3rd quarter report
Fortunes could turn for Spurs after losing five times in a row. A victory is still up for grabs for either team after three quarters, but the Spurs lead 98-96 over the Thunder. This matchup is much closer than the previous matchup between the two, which was decided by 26 points.
Spurs came into the match with extra motivation after the loss they suffered the last time these two teams faced each other. We’ll see if they are able to flip the script or if it will just be more of the same.
Who’s playing
Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs
Current records: Oklahoma City 41-17, San Antonio 11-48
How to watch
- When: Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. ET
- Or: Frost Bank Center – San Antonio, TX
- TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $12.49
What there is to know
After nine games on the road, the Spurs return home. They will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Spurs should know they will face an uphill battle given the 11-point gap they face.
The Spurs had a bumpy road last season, and unfortunately for them, the road didn’t get any smoother. They lost 114-105 to Minnesota on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Thunder had already won five in a row (a stretch in which they outscored their opponents by an average of 20.8 points), and they went ahead and made it six on Tuesday. They cruised past Houston with points to spare, winning the game 112-95. Winning is a little easier when your three-point shooting is 13.9% higher than the opposition’s, like the Thunder’s was.
Several players had strong performances to lead the Thunder to victory, but perhaps none more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 31 points and eight rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander is on a hot streak when it comes to points, as he has now scored 25 or more in the last eight games he has played. The team also received help from Jalen Williams, who scored 24 points along with five assists and five rebounds.
San Antonio has struggled recently as they have lost 12 of their last 13 games, which has taken a major dent in their 11-48 record this season. As for Oklahoma City, they improved their record to 41-17 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home.
While only the Thunder took care of their fans in their last game, both teams pleased the punters by covering the spread. Looking ahead, the matchup looks promising for the Thunder, as the team is favored by 11 points. This contest will be their 17th in a row as favorites (so far in that stretch, they are 9-7 ATS).
The Spurs suffered a dismal 140-114 loss to the Thunder in their previous meeting in January. A big factor in the loss was the dominant performance of Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a double-double with 32 points and ten assists. Now that Spurs know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There’s only one way to find out.
Odds
Oklahoma City is big favorite with 11 points against San Antonio, according to the latest NBA Odds.
The bettors were perfectly in tune with the betting community on this point, as the game opened with an 11-point gap and stayed there.
The over/under is 237 points.
See NBA Pick for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Oklahoma City has won 7 of its last 10 games against San Antonio.
- January 24, 2024 – Oklahoma City 140 vs. San Antonio 114
- November 14, 2023 – Oklahoma City 123 vs. San Antonio 87
- March 12, 2023 – Oklahoma City 102 vs. San Antonio 90
- December 27, 2022 – Oklahoma City 130 vs. San Antonio 114
- November 30, 2022 – Oklahoma City 119 vs. San Antonio 111
- March 16, 2022 – San Antonio 122 vs. Oklahoma City 120
- February 16, 2022 – San Antonio 114 vs. Oklahoma City 106
- January 19, 2022 – San Antonio 118 vs. Oklahoma City 96
- November 7, 2021 – Oklahoma City 99 vs. San Antonio 94
- March 4, 2021 – Oklahoma City 107 vs. San Antonio 102
