Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 116–104 away on October 21, China Standard Time (UTC+8), opening the season with a win over its previous Western Conference Finals opponent. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 and Jared McCain twenty with six threes. Victor Wembanyama shot one of thirteen, while the Thunder combined on-ball scoring, outside support and interior defense.
A 21-point halftime lead survives San Antonio's recovery
The Thunder led 34–28 after one and won the second 31–16 for a 65–44 halftime advantage. San Antonio took the third 36–28 to reduce its deficit to 93–80, then the fourth 24–23, insufficient to erase the opening-half deficit. Oklahoma City did not win every quarter; its first-half lead controlled the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander played 36 minutes and shot thirteen of 27 for 32 points, six rebounds and four assists. McCain made seven of nine shots, including six of eight threes. Their 52 combined points featured on-ball finishing and outside outlets when defenders collapsed toward the ball.
Wembanyama limited offensively but still contributes defensively
Wembanyama made no first-half field goals; his only basket was a putback late in the third. He finished with twelve points, thirteen rebounds, six blocks and four turnovers. The NBA report quoted him saying he had hesitated and perhaps thought too much. That is his assessment, not grounds to attribute all missed shots to psychology.
Chet Holmgren had fourteen points, seven rebounds and four blocks; rookie Mara scored seven in twelve minutes. Coach Mark Daigneault said Mara's preseason performances made the staff willing to use him in such a matchup. Holmgren emphasized making the entire Spurs team uncomfortable, not just Wembanyama.
San Antonio had other scorers: Stephon Castle had 24, Dylan Harper eighteen and De'Aaron Fox fourteen points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The Spurs shot 36 of 93 overall and ten of 37 from three; Oklahoma City made 43 of 95 and fourteen of 31. Wembanyama's six blocks retained defensive value but could not offset the low shooting at the other end.
| Team | First quarter | Second quarter | Third quarter | Fourth quarter | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder | 34 | 31 | 28 | 23 | 116 |
| Spurs | 28 | 16 | 36 | 24 | 104 |
INKA SPORTS analysis: On-ball threats need outside finishers
NBA reporter Shaun Powell observed that some McCain openings came from San Antonio focusing on Gilgeous-Alexander. Their roles therefore extend beyond separate 32- and twenty-point totals: the ball handler attracts help and the receiver finds shooting windows, making the defense pay for collapsing. McCain's six of eight threes converted those opportunities into points.
A 75% three-point rate in one game is not a fixed output. The better questions are whether McCain keeps finding receiving windows and whether Gilgeous-Alexander uses space when opponents stay closer outside. Inside, Holmgren and Mara supplied different defensive stretches, but Wembanyama's misses also involved his own shots and decisions. One of thirteen cannot be assigned entirely to one defender's one-on-one work.
Conclusion
The useful example is the division of work between the on-ball leader, outside outlet and interior rotation, rather than just suppressing Wembanyama's scoring. A 21-point first-half advantage determined the recovery's difficulty, while San Antonio's later gains show one opener cannot predict the season's matchup. Whether receiving opportunities and defensive coordination remain next time matters more than repeating this game's percentages.
