The San Antonio Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio for the opening round of the NBA Regular Season. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local time at the arena), with live broadcast coverage in the United States on NBC, Peacock, and Fubo.
Because the matchup marks the season opener for both franchises in the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season, the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder enter the court with a 0-0 record in the Western Conference. In preseason play, San Antonio closed its preparation with two consecutive wins, defeating the Sacramento Kings 126-97 on Friday (16) to finish with a 2-3 exhibition record, while Oklahoma City lost its final tune-up game 116-89 against the Houston Rockets to end the preseason at 1-4. The two rivals last met on May 30, 2026, in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 on the road to win the Western Conference title and advance to the NBA Finals.
Where to watch San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder live
Fans in the United States can watch the season opener between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder across network television and streaming platforms.
- NBC: Over-the-air broadcast television
- Peacock: Streaming
- Fubo: Streaming
Start time and location for San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Start time: 9:30 p.m. ET (21:30 America/New_York) / 8:30 p.m. local time at the arena (20:30 America/Chicago)
- Location: Frost Bank Center, in San Antonio, Texas
- Competition: NBA (North American basketball league) — Regular Season (Opening Round)
How the San Antonio Spurs arrive for the matchup
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed his starting lineup for the opening night game featuring a three-guard configuration alongside the team’s frontcourt starters. During the 2026 offseason, the franchise retained its top ten scorers from the previous campaign and signed veteran forward Tobias Harris.
Center Victor Wembanyama leads the roster after winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2025-26 season, when he averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game. Speaking ahead of the opener, Johnson confirmed the starting unit: “We’re planning on starting that same crew [in the opener]”. The coach also addressed the transition from the previous campaign: “What we did last year doesn’t matter at this point. We’re all at the bottom of the mountain, all 30 teams trying to start our journey.”
The team’s starting point guard evaluated the tactical setup of the three-guard lineup for the new season. “We have a talented group, especially in the backcourt. When we’re making shots, it allows other guys to be able to get downhill. We can spread the defense out and teams know what we want to do. There’s no secret about it. So, a lot of our season, a lot of how special that first group can be, it’s going to be predicated on how we shoot the ball,” the player said.
According to the official NBA injury report released on the eve of the game, the San Antonio Spurs have two confirmed absences: forward Tobias Harris (left calf strain) and rookie power forward/center Jayden Quaintance (right knee surgery). The confirmed starting lineup for the San Antonio Spurs consists of:
- Stephon Castle (Guard)
- Dylan Harper (Guard/Forward)
- Devin Vassell (Forward)
- Victor Wembanyama (Center)
How the Oklahoma City Thunder arrive for the matchup
Commanded by head coach Mark Daigneault, the Oklahoma City Thunder begins the season after trading rotation players Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe during the offseason to relieve the team’s salary cap. With Dort traded, guard Cason Wallace steps into the starting five alongside point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won two consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards and averaged 31.1 points per game during the 2025-26 regular season.
Power forward Chet Holmgren missed the entire preseason due to a quadriceps contusion, but he was cleared by the medical staff and is not listed on the official NBA injury report for the opener. On the official league report, the Oklahoma City Thunder has three players ruled out due to injury: guard Otega Oweh (out for the season following right Achilles tendon surgery), center Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery), and point guard Nikola Topic (lumbar surgery). The probable starting lineup for the Oklahoma City Thunder includes:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Point guard)
- Cason Wallace (Guard)
- Jalen Williams (Forward)
- Chet Holmgren (Power forward)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (Center)
Read also: San Antonio Spurs vs Sacramento Kings: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 16)
Officiating for San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
The officiating crew (Crew Chief, Referee, and Umpire) for San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder had not yet been announced on the official NBA portal at the time of reporting, as the league publishes its court assignments on the morning of game day.
Head-to-head history between San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder
During the 2025-26 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder posted the best record in the league during the regular season at 64-18, while the San Antonio Spurs finished the regular campaign at 62-20. Across the entire 2025-26 calendar, the two franchises faced each other 12 times—comprising four regular-season games, one NBA Cup matchup, and the seven games of the Western Conference Finals. The series culminated in San Antonio’s 111-103 victory in Game 7 in Oklahoma City on May 30, 2026, before the Spurs lost the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks in five games.