The Spurs defeat the Thunder, 103-82 in Game 4 of the WCF. The series is now tied, 2-2.
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SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell didn’t waste time answering the question after the Spurs tied the Western Conference Finals at 2-2 Sunday.
What have the Spurs learned about themselves in their first deep playoff run with this roster led by 7-foot-4 All-NBA forward-center Victor Wembanyama?
“That experience does not matter,” Vassell said, repeating it for emphasis. “Experience does not matter. We’re here. We’ve had all the experience we’ve needed this regular season, and we’re going to keep proving everybody wrong.”
That belief will be tested in Game 6 as the Spurs face elimination against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Find a way back here for Game 7,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said following the Thunder’s 127-114 victory in Game 5 Tuesday. “I feel like we’ve been great when we’re desperate all year. So I’m excited to see how we’ll respond.”
Here are three things to watch in Game 6 Thursday in San Antonio (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock):
1. All eyes on Wembanyama
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson put it directly: “He’s going to have to score more than 20 points for sure.”
Wembanyama posted a series-low 20 points and attempted just 15 shots, including just two attempts in the first quarter and six attempts in the first half.
For just the third time in 15 playoff games and for the first time in the conference finals, the Spurs were outscored in the minutes Wembanyama was on the court.
Wembanyama did not speak with reporters following the loss and was warned but not fined by the NBA for violating its media access policy.
“They send so many bodies towards him, it’s hard at times,” Castle said. “He just wants to make the right play and wants to win. So it’s tough, he’s our best player. We need him to be aggressive. I feel like him being aggressive opens up shots for other guys.”
Wembanyama also had a series-low eight paint points as the Thunder kept him from dominating at the rim. Isaiah Hartenstein spent the most time defending Wembanyama, who was 1-for-9 from the field when Hartenstein guarded him, according to NBA tracking data.
In San Antonio’s two victories, Wembanyama averaged 37 points, 16 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.5 steals and shot 53.2% from the field, 44.4% on 3-pointers and 90.9% on free throws. In the Spurs’ three losses: 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.3 steals and 43.5%/29.4%/91.7%.
Everyone knows which Wembanyama the Spurs need.
2. It starts with Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder
You know the Spurs are making it difficult on two-time Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by examining two statistics: Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting percentage and turnovers.
During the regular season, he shot 55.3% from the field and committed just 2.2 turnovers per game. He became the first guard to average at least 30 points and shoot 55% or better from the field and became just the second player (Michael Jordan is the other) to score 30 or more per game and average less than 2.5 turnovers per game for three consecutive seasons.
This series against the ultra-aggressive, super-handsy Spurs defense? 38.3% shooting from the field and 3.4 turnovers per game for Gilgeous-Alexander.
Castle uses his size, strength and defensive skills and knowledge against Gilgeous-Alexander. In Game 5, Castle defended him the most and forced Gilgeous into three of his six turnovers. Oklahoma City’s depth helped overcome his early problems.
But three of Castle’s five fouls came while guarding Gilgeous-Alexander who scored 16 of his game-high 32 points at the free throw line.
He worked through struggles to have a productive game.
“One of the things about him is he’s so consistent,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “His temperament’s the same all the time. His approach is the same all the time. His floor game is the same all the time. He obviously was sloppy early, but I didn’t think it was approach-based. That’s one of the things that really is a superpower of his. And I think it gives the team tremendous confidence as we’ve navigated these situations throughout the year and throughout years.”
3. Thunder leaning into collective playoff experience
If the Spurs are running with “experience does not matter,” the Thunder want to lean into their collective experience in these situations – the wins and the losses.
Oklahoma City lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 conference semifinals in six games and won two Games 7s last season, beating the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals and the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals.
“The thing that you take from those experiences is the mental part of it – not getting too high, not getting too low and just going in there knowing you have to come with a certain sense of urgency,” Hartenstein said. “I think our group does a great job of just not being too emotional with it. I think when you go into any playoff game and your emotions are too high or too low, that’s kind of when it doesn’t work for yourself.”
In the 2024, 2025 and 2026 playoffs, the Thunder played in nine games where they could close out the series and have won seven and have never lost a series when they were the first team to three victories in that span.
Said Daigneault: “It’s a huge factor for us, the continuity we have. This core has been together a long time, and they’ve also done an unbelievable job of bringing the guys that we’ve layered into the club very quickly. … but we’ve been doing this all year in terms of just problem-solving as a team and competing together, not making excuses, seeing adversity as a challenge.”
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Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at [email protected], find his archive here and follow him on X.
