The Thunder and Spurs clash for the fifth and final time this regular season. San Antonio won the first three matchups, but Oklahoma City responded with a decisive win to avoid a shutout. 

Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell remain out, while Stephon Castle is questionable to play. Here are three key matchups for this potential playoff preview. 

Containing Victor Wembanyama is crucial. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein will mainly handle this assignment, and both are capable of being effective. Should they struggle, then Alex Caruso is a nice curveball in Mark Daigenault’s arsenal. 

Caruso excels at being a defensive pest against bigs because he plays with an immense amount of physicality and possesses the necessary instincts to routinely strip the basketball. The veteran famously clamped Nikola Jokić in Game 7 of the 2025 Western Conference Semifinals, and he has had success against San Antonio’s superstar. 

According to matchup data, Caruso has guarded Wembanyama for 32 possessions this season and held him to 16.2 points, 2.3 assists and 4.6 turnovers per 75 possessions. It’s a small sample, but Caruso is an elite defender who can truly bother Wembanyama by getting under him and into his legs. 

Meanwhile, Caruso will also frequently defend Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper in this matchup. Limiting San Antonio’s guards would be massive for the Thunder’s winning chances. 

The Spurs’ roster features numerous guards and wings who can attack defenders off the dribble and score or pass out of drives. The Thunder prioritize protecting the basket, so opponents that routinely penetrate the paint are able to generate high quality three-point looks against Oklahoma City. 

Caruso, Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander need to do a better job of containing the Spurs’ ball handlers and forcing them to pass the ball around the arc instead of surrendering drive-and-kicks. Their struggles in this department is arguably the main reason behind why San Antonio has won three of four matchups this season. 

With Wembanyama roaming the paint, Oklahoma City must knock down jump shots at a respectable rate in order to limit his defensive impact. The team has shot a mere 33.8% from deep over its past five games, so it does not enter this contest with a ton of momentum. 

Isaiah Joe heating up would be a boon. The sharpshooter is capable of going on three-point runs despite his attempts typically being on the move and contested. San Antonio has excelled at chasing Joe off the arc and snuffing out his three-point attempts, so Daigneault may need to run more designed plays for him.