Player Ratings: No fireworks for Wemby against Chet as Thunder cruise to a 105-93 win over the Spurs

OKLAHOMA CITY – The San Antonio Spurs won the opening tip and looked to strike first.

Jeremy Sochan tried to throw an alley-oop to Victor Wembanyama. The possible endorsement could have calmed an excited OKC crowd on par with a playoff game.

Instead, Chet Holmgren dashed their ambitions when he blocked the lob. Sochan ran to the tape and tried the second chance, but was again denied by the seven-footer.

The exciting duel between Holmgren and Wembanyama in the first seconds proved to be the highlight of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 105:93 victory over the Spurs.

After a slow start, the Thunder left the first quarter with a 26-19 lead. A 33-point second frame increased that lead to 59-44 at halftime. The Spurs made things interesting in the second half, reducing the deficit to just single digits. But OKC always responded.

The Thunder had an 82-70 lead over the Spurs after the third quarter. There was little drama in the final frame as OKC got off to a perfect 4-0 start to the season – with all four wins by double-digit points.

The Thunder shot 46% from the field and went 17 of 41 (41.5%) from 3. They had 28 assists on 41 baskets. Five Thunder players scored in double figures.

Holmgren had 19 points and five rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 18 points on 20 shots. Jalen Williams filled the stat sheet with 12 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Lu Dort continues his winning streak with 20 points.

Meanwhile, the Spurs were the latest victims of OKC's stifling defense. They shot 41% from the field and made 12 of 36 (33.3%) from 3. They had 22 assists on 35 baskets. Four Spurs players scored in double figures. San Antonio had 22 turnovers, 18 of which were OKC steals.

Wembanyama had a career-low six points and eight rebounds. Chris Paul scored 14 points and nine assists. Sochan finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds. Harrison Barnes scored 18 points.

Everyone had their sights set on Holmgren and Wembanyama. While the two provided some early sparks, this contest quickly became a reminder of the massive talent gap between the Thunder and Spurs.

The two seven-foot models will always be linked – they have too much in common not to. But until the Spurs land serious talent in the lottery, future matchups between the Thunder and Spurs will look like this in most cases.

Let's look at the Thunder players' grades:

Chet Holmgren: B

Of all the meetings between Holmgren and Wembanyama since last season, this was the most one-sided so far.

Holmgren set the tone early when he separated and rejected the ball. He anchored an OKC defense that gave Wembanyama his worst career performance. With several top defenders at his side, the 22-year-old could enjoy other encounters that he would dominate and not just focus on his generational colleague, who stands 2.1 meters tall.

Holmgren finished the game with 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. He shot a perfect 3 of 3 from 3.

The early returns this season show that Holmgren is close to All-Star status. He is arguably the best player on the most dominant team since the season began last week.

Despite all the excitement that comes with a game against Wembanyama, Holmgren has always practiced what the Thunder have preached about their matchups. He has remained focused on making it a game against Spurs – and not a one-on-one battle for pride and bragging rights.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: C-minus

The cold start from outside for Gilgeous-Alexander fell below zero.

The 26-year-old started the season using his outside shot again. It was a focus. The hard-driving scorer is hoping to expand his range after missing the 3-point shot the last two seasons. It was a difficult beginning, to say the least.

The sample size is small, but perhaps it's time to regroup and return to the style of play that led him to his rise to superstardom. Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with 18 points on 7 of 20 shooting, five assists and four rebounds. He shot 2 of 10 from 3.

That hasn't hurt the Thunder's bottom line yet, but they will need Gilgeous-Alexander to return to his previous 30-point form. This is the only way they can be truly successful in the playoffs. The good news is that the season is still in its infancy and his outside shot should return at some point.

Lu Dort: A

There were two hot outside games for Dort. It's clear that the 25-year-old prefers his home games to away games.

There he scored 20 points on 7 of 9 shooting, six rebounds and two blocks. He shot 6 of 8 from 3. On the other hand, he helped direct traffic on another shutout performance from the Thunder defense.

The outside shot will come and go in waves for Dort. He is currently on a heater. It's a bonus for the Thunder if they can do that. His 3-point baskets were heartbreaking at several points in the contest. It benefited the OKC crowd and made a 10-point lead seem like 25 or more.

Ajay Mitchell: A

At this rate, Mitchell will force the Thunder to convert him to a standard contract before the G League season even begins in two weeks. That’s how balanced the two-way rookie looked in the first few games.

Mitchell finished the game with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, four rebounds and two steals. He has been a steady hand for OKC since the start of the season. Daigneault admitted that the 22-year-old quickly gained his trust.

That's easy if he stands out on defense. On the few possessions he had against Wembanyama, Mitchell made it difficult for him to receive the basketball despite the serious size difference.

The start of the season went smoothly for Mitchell. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few weeks as other teams learn more about him. But there's no doubt he looked like a veteran backup guard.

Highlights:

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Player Grades: Thunder, Chet earn 105-93 win over Spurs, Wemby