The San Antonio Spurs took a wrecking ball to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s hopes of winning the NBA Cup, but that wasn’t the Miley Cyrus song playing in the locker room after Saturday’s 111-109 win.
According to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, “Party in the U.S.A.” was the hit of choice on the portable speaker belonging to Spurs forward Keldon Johnson.
San Antonio was reveling in giving the Thunder only their second defeat of the 2025-26 NBA season. Devin Vassell scored a team-high 23 points, while De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama all had 22 points apiece. Wembanyama nearly had a double-double, also collecting nine rebounds, while playing just 21 minutes.
The Spurs are 18-7 and fourth in the Western Conference despite Wemby being limited to 13 appearances so far. Saturday was his first game back since a 109-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14.
From the moment San Antonio won the 2023 NBA draft lottery, its fanbase eagerly awaited the moment when the franchise would turn the corner. That might finally be happening.
One game doesn’t change the fact the reigning champion Thunder are the 2026 title favorites. At full strength, the Spurs could be a formidable playoff challenger.