Chet Holmgren accepted Oklahoma City’s 103-82 Game 4 loss in San Antonio by pointing to one thing—effort. With the Western Conference Finals tied 2-2, the Thunder have no time to dwell as Game 5 arrives on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City walked into San Antonio with a chance to seize full control of the Western Conference Finals. Instead, it walked out having been crushed 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night—and Chet Holmgren didn’t sugarcoat what changed.
After the loss, the Thunder star delivered a blunt assessment of why the series momentum swung so quickly back to the Spurs. Holmgren said the deciding difference wasn’t shooting variance or officiating. It was simply how badly each team wanted the game.
“I think overall they played like their season was on the line and we didn’t,” Holmgren said afterward. “And it shows in the box score. We didn’t have the sharpness, force, or precision necessary to crack them.”
Holmgren’s frustration found support in the numbers. Oklahoma City shot a season-worst 33 percent from the field. The Thunder also never established an offensive rhythm against San Antonio’s physical half-court defense, which was anchored by Victor Wembanyama.
Holmgren finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. He struggled to consistently impact the game offensively as San Antonio dominated the glass, controlled transition opportunities, and won the hustle categories.
“It wasn’t like they shot lights out tonight,” Holmgren added. “The game was won at the free-throw line, on the glass, in transition, and their execution in the half-court was better on both ends.”
What made Oklahoma City’s offensive flow even harder to find was the absence of key contributors Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. With those pieces missing, the Thunder’s possessions looked more strained, and Holmgren’s own output couldn’t fully offset the gap in pace, precision, and physicality.
Still, Holmgren tried to keep the focus where it belonged: on the response now that the series has been reset. Through 11 playoff games, he has averaged 16.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks, while shooting 58 percent from the field.
Now the stakes shift again. After Game 4, the Western Conference Finals are down to a best-of-three, and Tuesday’s Game 5 becomes the immediate test. Oklahoma City will need the urgency—and the sharpness Holmgren says they didn’t have—to get back into the rhythm that slipped away in San Antonio.
MISRYOUM Sports News Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Chet Holmgren Victor Wembanyama Western Conference Finals Game 4 Game 5 Jalen Williams Ajay Mitchell
Spurs wanted it more? okay sure.
Bro 103-82 is wild. I feel like if OKC just hit a few more shots they’d be fine but the article makes it sound like effort is the whole thing. Also who was out again? Williams? that seems like a big deal.
They say it wasn’t shooting variance but 33% shooting is literally variance lol. Like you can’t just say “we didn’t want it” when you shot that bad. And Wemby anchored the defense, sure, but free throws and transition… sounds like basic stuff they should’ve had anyway. Next game better or Holmgren gonna keep roasting everybody.
Wait so the score was 103-82 and they’re “resetting” the series? I don’t even understand playoff math sometimes. If Jalen Williams being out means OKC can’t score, then why even play? Also free throws win games but I feel like refs always decide it, so it’s funny he said officiating wasn’t it. Probably both, idk.