's success stems from their balanced, high-powered offense that averages a sizzling 115.4 points per game. They've been even better lately, pouring in 116.6 points over their last 10 while shooting a blistering 46.7% from the field. However, their three-point shooting has dipped to just under 37% during this stretch.
Defensively, the Thunder have been stifling, allowing just 103.5 points per contest on the season. Though they've slipped a bit over the last 10 games, giving up 107 points, their 12.1 steals per game fuel an aggressive, disruptive style that presents a tough test for any opponent.
The Spurs, meanwhile, are mired in a two-game skid and have struggled to find consistency, sitting at 6-8 with nearly identical point differentials on offense and defense. San Antonio has been hovering around 44 rebounds per game, but a relative lack of assists (just over 27) suggests an isolation-heavy attack.
While the Spurs have stayed competitive by shooting 46%, they've been plagued by turnovers, coughing it up 15 times per contest. This could prove costly against the Thunder's menacing defense. San Antonio must value possessions and hope their 83% free-throw shooting can keep them in the game against the surging Thunder.