NBA legend Carmelo Anthony has unveiled the key to the San Antonio Spurs’ success over the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. The top two teams in the West face each other again tonight, and Anthony has revealed where the game has already been lost for the reigning champions.
Despite OKC leading the Western Conference, the Spurs look like the most dangerous team to come out of the West thanks to their suffocating defense and incredible offensive options. The Spurs have also defeated the defending champions three times this season, with only one game finishing close and the other two blowouts.
Carmelo Anthony’s Thunderous Revelation
Speaking on the ‘7 PM in Brooklyn’ show, Anthony said, “That’s where the game is always won between OKC and San Antonio… Take the stars out. The ‘others’ in San Antonio are better than the ‘others’ in OKC, individually.”
In the past two games, the Spurs have beaten OKC by a combined 35 points, showing a real problem for the Thunder if they are to progress to the NBA Finals and repeat.
Who are the ‘others’ on each team? For a start, we can take away Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle from the Spurs, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams from OKC.
The lack of help on the OKC roster becomes glaringly apparent when their star players are taken away, with only Ajay Mitchell (14.2 PPG), Isaiah Hartenstein (11.2 PPG), and Aaron Wiggins (10.4 PPG) making any suitable offensive contributions to help their star players.
The Spurs have a perfect blend of experience and youth, trying to make their mark in the NBA, with Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagnie, and Dylan Harper all averaging double-digit points and bringing different offensive weapons.
The Spurs have worked out a straightforward thing. Shut down the big three of OKC and force the ‘other’ players to win the ball game instead.
Before OKC faced the Spurs for the first time on Dec 13, the Thunder was 24-1 and on course to break or match the Golden State Warriors’ 73 wins from the 2015/16 season.
Since then, OKC has lost six and won nine, with Minnesota, Phoenix, and Charlotte all earning victories over the previous seemingly unbeatable defending champions.
In tonight’s matchup, OKC must put a marker down and show they can beat the Spurs to give them the confidence they can match up against one another if they face each other in the playoffs.
The Spurs’ Devin Vassell is missing due to a left adductor strain, while OKC is missing one key player in Isaiah Hartenstein, who is recovering from a right soleus strain.
