On Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder got their sweet and much-anticipated payback against a San Antonio Spurs team that's beaten them thrice this season already. Thanks to a huge defensive effort in the third quarter, the Thunder took a 119-98 victory that got the Paycom Center crowd so fired up.
However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is downplaying the importance of this victory in what surely seems like a shot towards the Spurs. After the game, the Thunder star basically implied that they have far more important things to worry about than earning a regular-season victory over this current iteration of the Spurs that, quite frankly, has accomplished nothing quite yet.
“Tonight wasn't our Super Bowl. It wasn't anything else [other than] another game in an 82-game season,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Thunder sideline reporter Paris Lawson.
SGA took a SHOT at the Spurs 👀
"Tonight wasn't our SUPER BOWL." pic.twitter.com/Ye2tRsbMjO
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 14, 2026
This does feel like a shot at the Spurs' seemingly overblown celebrations every time they get the upper hand over the reigning champions. To San Antonio, beating OKC in the regular season already feels like their championship. But for OKC, it's nothing but another page turned over in a marathon of a campaign.
Nonetheless, no Thunder player or staffer will ever deny the fact that this win must have felt good considering how the Spurs have been coming for their crown all season long.
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Thunder regain their edge in huge win over Spurs
Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Thunder have been playing subpar basketball (by their standards) as of late, and it's brought to the forefront some concerns regarding their invincibility. But make no mistake about it, OKC is still the best team in the NBA, and they sure brought their A-game, especially on defense, in their win over the Spurs.
Defense is where OKC has built their championship foundation on; they held San Antonio to 40 percent shooting from the field, with Victor Wembanyama's impact being muted on both ends of the floor.