The Spurs are back on the road heading to Oklahoma to play the Thunder for the first time this season. San Antonio announced yesterday that they waived Jordan Hall and we’re quick to fill his slot.
The former Austin Spur, Alize Johnson, graduated from the G-League to the NBA after San Antonio signed him yesterday. Fans are assuming he will accumulate some time early after viewing the injury report.
Game day in OKC! ✈️@spurs vs. @okcthunder
⏰ 6:30 pm
📺 Bally Sports Southwest
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— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) November 30, 2022
How to Watch Spurs vs. Thunder
When: November 30th, Wednesday
Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Stream: Bally Sports Southwest
Spurs vs. Thunder Injury Report
The Spurs’ updated injury report confirmed Jakob Poeltl. Jeremy Sochan and Josh Richardson are out tonight along with Blake Wesley. This puts them in a vulnerable position in the paint. Poeltl has been a key factor in holding the team together on the defensive end.
The Thunder updated injury report has shown Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, Chet, and Muscala, out with injuries.
Spurs vs. Thunder Preview
The Spurs have been on a losing streak since their last win against the Milwaukee Bucks who were lacking game-changing assets. The goal is always to acquire a win but the Spurs can’t seem to catch a break.
The Thunder stand one spot above the Lakers in the western conference with a record of 8-13. They just took a 101-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans Monday. OKC is in a similar position as the Spurs as they have had a season of fluctuating wins and losses. This matchup with San Antonio will be a redemptive game for either team.
The goal would be to not let OKC capitalize off turnovers, retrieve and convert as many rebounds as you can into easy points. Doing all of this at the START of the Spurs will allow them to compete from the beginning. They seem to have snapped out of the habit of playing from behind in their last competition with the Lakers. However, because of a lack of communication on the defensive end, they were left weak and east to blow past.
Alize Johnson Has A Big Opportunity
Keep an eye on Alize Johnson who will most likely pick up the slack for Sochan and Poeltl in the front court. In his 6 games with the Austin Spurs, he averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds. With the Thunder, Chet Holmgren is out due to foot surgery, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being questionable due to a hip contusion the Spurs have a fighting chance.
Can’t the Spurs survive without Jakob Poeltl under the basket?