Thunder vs. Spurs 2025-26: Defense Was the Real Difference
Oklahoma City and San Antonio scored almost the same points per game, but a much stingier defense gave the 64-18 Thunder a wider net margin than the 62-20 Spurs.
Published: · Figures as of September 24, 2026
Asked: How did the Thunder and Spurs compare on what they actually did in the 2025-26 regular season?
OKC's defense, not its offense, is the gap between the two 60-win teams
Both clubs finished among the NBA's best in 2025-26 - Oklahoma City 64-18 (1st in the league), San Antonio 62-20 (2nd) - and they scored almost identically. What separated them was defense: OKC allowed 107.88 points a game to San Antonio's 111.52, giving the Thunder a wider net margin (+11.15 vs. +8.3) despite putting up fewer points a night than the Spurs.
| Team | Points scored (points per game) | Points allowed (points per game) |
|---|---|---|
| OKC | 119.02 | 107.88 |
| SAS | 119.83 | 111.52 |
| Metric (per game unless noted) | OKC | SAS |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 64-18 | 62-20 |
| Net margin | +11.15 | +8.3 |
| FG% | 48.4% | 48.3% |
| 3P% | 36.5% | 35.9% |
| FT% | 81.7% | 78.7% |
| Rebounds | 44.1 | 47.0 |
| Assists | 25.8 | 28.1 |
| Turnovers | 12.0 | 12.6 |
| Steals | 9.7 | 7.5 |
| Blocks | 5.5 | 5.5 |
Shooting was a wash - both shot almost exactly 48% from the field, with OKC a hair better from three (36.5% to 35.9%) and notably better at the line (81.7% to 78.7%). San Antonio actually out-rebounded (47.0 to 44.1) and out-assisted (28.1 to 25.8) Oklahoma City, reflecting a more ball-movement-heavy, glass-dominant style built around Victor Wembanyama, who won Defensive Player of the Year. But OKC's disruption on the other end - 9.7 steals a game to San Antonio's 7.5, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (this season's MVP) leading an offense that turned the ball over at basically the same rate - is what shows up in the far larger scoring margin.
Confidence: High. Every figure here is the full 82-game regular-season line for both clubs, not a subset or a projection.