Christmas Hoops: Spurs and Thunder Heat Up the Holiday

The Spurs and Thunder faced off in a thrilling matchup, with the Spurs coming out on top. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Spurs' balanced attack. Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, and Devin Vassell all contributed with double-digit scores, while Keldon Johnson added 25 points off the bench. Victor Wembanyama also made his presence felt with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, anchoring a defense that held the Thunder to 12. 3 points below their season average. The Spurs' win was their seventh straight, marking their longest winning streak since 2019. The Thunder, on the other hand, suffered their largest loss of the season and their first 20-point defeat in seven months. The two teams will face off again on Christmas Day, with the Spurs looking to continue their winning ways and the Thunder aiming to bounce back. In other Christmas Day matchups, the Mavericks edged out the Nuggets in a close game. Cooper Flagg had a standout performance with 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Anthony Davis added 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. The Mavericks' win moves them within half a game of play-in position in the West. The Wolves also had a strong showing, with Anthony Edwards scoring 38 points to lead his team to a 115-104 victory over the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had a big game as well, with 40 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to secure the win for the Knicks. The Wolves' win was their tenth in their last 12 games, and they will face the Nuggets on Christmas Day.The Clippers also had a dominant performance, with Kawhi Leonard scoring 41 points to lead his team to a 128-108 victory over the Rockets. James Harden added 29 points and 6 assists, while Alperen Sengun had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Rockets. The Clippers' win was their second straight, and they will face the Lakers on Christmas Day. In the East, the Bulls and Hawks had a high-scoring game, with the Bulls coming out on top 126-123. Jalen Johnson and Josh Giddey both had impressive performances, with Johnson finishing one rebound shy of a triple-double and Giddey recording his seventh triple-double of the season. The Bulls' win was their second straight over the Hawks, and they will face the Hawks again on Christmas Day. The Pistons also had a strong showing, with Tobias Harris, Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Duran all contributing with double-digit scores. The Pistons' win was their third straight and their ninth in their last 11 games, marking their second-best 30-game start in franchise history. The Pistons will face the Kings on Christmas Day. The Cavaliers had a dominant performance as well, with Donovan Mitchell leading nine Cavaliers in double figures. The Cavaliers' win was their second straight and their second game this season with over 140 points. They will face the Knicks on Christmas Day. In other games, the Grizzlies had a wire-to-wire win over the Jazz, with Santi Aldama scoring a career-high 37 points. The Nets also had a strong showing, with Michael Porter Jr. scoring 25 of his 28 points in the first half. The Raptors had a bounce-back win over the Heat, with Scottie Barnes scoring 27 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. The Magic, Hornets, and Bucks also had wins, with Desmond Bane, LaMelo Ball, and Kevin Porter Jr. all contributing with double-digit scores.