OKC scored 82 points in the Game 4 loss vs. the Spurs.
They hadn’t been held under 90 points in any game (reg. or postseason) since April 10, 2022.
The last time they were held under 90 in a playoff game was Aug. 29, 2020 😳
Getty
Victor Wembanyama #1 and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs high five each other during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
The San Antonio Spurs put on a defensive masterclass in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, beating the Thunder, 103-82, on Sunday night.
The Thunder looked flat all night and was out of rhythm against the Spurs’ defense en route to tying the series.
According to ESPN, the Spurs held the Thunder to their worst offensive output since 2022 with just 82 points. ESPN also said that it was the first time the Thunder had been held under 90 points in a playoff game since Aug. 29, 2020, in the NBA bubble.
OKC scored 82 points in the Game 4 loss vs. the Spurs.
They hadn’t been held under 90 points in any game (reg. or postseason) since April 10, 2022.
The last time they were held under 90 in a playoff game was Aug. 29, 2020 😳
The Thunder recorded 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%). It comes after making 17 3-pointers in Game 3 in San Antonio.
The Spurs also held the Thunder to just 38 points in the first half as San Antonio finally sustained its hot start.
The Spurs had 10 blocks and 11 steals throughout the game, dictating the tempo through their defense, something that the Thunder has been known for over the past few seasons.
GettyDefense proved pivotal for the Spurs in Game 4.
Game 3 proved to be a lesson for the Spurs in Game 4. According to Spurs players, they adjusted their defensive schemes to contain the Thunder’s offensive valves.
“I think we made a great defensive adjustment,” Devin Vassell, who guarded Thunder guards including two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, said.
“I don’t want to say what it was. We were just able to rotate the shooters and not give them so many wide-open 3s. I feel like they had so many wide-open 3s over the past couple games and you’ve got to respect them, especially if they’re making them. So, we were trying to cut them out with that and just stay playing fast.”
Vassell added that they wanted to respond after a letdown in Game 3, where they started 15-0 but lost by 15 points in the end.
“We knew we had to respond and that’s how you respond. You get stops. You don’t try and focus on the offensive end, you get stops, you get out of transition. You guard your yard and that’s what we did,” he said.
Gilgeous-Alexander was held to just 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field as the Spurs’ defense tried to put single coverage on him for most of the way, while still shrinking his space to operate.
The Thunder played without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell in Game 4. Williams has been out since the second quarter of Game 2 after he re-aggravated his left hamstring, while Mitchell suffered a calf strain in Game 3. The two are seen as OKC’s best on-ball creators outside Gilgeous-Alexander.
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
After splitting the first four games, the series now comes down to a best-of-three as the Spurs and the Thunder go back to Oklahoma City for Game 5.
However, it remains to be seen how the Thunder would deal with their injured players on their home floor.
Game 5 will be on Tuesday, May 26, at the Paycom Center.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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