Devin Vassell says the Spurs are responding to the Thunder’s physical style by being “ultra physical,” after San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 33% shooting in a 103-82 Game 4 win that left the series tied 2-2.
Oklahoma City’s physical brand has been part of the Western Conference Finals identity in this matchup, and Game 4 made that tension feel unavoidable.
On Sunday night. the Spurs turned the tables—using elite defense to hold the Thunder to just 33 percent shooting from the field en route to a 103-82 victory. The result evened the series at 2-2. and it was exactly the kind of statement San Antonio needed. especially after stretches where Oklahoma City’s willingness to lean into contact had swung games.
After the win, Spurs wing Devin Vassell didn’t dodge the subject when he spoke with SportsCenter. He described the Thunder as “super physical,” saying Oklahoma City often appears to get away with a level of contact that toes the line between legal and illegal.
“Just being ultra aggressive. I think they’re super physical; they get away with a lot, we try to use that against them, too. We’re trying to be ultra physical. Beat them up, speed them up. Cause turnovers and get out in transition,” Vassell said.
The language was blunt, but the message was clear: San Antonio isn’t planning to just survive the Thunder’s physicality. It intends to mirror it—and use it as fuel.
Vassell also acknowledged the frustration that some fans have expressed toward the Thunder’s occasional dirty play, while emphasizing how the Spurs view those moments as part of playoff basketball’s messy reality.
“Look, it’s the NBA playoffs. They get away with it. We get away with it. They can’t call everything,” Vassell added.
Still, a single win doesn’t get to do the full job in a seven-game series. With the series shifting back to the road, the Spurs have to back up the defensive effort and the physical approach with consistent execution—without letting the Thunder get comfortable again.
For the moment, Game 4 did what it was supposed to do. It forced the matchup’s bruising identity into the open, and it gave San Antonio a blueprint: press hard, play aggressively, create chaos defensively, and then push the pace in transition—on purpose, and on repeat.
Devin Vassell San Antonio Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference Finals Game 4 33 percent shooting physical basketball NBA playoffs