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Thunder’s Size and Balance Challenge Wembanyama on Opening Night

The rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama took center stage on opening night, with the two getting into a skirmish. Wembanyama struggled offensively and appeared to be searching for a way to regain his composure, even talking to himself at the free-throw line.

Oklahoma City may have found a defender capable of making Wembanyama uncomfortable. The Thunder put another tall, athletic player in his way and forced him to decide whether he would impose his will or allow the defense to disrupt him. Waiting until the third quarter to score a basket raised questions about his performance and role as the team’s star.

The Thunder approached the matchup with urgency. Rather than treating it like a routine first game, they immediately used their size and appeared determined to answer last season’s series loss. When Hartenstein played his usual role, Oklahoma City could bring in an even bigger player to continue contesting Wembanyama at the rim.

The rookie center had already shown his potential during the preseason against the New Orleans Pelicans. He ran from basket to basket, disrupted plays and relied on strong traditional post footwork. Although there had been clips of him taking step-back and sidestep three-pointers, his greatest value appeared to come from playing as a conventional center in the paint.

Oklahoma City used that size immediately against San Antonio. The same approach could also be tested against Denver and Jokic to determine whether it is effective against another elite big man.

The Thunder looked like a remarkably complete basketball team. They were balanced, selfless and sharp with their defensive rotations. With three big men, they now have another option for matchups in which Holmgren struggles. Their roster also features multiple ball handlers, shooters, drivers, rim finishers and players capable of rebounding and boxing out.

San Antonio may need Wembanyama to deliver an extraordinary performance to overcome that balance. The previous playoff series was close, including a narrow Game 7 result, despite Oklahoma City dealing with injuries. The Thunder entered opening night healthy and appeared ready to show what their expanded frontcourt could do.