Thunder vs Spurs takeaways: OKC breezes past San Antonio as Victor Wembanyama sits

Justin Martinez, The Oklahoman

Thu, Apr 11, 2024, 5:41 PM·5 min read

The term "restricted area" takes on a whole new meaning when teams face San Antonio.

Players treat that semicircle around the rim like Area 51. They refuse to venture there out of fear of running into the alien-like Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 center with an otherworldly ability to swat shots into the stratosphere.

But Wembanyama sat out OKC's 127-89 home win over San Antonio on Wednesday, and it didn't take long for the Thunder to storm the paint.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge midway through the first quarter when he fearlessly barreled into the lane. Backup big Sandro Mamukelashvili tried to stand his ground, but Gilgeous-Alexander brushed off the contact and banked in the shot.

It was that kind of a night for the Thunder (55-25), which didn't face much resistance on either end of the floor during a wire-to-wire victory.

"I thought from the jump that we came out with the right mindset," Josh Giddey said. "We were getting whatever we wanted offensively. I thought the way we executed defensively to start the game put it to bed early, and that's kind of the way it's got to be."

Here are three takeaways from the win:

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Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes for a layup in the second quarter of a 127-89 win against the Spurs on Wednesday at Paycom Center.

Gordon Hayward delivers his best game yet with OKC

When Gordon Hayward got traded to OKC on Feb. 8, he joined a team that was already in full stride.

Hayward, on the other hand, was far from it. The 34-year-old forward was still nursing a calf strain that had sidelined him since Dec. 26, and he was tasked with finding his place on a youthful OKC roster.

"It's been a difficult adjustment, for sure," Hayward said. "These guys were rolling long before I got here, and I was also out for probably two months with a pretty serious calf injury. I'm trying to find my rhythm, find myself back from that and also integrate into the team. ... I think it's kind of been an ongoing process."

That process yielded its best results yet on Wednesday.

Hayward erupted for 18 points, his most since joining OKC, on 6-for-8 shooting from the floor in 20 minutes. And he even turned back the clock for a brief moment late in the first quarter.

Hayward caught the ball in the corner and blew past Mamukelashvili, who tumbled to the floor in the process. Hayward then finished a reverse layup for his first bucket of the night.

Hayward's minutes have fluctuated as of late. He has played fewer than 15 minutes in five of the team's last 10 games.

But the 14-year pro can still run with his younger OKC teammates, as he showed against San Antonio.

"He was really aggressive and on the gas," head coach Mark Daigneault said of Hayward. "He played with a lot of confidence right from when he got in the game. ... It was a good night for him."

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Josh Giddey regains his rhythm

Giddey glanced at his surroundings for a brief second as he pushed the ball up the floor late in the first quarter.

All he saw was a trio of black jerseys closing in. Giddey was on a one-man fastbreak, but that didn't deter him from getting to the rim and sinking a layup despite being fouled.

Giddey finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 29 minutes. It marked a bounce-back performance by the third-year guard, who took a backseat role during OKC's 112-105 win over Sacramento on Tuesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams returned from a four-game absence to help dethrone the Kings, and Giddey finished with just four points on 2-for-7 shooting from the floor as a result. He delivered two triple-double performances while they were out.

But Giddey looked far more comfortable against San Antonio. And with two games left in the regular season, he's entering postseason play with plenty of momentum.

"I'm just taking what the defense gives me," Giddey said. "Whether that's score, rebound, push the ball in transition or get other guys looks, I'm taking it as the game comes and playing every position on its own."

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Oklahoma City forward Chet Holmgren (7) jumps to shoot over San Antonio forward Zach Collins (23) in the first quarter during an NBA game between The Oklahoma City Thunder and The San Antonio Spurs at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

OKC gives Chet Holmgren a well-deserved break in the second half

As the second half began on Wednesday, Chet Holmgren wasn't on the floor.

The rookie center was on the bench instead, casually chatting with Bismack Biyombo.

OKC opted to rest Holmgren for the entire second half, and for good reason. The Thunder held a 33-point lead at halftime, and Wednesday's game marked the second night of a back to back.

"We're going to prioritize health above everything," Daigneault said. "It was just an opportunity to peel (Holmgren) off there, get him some rest and get him off his feet. ... I don't know how many games we've played in how many days and in how many cities, but we're still kind of in that. This was a back to back.

"We're trying to be cognizant of that while also keeping the guys playing and sharp."

Holmgren hasn't gotten many breaks this season. The big man has played in all 80 of the Thunder's games after missing the entire 2022-23 campaign with a foot injury.

Holmgren finished Wednesday with nine points and six rebounds in 15 minutes.

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