NBA Basketball
2025-12-13 - San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NBA Basketball
Saturday 13th December 2025 - Scheduled 9pm
2am (British Time)
Preview
Last season they may have lost the NBA Cup Final, but the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-1) were the best team in the regular season and ultimately proved that by becoming NBA Champions in June. Worryingly for everyone else, the Thunder look even better in 2025/26 and this young group are hungry for more success, beginning by righting the one wrong of last season and winning the NBA Cup.
They are two wins away from achieving the first ambition of the season and not many will be rushing out to back against the Thunder.
A blowout defeat of the Phoenix Suns underlines the continued dominance that this team have been putting together in the new season and they are so well balanced Defensively and Offensively that it is very difficult to know who can challenge the Thunder with any kind of consistency.
Victor Wembanyama is available for the San Antonio Spurs (17-7) who won on the road at the Los Angeles Lakers without him.
The team have proven they are more than the one big name on the roster as they won nine of twelve games in Wembanyama's absence, although the Spurs will obviously appreciate having their star player available for this Semi Final. He is on a minutes restriction, but it may offer the Spurs a chance to be competitive as they have been set as the big underdog.
You cannot blame the layers with the Thunder not only winning games, but consistently blowing teams out as their point differential makes clear.
Defending the three pointer is perhaps the one 'weaker' part of the Thunder performances and this Spurs team are capable of getting very hot from outside of the arc. That could be key to the game, although the pressure the Thunder exert on opponents to keep up on the scoreboard can begin to rush those three point shooters and ultimately lead to Oklahoma City pulling away.
Recent Defensive efforts from the San Antonio Spurs are a little worrying ahead of this game- they have allowed opponents to have their way and allowing the Thunder to do what they want Offensively is going to lead to another comfortable win for the favourite.
The Thunder took two of three games against the San Antonio Spurs last season and both wins were by double digits.
Prediction
You have to credit the San Antonio Spurs for the roster construction, but they are still a step behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The extra motivation of having targeted the NBA Cup makes the top team in the NBA that much more dangerous and the Thunder may wear down San Antonio in a cover.
The Pick :
Oklahoma City Thunder 118-107 San Antonio Spurs
