The San Antonio Spurs imposed their will and everything else on OKC in Game 4. It never got close. The Thunder probably led for a handful of seconds, never more than a single point. After the first quarter, they didn’t even sniff a lead. The opening period is where the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama went for the knockout punch. Unlike Game 3, they managed to successfully build off their electric start to even the series.

They went on a 20-4 run, taking an early 15-point lead in the first eight minutes of the game’s start. Their connective offense trickled down into their defensive schemes. OKC couldn’t find an answer. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recognizes that the Thunder have fallen extremely short in one particular aspect in these last two games on the road.

“Yeah, they just punched us in our face early. It’s two games in a row. They’ve come out as the aggressors. Last game, we were able to course correct. Tonight, we just didn’t do so. We just got to do a better job of starting the games. Obviously, it’s a little bit more challenging when you’re on the road, and we know that, but we got to go out there and do it if we want to win games, especially against a team that good,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said during his press conference. 

In Game 3, it was a 15-0 start in the first quarter for San Antonio. The Thunder managed to overturn the deficit thanks to historic contributions from their bench. But in the postseason, teams adapt. Wembanyama spoke about starting to learn about OKC’s tendencies and accordingly making adjustments. Hence, the team must find ways to compete from the onset. It was made harder tonight, with Ajay Mitchell also missing out on top of Jalen Williams.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only true shot creator. And the Spurs defense smartly converged on him, forcing turnovers and an inefficient 19-point performance. However, SGA didn’t feel the absences played a decisive role in the result. He feels the team is lacking the right kind of spirit to start these games.

“I think it’s just a snowball effect. Like, I think when you come out with the right energy, things like that work out, and the offense has flow, and I don’t think we came out with the right energy today. Then, like I just said, it just trickled down, and then we were stagnant. Both ends, they were the aggressor,” said the recently crowned two-time MVP.

Going back home will allow the Thunder to recalibrate and even play in a comfortable setting. That bodes well in avoiding another lackadaisical start. However, there’s still a glaring issue in their offense.

Chet Holmgren has another silent night against the Spurs

In four games against the San Antonio Spurs, Chet Holmgren’s most prolific scoring was 14 points. Leading up to the series, the former lottery pick was on a streak of scoring 15 or more in four straight games. His shrinking impact on the offense is a large reason the Thunder have stumbled this series. It gets especially challenging since Jalen Williams isn’t there to supply as a second option.

After the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander discussed how he could maybe use the space he creates to involve the 7-footer on offense.

“I mean, Chet’s an easy target to find, so probably just like find him more in the dunker when he’s spacing. Just put him in better positions to use his strengths as an offensive talent. Um, I don’t know exactly what that looks like, just because I just got done playing, but watching film, we’ll find ways for sure,” said SGA.

There’s just one issue. The person watching over the rim is Victor Wembanyama. OKC is aware of his presence and purposely looks to stay away from the paint. That’s where Holmgren’s struggles grow. He’s forced to play outside the restricted area, only having 16 shots inside five feet in the series. In comparison, the 24-year-old had 25 shots inside five feet in four games against the Lakers, and converted 96% of those. He can’t impose himself above or near the rim when Wembanyama is waiting for that ball to enter the paint.

He’s already been blocked a few times by his arch-rival. And the reality is that a singular matchup could change the course of this series. The Thunder need Holmgren to be aggressive if Williams doesn’t return in this series. It’s more about taking the battle to Wemby rather than gaining some momentum himself. It’s arguably the same case as Jalen Duren in the postseason. Holmgren can’t be reluctant to shoot near the rim when that’s his bread and butter. Wembanyama may still get some blocks. But if the Thunder forward can be relentless and wear Wemby out, it plays into OKC’s favor.

This series is a true chess match. The slightest adjustments and their outcomes will decide who goes to the NBA Finals. The stakes don’t get much higher. So it’s time for Chet Holmgren to expand himself as he did leading up to the series against San Antonio.