De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points, and the Spurs defeated the Thunder, 117-102, on Thursday in Oklahoma City for their third win over the defending NBA champs in the past two weeks.
The Spurs also defeated the Thunder, 111-109, in an NBA Cup semifinal on Dec. 13 and in San Antonio on Tuesday, 130-110. The teams meet again on Jan. 13 in Oklahoma City.
Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Stephon Castle had 19 points and seven assists for the Spurs (23-7). San Antonio shot 53.6 percent from the field and held the Thunder to 38.9 percent shooting.
It was San Antonio’s eighth straight win and Oklahoma City’s second home loss of the season. The Thunder entered the day at the top of the Western Conference standings, with the Spurs in second.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, but the league’s reigning MVP made just 7 of 19 field goals. He scored at least 20 points for the 102nd consecutive game.
Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Chet Holmgren added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City started the season 24-1, tied for the league’s best record through 25 games. The Thunder are 2-4 since, including the three losses to the Spurs.
The Thunder made their first seven field goals and went up 18-12 before Fox helped the Spurs fight back. His 21 points in the first half helped San Antonio head into the break with a 69-60 lead.
The Spurs pushed the lead to 85-68 midway through the third quarter, and a dunk by Dylan Harper late in the third quarter put the Spurs up 91-74. The Spurs led 95-79 at the end of the period and maintained control from there.
Knicks rally vs. Cavaliers
Jalen Brunson scored 34 points, reserve Jordan Clarkson had 25 and the Knicks came from 17 down in the fourth quarter to beat the Cavaliers, 126-124, in New York and win on Christmas Day for the third straight year.
Reserves Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson sparked the comeback after the Cavaliers led, 103-86, early in the final period. Kolek had 16 points and nine assists, and had fans chanting his name after a late block on Donovan Mitchell that originally was called a foul but was overturned on review. Robinson hustled after offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive and finished with 13 boards.
Brunson made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining, after he, Kolek and Clarkson all hit from behind the arc in a 13-2 run that cut Cleveland’s 12-point lead to 111-110.
Mitchell had 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Darius Garland added 20 points and 10 assists, but the Cavaliers blew their chance at a third straight win.
Evan Mobley finished with 14 points and nine rebounds after missing five games with a strained left calf.
The Cavs raced to an 18-3 lead behind 10 points from Mitchell and led 38-23 after one quarter. But Clarkson opened the second with consecutive 3-pointers, and after a Cavs 3-pointer, the Knicks ripped off an 18-0 burst to take a 47-41 lead.
The Knicks made 12 of their first 14 shots in the second, before Mobley had Cleveland’s final four baskets as New York took a 60-58 edge into the break.
Cleveland quickly regained control in the third. Mitchell slammed down a lob pass that Garland threw from beyond halfcourt to cap a 10-3 burst to open the period, and Mitchell later hit a 3-pointer to cap an 18-4 spurt that turned a 71-all tie into an 89-75 advantage for the Cavs.
