Oklahoma City takes on San Antonio for the fourth time this season. All three previous games were won by the Spurs, including the NBA Cup Semifinals and Christmas Day. 

Both teams are missing crucial players, as Isaiah Hartenstein and Devin Vassell remain sidelined. Here are three key matchups that will largely determine whether the Thunder can finally strike back.   

Across three games against Oklahoma City this season, Victor Wembanyama has averaged 27.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 5.6 turnovers per 36 minutes. He is too tall for Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso and simply shoots over them. The cost of business is getting stripped a few times and committing turnovers at a high rate, but the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. 

Will Mark Daigneault change his defensive strategy by sliding Chet Holmgren onto Wembanyama? It’s a logical decision that probably should have been the plan from day one. Holmgren will not impose his will, but his length may at least bother Wembanyama’s shot and passing lanes. 

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City must figure out how to score inside the arc when Wembanyama is on the court. Utilizing screens to pin him down to a spot and remove his runways to cover ground as a help defender is key. Hartenstein excels in this area, but he is unfortunately injured. Perhaps the Thunder need to directly challenge him. The team is too passive about not taking shots because Wembanyama is within eight feet of the basketball. Be physical, charge into him and try to rack up fouls. 

Limiting Wembanyama on both ends of the court is the biggest swing factor for Daigneault and company. 

Oklahoma City typically thrives at staying attached to opposing guards and blocking driving lanes. However, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper possess an unusual blend of speed, size, physicality and ball-handling that have allowed them to enter the paint with ease against the Thunder while avoiding turnovers. 

If the reigning champs are going to notch its first win of the series, then they must do a better job of staying in front of San Antonio’s guards. To be more specific, the defense needs phenomenal nights from Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace. 

In its most recent game against Miami, the Thunder went 8-for-19 from deep (42.1%) in the second half. Hopefully the team carries this momentum into tonight’s matchup because Oklahoma City has not been able to hit the side of a barn over the past month. 

Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are the Thunder’s best perimeter shooters, so they must step up and deliver on three-point attempts. This would remove some of the scoring burden from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shoulders and reduce Wembanyama’s defensive impact.