Chet Holmgren addressed Oklahoma City’s struggles after the San Antonio Spurs delivered a 103-82 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday night at Frost Bank Center, tying the series at 2-2.
“They just played like their season was on the line and we didn’t,” Holmgren said, pointing directly to the Spurs’ level of urgency in a game where Victor Wembanyama finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.
Holmgren said Oklahoma City failed to meet the required standard from the opening tip, noting the gap in competitiveness that shaped the outcome.
“The biggest thing is we can’t rely on it being our best day to win basketball games,” Holmgren said. “We got to figure out how to do whatever the game calls for for us to win games. We didn’t do it tonight.”
The Thunder shot just 33% from the field and 6-for-33 from three-point range, struggling to generate consistent offense against a Spurs defense that controlled tempo and physicality throughout the night.
Holmgren emphasized that Oklahoma City cannot depend on momentum or shooting variance when facing elite defensive pressure.
“We can’t just bank on things going our way, the ball bouncing our way, shots going in,” Holmgren said. “We got to figure out how to win the game with things that we can control.”
San Antonio set the tone early with another fast start, building a double-digit lead and never allowing Oklahoma City to establish rhythm. Holmgren pointed to that lack of response as a key issue.
“We have to trust each other,” Holmgren said. “Use each other to help find cracks, help get good looks.”
With Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams unavailable, Holmgren also addressed the Thunder’s need to adjust their offensive structure as primary creation duties increased.
“It starts with we have to trust each other,” Holmgren said. “We have to use each other to help find cracks.”
Despite the loss, Holmgren avoided framing the series position as relief or advantage, instead focusing on missed opportunities in a tightly contested matchup.
“We had opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of,” he said. “Now we have opportunities going forward that we have to switch that around for.”
Holmgren also stressed Oklahoma City’s “zero and zero mindset,” a principle the team has used throughout the postseason to reset after each game regardless of outcome.
“It comes in handy no matter what every single game,” Holmgren said. “You still got to get back to level and look at what the game can tell you.”
The series now shifts to Oklahoma City for Game 5, with both teams tied and momentum evenly split after four physical, defensive-heavy contests.
Holmgren’s message reflected a familiar playoff reality: execution and control matter more than expectation, especially in a series where both sides have already proven they can dominate at home.
