The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to create further separation between themselves and the host San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in a clash between the top two teams in the Western Conference.
The Thunder, who own the NBA’s best record at 40-11, recorded a 128-92 victory at home over Orlando on Tuesday. The win was Oklahoma City’s second straight but just the team’s third in its past six games as it has inched toward the pack in the West over the past two weeks.
San Antonio (33-16) is in for second place in the conference standings, six games behind the Thunder. Both teams lead their divisions.
Oklahoma City limited the Magic to 14 points in the first quarter and 38.2% overall shooting in Tuesday’s win. Isaiah Joe led the Thunder with 22 points off the bench, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 20 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter.
Isaiah Hartenstein added the first triple double of his career (12 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds), Luguentz Dort had 18 points, and Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“We are getting healthy, and we are getting back to our identity, which is aggressive, physical basketball,” the Thunder’s Kenrich Williams said after Tuesday’s win.
The Spurs own a 3-1 edge over Oklahoma City in the season series, winning the first three meetings before falling 119-98 on the road on Jan. 13. The teams will not meet again in the regular season.
“It’s gonna be a tough, gritty game — It always is versus San Antonio,” Williams said. “They’ve got a really good team and they are well coached, so we’re gonna have to be ready.”
San Antonio heads back to the court after a 112-103 home win over Orlando on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama had 25 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and four steals while Devin Vassell contributed 16 points for San Antonio, which continued a recent trend of alternating between losses and wins.
Dylan Harper added 15 points off the bench and Keldon Johnson and De’Aaron Fox each scored 14. Fox also had 10 assists as San Antonio was at its best early — when it built an 18-point lead — and late as it dominated the final quarter.
“You get paid for this job — this is what we’re all here to do so,” Harper said. “I mean, we’re gonna play hard, and we’re gonna play for the fans, and we just gonna bring it together and just pour our energy into it.”
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson lauded the work of Vassell, who was playing in his fourth game after missing 13 contests with an adductor injury.
“(Vassell) is such a unique part of our team,” Johnson said. “He can be a shooter and a scorer, depending on the lineup, the unit we have out there, and how the game’s going. I think it’s a really valuable kind of swing skill.”
Both teams likely will be without key players on Wednesday.
Jalen Williams has missed the last eight games with a hamstring strain for the Thunder, while Alex Caruso has been out for seven straight contests games with an adductor strain.
Stephon Castle is listed as questionable for the Spurs as he nurses an adductor strain.
