Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t focused on Spurs success ahead of crucial clash

Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says the San Antonio Spurs matchup should be entertaining, despite the defending champions’ 0-3 record in their head-to-head regular season series. After beating the Miami Heat, Gilgeous-Alexander revealed a sobering truth about the Spurs ahead of Tuesday’s game.

Gilgeous-Alexander knows the margin for error is shrinking against the Spurs, who will enter Tuesday’s matchup with greater confidence than any other opponent the Thunder have faced this season.

“I haven’t thought about it yet, but since we’re here, we have to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s like any other night. You wake up and you want to win a basketball game. Now, obviously, a very good team that beat us recently. It should be fun. It should be competitive. We have to go out there and do all the things necessary to win the game, and if we don’t, we’re probably going to lose.”

With limited Victor Wembanyama coming off the bench, the Spurs have outscored the Thunder by 15 or more points in two of their three wins against Oklahoma City. San Antonio handed the Thunder three losses in a 12-day stretch that ended with a 130-110 win on Christmas Day.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s sobering truth about Spurs loss

Thunder All Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave the Spurs his flowers after their third loss in December. With or without Victor Wembanyama, coach of the Thunder Marc Daigneault says the Spurs aren’t missing a beat. Gilgeous-Alexander went a step further, calling them the better team during his media availability after the game on Christmas Day.

“We have to get better as a group. You can’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short period of time without them being better than you,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We have to be better. Look in the mirror, and that’s everyone from top to bottom, if we want to achieve our ultimate goal.”

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

We have to do better. Look in the mirror, and they are all from top to bottom, if we want to achieve our ultimate goal” pic.twitter.com/g6tBBkGhOZ

— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) December 25, 2025

The Thunder will host the Spurs at the Pike Center on Tuesday.