On a stage built for big moments, San Antonio delivered. The Spurs outplayed the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 on Christmas Day, marking their third win over the champs in the past two weeks. It was convincing, it was timely, and it felt like a message. The Thunder kept coming, but San Antonio never blinked.

The story headline is simple: De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points and controlled the flow. The sub-head is even louder: these Spurs have cracked the champs’ code three times in a row, and they’re doing it with speed, poise, and balance.

Christmas Day statement vs the defending NBA champions

Spotlights are brighter on December 25, and San Antonio looked right at home. The Spurs built a lead that swelled to 17 points late, and they answered every counter with a run of their own. The Thunder were “down by 12” in the third quarter as they searched for their first win over San Antonio this season. It never came.

You could hear the swings through the TV call. At one point, the broadcast went, “San Antonio back in the lead by one.” Later, as the Spurs stretched it again and tightened the screws, the gap felt bigger than the scoreboard. The champs pushed. San Antonio pushed harder.

“Three wins in two weeks over the champs? That’s a message.”

De’Aaron Fox sets the tone with 29 points

Fox didn’t just score; he steered. Early on, the call captured it: “Darren Fox is on an early heater here on Christmas afternoon.” He had the ball, the pace, and the timing San Antonio needed. When OKC tried to speed it up, Fox stayed calm. When the game slowed, he got to his spots and finished.

By the end, the summary was blunt: “De’aran, got it done today for San Antonio. He led all scores with 29.” That’s exactly what happened. It wasn’t just the points, it was when they came. Fox’s buckets arrived as OKC threatened to close the gap, turning would-be swings into quick stops and settles.

“Is Fox the closer San Antonio has been missing? Sure looks like it.”

Game control: runs, defense, and simple, winning plays

Games like this hinge on control. The Spurs owned that space. They were first to loose balls. They finished better in the lane. And when Oklahoma City made a mini-run, San Antonio found an answer, sometimes within a single trip.

The Thunder’s push in the third was real. But every time the champs halved the margin, San Antonio put together two or three strong possessions in a row. A stop, a drive, a clean three, and the space returned. It felt like the Spurs always had a counter ready.

Highlight reel: Castle’s putback, Barnes’ big shots, Johnson and Wiggins show up

The tape from multiple highlight feeds backs up the eye test. There was a strong putback from Castle, a momentum three and a driving layup from Barnes, and confident moments from Johnson and Wiggins. Even the reigning Finals and regular season MVP knocked down a three. The stars were on the floor, and the energy was high on both sides.

But the difference was San Antonio’s consistency. The Spurs stacked steady plays, not just splashy ones. They valued the ball. Their shot quality stayed solid deep into the fourth. The result: a win that looked sturdy from wire to wire.

“OKC needs a counterpunch—who steps up when the run hits?”

Context matters: a season trend, not a one-off

This wasn’t out of nowhere. Back on Dec. 13, San Antonio edged the Thunder 111-109 when OKC came in at a blazing 24-1 and the Spurs were 17-7. That game felt like a clue that the matchup tilted toward San Antonio. Now it looks like a pattern.

Three wins in two weeks over the reigning NBA champions is not a fluke. It speaks to preparation, discipline, and a plan the Spurs trust. It also speaks to belief. San Antonio knows it can beat this team, and that can matter just as much as the Xs and Os when the minutes get tight.

What this means for Spurs, Thunder, and the West

For San Antonio, the story is about growth and timing. Fox is leading with pace. The group is defending with care. And on a day when everyone is watching, the Spurs looked sharp and sure. That builds confidence, and it builds fear in opponents.

For Oklahoma City, the takeaway is focus. The champs are elite, but the Spurs are a puzzle they haven’t solved yet this season. The Thunder had chances. They cut the lead. They landed a few heavy shots. But they never grabbed control. That’s the next step in this matchup.

The moments we remember

Christmas games are about moments. We remember the runs that hush a crowd. We remember the big threes and the fast-break finishes. We remember the push and pull. This one gave us all of that. A broadcast call here, a putback there, a 29-point lead scorer guiding the way.

And we also remember what it means. San Antonio didn’t just beat the champs; the Spurs did it again. The calendar says December, but the tone felt like spring. If this is a preview of what’s coming, clear your schedule the next time these two meet.

On Christmas Day, the Spurs didn’t just win. They sent a clear, simple message: this matchup is theirs, until the champs prove otherwise.