Oklahoma City Thunder rookie center Aday Mara is turning heads in preseason, averaging 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 blocks while shooting 78.8% in five games. He dazzled with a perfect 10‑for‑10, 22‑point night against the Bucks on Oct. 7 and posted 17‑10‑6 versus the Hawks on Oct. 12. Off the court, the 21‑year‑old is equally serious about fishing, saying it’s a “serious” hobby and promising photos of his catches. Mara, the No. 12 pick in the 2026 draft, makes his regular‑season debut as the Thunder open the 2026‑27 campaign against the Spurs on Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. PT.
The Mavericks open the 2026‑27 season with a brutal six‑game stretch, facing the Rockets (52‑30) twice, the Spurs (62‑20), Thunder (64‑18), Pacers and Heat. While the Pacers could surge with Tyrese Halliburton’s return and the Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas’ roster—led by second‑year forward Cooper Flagg and a healthy Kyrie Irving—must navigate one of the toughest starts in recent memory. After a 3‑10 debut last season and a 23‑46 finish, a 2‑4 or 1‑5 start is likely, but a 3‑3 opening could signal a surprising bounce‑back under first‑year coach and new GM Masai Ujiri.
The Spurs open the 2026‑27 season against the Thunder on Oct. 20 at 8:30 PM CT, reviving their Western Conference Finals showdown. San Antonio rolls out a four‑guard lineup—De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell—after Tobias Harris is sidelined with a calf injury, while Oklahoma City deals with knee, back and Achilles setbacks for Thomas Sorber, Nikola Topic and Otega Oweh. Key matchup: veteran Chet Holmgren versus rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, with rookie Aday Mara added as a potential new Wembanyama stopper. Both clubs chase redemption after last season’s Finals loss (Spurs) and WCF victory (Thunder).
The San Antonio Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, October 20, at 9:30 p.m. ET.
As the San Antonio Spurs prepare to open their 2026-27 regular season against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, star Victor Wembanyama revealed a surprising detail about his summer trip to France with his teammates. Despite growing up in France, Wembanyama had never visited the Louvre, one of the world’s most famous museums, until the […]
The post Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s revelation about summer visit to Louvre is legitimately shocking appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Amid the Spurs-Thunder matchup, there’s a widespread belief in the NBA that a rivalry is growing between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. Both players are unicorns at their position, with versatile skill sets that often extend beyond the paint and a penchant for shot-blocking. While Victor Wembanyama has seemed to embrace the challenge of a […]
The post Chet Holmgren’s blunt 5-word deflection on Victor Wembanyama making rivalry ‘personal’ appeared first on ClutchPoints .
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama recently opened up about his lofty expectations and mindset heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, emphasizing that his standard has shifted toward personal growth rather than merely chasing the title of being the best player on the planet following their tough NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks. […]
The post Is Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama getting taller?! Adam Silver feeds hype appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Pounding The Rock reminds fans that the SB Nation app—launched two months ago—is now live for iOS and Android in North America, with global rollout underway. The app centralizes community posts, articles, and a new real‑time game chat that speeds up comments and notifications, boosting engagement during NBA games. Since release, the platform has set single‑day commenting records three times. Readers can still browse traditional front‑page content or jump straight into live discussions for the 2026‑27 Spurs season.
The rivalry between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs is simmering into arguably the most heated in the NBA. It was very obvious during the 2026 Western Conference Finals matchup between these two teams that they did not like each other one bit — with the Spurs taking every matchup against the then-reigning […]
The post 4 Thunder vs. Spurs bold predictions for 2026-27 NBA Opening Night appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The NBA’s deadline for rookie-scale contract extensions passed Monday, with only seven players from the 2023 draft class reaching agreements before the 5 p.m. Central time cutoff. The total represents the fewest extensions since 2018, when five players signed new contracts. From 2019 through 2025, at least nine players secured extensions each offseason. San Antonio […]
The post NBA rookie-scale extensions hit lowest total since 2018 appeared first on TalkBasket.net .
The 2026-27 NBA season is here, and the race for the championship looks wide open. With the Knicks fresh off a historic title run, the Thunder and Spurs ready to battle again, and blockbuster moves reshaping the Eastern Conference, there is no shortage of contenders. Here’s the reasoning behind our top 10 power rankings: 1. […]
The post BF’s NBA Power Rankings: Top 10 Teams Heading Into 2026-27 appeared first on Basketball Forever .
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren has played down the personal side of his rivalry with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, saying his focus remains on improving his game rather than their individual matchups. In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix published Monday, October 19, Holmgren was asked whether Wembanyama had made their […]
The post Chet Holmgren addresses rivalry with Victor Wembanyama appeared first on TalkBasket.net .
The summer wait is officially over. The 2026–27 NBA regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 20, featuring
The post 2026 NBA Opening Night Preview: Knicks Banner Ceremony, LeBron’s Sixers Debut, and Wembanyama-SGA Rematch appeared first on We Never Stop .
Guard Dylan Harper looks ahead to his sophomore year with confidence after a standout rookie campaign. He highlights the Spurs' readiness for their season‑opening clash against Western Conference rivals Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 22 at the Frost Bank Center. Harper, who helped San Antonio win a seven‑game Western Conference Finals series last spring, posted 12.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in that series and averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in his rookie regular season. He says he’s improved his three‑point shooting over the summer, aiming to become a bigger offensive threat alongside Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama.
A major shock to many came when Luke Kennard sustained a knee injury against the San Antonio Spurs during the team’s third preseason game. Although head coach Jordan Ott didn’t express too much concern, there was a reason. He didn’t play in the preseason finale, but got some extra work in on Monday. While the […]
The post Luke Kennard aiming to ‘be right for Suns season opener vs. Blazers appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Sixers The Sixers have picked up VJ Edgecombe’s third-year option, securing another season of the young guard’s rookie contract after an impressive debut. The decision guarantees Edgecombe’s $12.2 million salary for 2027-28, the team announced. He’ll earn $11.7 million this season. There wasn’t much suspense here. Edgecombe averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and […]
The post NBA Notes: Sixers, VJ Edgecombe, Spurs, Tobias Harris, Hornets appeared first on Hoops Wire .
The Spurs’ season opener in Oklahoma City will be without new free‑agent forward Tobias Harris, who is still rehabbing a left calf strain after missing all five preseason games. Coach Mitch Johnson says Harris is progressing but isn’t ready yet. Veteran Billy Donovan, fresh off a 32‑year head‑coaching career and a recent Hall‑of‑Fame induction, joins San Antonio as an assistant, earning praise from Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. Victor Wembanyama enters his fourth year as the clear MVP favorite, while second‑year guard Dylan Harper earns a starter spot after shooting 57.1% from deep in preseason. Rookie two‑way guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie also receives strong coaching praise.
Remember when the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, ending the franchise’s 53-year title drought and putting the final stamp on the 2025-26 season? That moment is nothing more than a piece of NBA history now, as it’s officially time for the 2026-27 season, a year that could just go down as one of […]
The post ClutchPoints’ 2026-27 NBA Power Rankings Week 1: Thunder, Knicks, Spurs open season at top of league appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Tobias Harris helped a young Detroit Pistons core climb the Eastern Conference standings and earn 60 wins for just the third time in franchise history. The San Antonio Spurs have already enjoyed their own ascension in the West, reaching the NBA Finals in Victor Wembanyama’s third NBA campaign and Mitch Johnson’s first full year as […]
The post Spurs’ Mitch Johnson rules Tobias Harris out for opening night vs. Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Analysts weigh in on the Spurs’ outlook for 2026‑27, noting the roster is largely unchanged but deeper and more mature. Victor Wembanyama’s passing improves, Dylan Harper emerges as a potential star guard, and new pieces Tobias Harris and interior defender Tarris Reed add depth. Opinions diverge on regular‑season expectations: some predict a slight dip due to a three‑guard experiment, while others argue the team could still notch 60‑plus wins. The consensus is that postseason performance will be the true test, with a Western Conference Finals run seen as the minimum goal after last year’s surprise Finals appearance.
All three San Antonio Spurs first‑round picks from the 2022 draft—Jeremy Sochan (9th), Malaki Branham (20th) and Blake Wesley (25th)—are now free agents. After Sochan was waived in February, he briefly joined the Knicks, won a championship, then signed with Portland before being cut. Branham and Wesley were traded to Washington in 2025; Wesley later moved to the Clippers, while Branham signed with Orlando. On October 17, 2026, each player was waived by his current team within a 24‑hour span, prompting a new open discussion thread for Spurs fans.
Former Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris was labeled as the league's most underrated pick up for the Spurs.
The Spurs' wing just inadvertently admitted the Thunder live in his head rent free.
Matt George reacts to the Sacramento Kings’ 126-97 preseason loss to the Spurs, examining the starting five’s first game together, & much more
Victor Wembanyama’s support for French students has become a source of controversy after demonstrations across France were followed by looting, fires, and clashes with police. The San Antonio Spurs star has not publicly endorsed the violence, but an unexplained social media post has prompted criticism over what he intended to support. Ahead of the October […]
The post Victor Wembanyama Faces Criticism For Supporting Protests That Turned Ugly appeared first on EssentiallySports .