Thunder beat Spurs 116-104 after opening-night altercation

The Oklahoma City Thunder opened the 2026-27 NBA season with a 116-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, after a second-quarter altercation led officials to assess De’Aaron Fox a Flagrant 1 and issue four technical fouls. The confrontation began when Fox grabbed Thunder center Chet Holmgren during a play in the paint, sending him to the floor as an entry pass came in. Oklahoma City forward Jaylin Williams confronted Fox, and players from both teams gathered beneath the basket. Spurs center Victor Wembanyama then exchanged shoves with Jaylin Williams as teammates and officials moved to separate the players. Officials gave technical fouls to Wembanyama, Jaylin Williams, Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams. No ejections were reported. The sequence resulted in two free throws for each team: Holmgren took Oklahoma City’s shots, while Wembanyama took San Antonio’s. Fox disputed the severity of his contact with Holmgren after the game. He told reporters he had not thrown Holmgren hard and suggested the center’s reaction was exaggerated. The officials’ Flagrant 1 ruling was the on-court assessment of the play; the sources did not establish Fox’s intent independently. The...