Scuffle Erupts as Thunder Defeat Spurs; Three Players Ejected.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — A physical altercation during the third quarter turned chaotic Sunday night, leading to the ejection of three players amidst the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 146-132 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. With just three minutes remaining in the quarter, tensions escalated when Thunder forward Kenrich Williams was elbowed by Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, igniting a melee that involved multiple players from both teams.

After the incident, all eyes were on the officials as they assessed the situation. ‘We had an altercation?’ Williams jokingly remarked during a postgame interview. The cloud of confusion did not deter the game, as a review broke out to evaluate the incident, resulting in double technical fouls against Williams, Champagnie, and guards Luguentz Dort and Jeremy Sochan.

As the dust settled, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault commented on the frustrations leading to the incident. ‘We have not been a team that’s retaliated very much. We retaliated tonight. We have the worst free throw differential in the NBA. There’s a cumulative frustration,’ he said. Daigneault emphasized the importance of maintaining composure: ‘We have to have better poise. We don’t want to lose rotation players in big games.’

The scuffle unfolded when Champagnie held the ball above the three-point line, swinging his elbow that inadvertently struck Williams in the jaw as he passed the ball to teammate Stephon Castle. An immediate confrontation ensued, culminating in players from both sides shoving each other near the scorer’s table.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shared his perspective, stating, ‘It was a blur. I just tried to separate the blur as best as I could.’ Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson responded to questions about the scuffle, noting, ‘I don’t really know who was at fault, to be honest. It just looked like that was what initiated it. But I didn’t think it was anything intentional.’

The aftermath saw Williams and Champagnie exiting the game along with Dort, while Sochan managed to remain. Champions and Dort each recorded significant contributions prior to their ejections, with Dort scoring nine points and collecting nine rebounds, while Champagnie netted eight on 3-of-4 shooting.

Jalen Williams starred for the Thunder, notching a career-high 41 points along with seven assists, a feat highlighted by a dominating offensive performance from the team. Following the tumultuous quarter, the Thunder extended their lead, finishing 54.5% from the field and dominating the boards with a 45-35 advantage in rebounding.

As the Thunder improved to an impressive 49-11, they look forward to facing the Houston Rockets next, while the Spurs aim to regroup ahead of their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. The tension-filled encounter serves as a reminder of the fierce competitiveness in the league, especially during critical moments of high-stakes games.