NBA Matchups: May 26

San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

Team Totals:

Injury Report: Ajay Mitchell (O, calf), Jalen Williams (Q, hamstring)

Spurs projected starters: De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Victor Wembanyama

Thunder projected starters: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein

Offensive Ranks: Spurs 3rd (4th halfcourt), Thunder 6th (3rd halfcourt)

Defensive Ranks: Spurs 3rd (4th halfcourt), Thunder 1st (1st halfcourt)

Mitch quotes: Said they were more physical in Game 4, said they were connected on defense, said Castle doesn’t have much of a gap from his floor and ceiling, said Fox “has been ridiculous” all playoffs.

Daigneault quotes: Said they just didn’t have it and some credit goes to the Spurs for good defense, said they had a bad “global approach” and the Spurs outplayed them, said nothing is going to carry over from Game 4 to Game 5, said they need better force and physicality, said the Spurs were “beyond” more physical, said they saw an opportunity for Wiggins and Kenrich to get the minutes in Game 4.

Stats and notes:

*The Spurs continue to just smash in the Victor Wembanyama minutes. Wemby is +50 in his 156 minutes during this series with a 99.4 defensive rating (113.5 O, +14.1 net). The Spurs crushed on the margins in Game 4 with an 18-7 fast-break-points edge with OKC having a playoff-high 20 turnovers, and they won the paint-points battle 50-36. OKC also couldn’t make anything from deep at just 6-of-33 (18.2%), and the Isaiah Hartenstein minutes were a disaster in Game 4 at a 63.9 O rating. The Lu Dort minutes have also been a disaster in this series with a team-worst -41 in his 79 minutes (iHart -18 for second worst). In Game 4, OKC had its worst offensive rating this season at just 80.2 points per 100 (100.0 was the previous worst). They couldn’t score at the basket, and the Spurs have been able to keep them in check all series. This San Antonio team is legit, and the Thunder missing Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams is hurting them.

*Victor Wembanyama had a huge game with 33 points and just an insane defensive impact. He didn’t live in the paint as much in Game 4 with 10 paint touches, and he didn’t have any post-up touches, either. He hasn’t had much of a problem with Hartenstein, and he’s cooked Jaylin Williams for most of this series, too. The Thunder don’t have great answers for Wemby, and his 38.5% usage rate in Game 4 was his largest of these playoffs. He’s in a decent spot again.

*De’Aaron Fox hasn’t had much going as a scorer, but he had more pop in Game 4 with his 12/10/5 line. He’s had some really tough matchups with Cason Wallace and Lu Dort, and his role wasn’t that big at just 4.5 minutes of touch time. He was aggressive with his time at 16 drives and nine shots off those, but this is just a tough spot against these elite defenders.

*Stephon Castle’s defense has been out of this world. On offense, he’s split the handling with Fox, and he’s been able to take it to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a bit. He’s had a decent bit of interior scoring with 36% of his shots at the basket in this series, and he’s getting some transition scoring, too. If he can avoid fouls, it should be a decent spot for him.