Carmelo Anthony Reveals Major Trouble for OKC Against Spurs and It’s Not Victor Wembanyama

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are a rivalry in the making and Carmelo Anthony knows it. Despite the minor blip over the last month, there is no doubt that the defending and reigning NBA Champions, the OKC Thunder, are the best team in the league this season. After a record-breaking 24-1 start to the 2025-26 campaign, many believed that the Thunder are well on course to break the 73-9 regular season record held by the Golden State Warriors.

However, it does not look likely to happen this season, as the Thunder have gone 9-6 in their last 15 games. This drop in form began after the Spurs beat the Thunder in a close 2025 NBA Cup semifinal. OKC have lost to just five teams so far this season and are currently at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 33-7 record.

It is not just about OKC stacking up the wins this season, but the manner in which they are doing it as well. They lead the league with a point differential of 13 points per game and are on course to break their own record of 12.9 ppg from the 2024-25 campaign.

But the biggest kryptonite for the Thunder this season have been the Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama. The two sides have clashed three times over the last month and the Spurs have come out on top in all three meetings.

The Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is coming off a historic campaign and has shown no signs of slowing down this year, putting up some elite scoring numbers. It remains to be seen if he can replicate his last season’s accolades once again, but there is no reason to believe that he won’t.

A few weeks back, former OKC player and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony went on record and suggested that Sam Presti, who is the General Manager of the Thunder, make a move for Giannis Antetokounmpo and disrupt the entire league.

The former OKC star shared his thoughts on why the Spurs are a threat to the Thunder this year, via 7PMinBrooklyn podcast.

Their (OKC) setback is coming now. That’s where the game is always won at between OKC and San Antonio. Take the stars out. The ‘others’ individually on San Antonio is better than the ‘others’ on OKC.

Carmelo Anthony says the role players on the Spurs are better than the role players on OKC 👀

“That’s where the game is always won at between OKC and San Antonio… Take the stars out. The ‘others’ on San Antonio is better than the ‘others’ on OKC”

(Via @7PMinBrooklyn) pic.twitter.com/XkzPHo3lyk

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 12, 2026

These are the top two teams in the Western Conference at the moment. Both rosters are led by arguably the two best players in the league and will clash for the fourth time this season on Tuesday night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s honest reaction after losing to Spurs

After consecutive losses to the Spurs on December 23 and 25, there were a lot of talks on whether the Spurs had the Thunder’s number. Both games were blowouts with the Spurs winning by 20 and 15 points, respectively. And what makes things intriguing is that in all three of their losses to the Spurs this season, Wembanyama came off the bench.

SGA gave the Spurs their flowers after losing to them for the third time in three games and called them the better team.

We have to get better as group. You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you. We have to get better. Look in the mirror, and that’s everybody from top to bottom, if we want to reach our ultimate goal.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “We have to get better as group. You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you.

We have to get better. Look in the mirror, and that’s everybody from top to bottom, if we want to reach our ultimate goal” pic.twitter.com/g6tBBqGhOZ

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) December 25, 2025

In the three games, SGA has averaged 28 points per game, followed by Jalen Williams at 15.3 ppg and Chet Holmgren at 11.3 ppg. While Wembanyama came off the bench and has averaged 17.7 points. Stephon Castle led the Spurs in scoring against the Thunder at 21.7 ppg, with De’Aaron Fox at 19 ppg. Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson also scored in double figures across the three games, which goes on to show how the non-star players for the Spurs have performed better.

Can the San Antonio make it four in a row against the champions?

OKC will be desperate to avoid a clean sweep and going 0-4 to the Spurs. They will remain at the top even if they lose but that’s a scenario they will desperately want to avoid. For the firepower and rosters that the two clubs have built, they have shown that this rivalry is here to stay. While many may argue that Nikola Jokic is still the best player in the league, SGA and Wembanyama are right up there as well.

The Spurs have not been a great offensive side this season but have averaged 120 points against the champions, who have the best defense in the league. But since their loss to the Spurs, their defensive intensity has dropped. A win for the OKC in their fourth attempt may be the spark that is needed to rejuvenate their defense but a loss could further damage their lack of defensive energy over the last few weeks.

Both teams are coming into the game in varying forms. The OKC have gone 7-2 since their last meeting while the Spurs are 4-5 during the same period and are coming off a narrow loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. All eyes will be on the two best Western Conference sides as they lock horns for the last time in the regular season at the Paycom Center.

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