Christmas Day 2025 was supposed to be a red letter day for reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder were scheduled to play in their first Christmas Day game since 2018 and for the first time since Gilgeous-Alexander arrived on the team back in 2019.
Unfortunately, Oklahoma City was matched-up against the pesky San Antonio Spurs who had no plans whatsoever of rolling over.
The Spurs already beat the Thunder twice over the past 12 days and made it thrice with an impressive 117-102 win on Christmas.
Another point guard playing in his Christmas Day debut, San Antonio’s De’Aaron Fox, stole the show from Gilgeous-Alexander and played like he himself was the league’s MVP. Fox scored a game-high 29 points on 12-of-19 field goal shooting and also picked up four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block.
He kicked off the contest with 13 points in the first quarter–including three-of-three shooting on three-pointers–to put the Spurs in control early on. After they took the lead with 1:06 left in the opening period, they did not look back. They controlled the rest of the match, even leading by as much as 17 points in the second half.
San Antonio is now on an eight-game winning streak which has pushed them up the West standings to second place with a 23-7 record. They have relied on a balanced attack all season long with eight different players averaging at least 10 points per game. However, on the most famous night of the holiday season, it was Fox who answered the call and shined brightest.
These types of performances from the 28-year-old guard are important for these Spurs if they fancy themselves as legitimate contenders this season. Victor Wembanyama, Stephone Castle, and Dylan Harper, though they are expected to become perennial NBA All-Stars, are still quite young. All three are still on their rookie contracts and need the veteran leadership of players such as Fox and Harrison Barnes.
https://x.com/swipathefox/status/2004331047614554414
Fox must take command and these types of performances prove that he is more than willing to take on this task. Christmas Day offered yet another glimpse of how potent San Antonio can be when he asserts himself. The Thunder only have five losses this season–and three of them have come against Fox and these Spurs.
His ability to control the game and get to his spots on offense gives the Spurs a stabilizing force they can lean on in the most crucial moments. He relieves a great deal of pressure from their young stars, providing them with some semblance of a safety net as they navigate the team’s transition from a lottery regular into a playoff staple.
For a team built around youth and long-term promise, the presence of a player like Fox makes all the difference.
