Spurs level Western Conference finals after Game 4 win over Thunder aided by surprise contributor
Nuns Bless Spurs Centre Luke Kornet Before Game 4 Victory
Four nuns from the Salesian Sisters of St John Bosco took their courtside seats at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday to watch the San Antonio Spurs warm up for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals — and before long they were called upon to perform a religious ritual that briefly became the focus of the evening. Spurs centre Luke Kornet, a practising Catholic, approached the sisters and asked for a blessing through the laying on of hands. He was then seen making the sign of the cross and thanking them before returning to the court.
The Salesian Sisters are an international Catholic congregation dedicated to youth evangelisation. Their presence in San Antonio highlighted a tradition that Kornet has spoken about publicly in the past; he has previously written about his faith and his habit of visiting churches. The laying on of hands is a symbolic act in which a person — often a clergy member or religious sister — places hands on the recipient’s head or shoulders while offering a prayer for strength, healing or protection. For Kornet, it was a moment of personal devotion ahead of what would become a decisive game for his team.
The Spurs were trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder 2-1 in the series and needed a win to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole. Whether the sisters’ blessing had any effect is impossible to measure, but the result that followed was emphatic.
Dominant Spurs Performance Levels the Series
San Antonio stormed to a 103-82 victory, led by Victor Wembanyama’s 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. The French rookie also hit a 40-foot half-court shot at the end of the first half and posted a plus-minus rating of +21. His performance marked a sharp improvement from Games 2 and 3, with more aggressive offensive play and increased field goal attempts. Wembanyama also set a franchise record for most points in a player’s first postseason appearance, now standing at 324.
Wembanyama was one of four Spurs players to reach double figures. Stephon Castle added 13 points, three rebounds and six assists with just one turnover. Devin Vassell contributed 12 points, six rebounds and three assists, and was praised for his all-around impact and leadership — he later said the team was particularly proud of its defensive effort. De’Aaron Fox recorded 12 points, ten rebounds and five assists despite playing with a high ankle sprain; he committed zero turnovers in nearly 31 minutes. Kornet himself chipped in six points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes of game time.
The Thunder’s offence, by contrast, never found rhythm. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed 19 points, four rebounds and seven assists but shot 6-of-15 from the field and missed his only three-point attempt. His stat line was noted as a poor performance in the context of the series; he had previously recorded 35 points and zero assists in a Game 4 during the 2025 NBA Finals. Oklahoma City shot 33 per cent from the field, an ice-cold 18.2 per cent from three-point range, and committed 17 turnovers that led to 27 points for the Spurs. The absences of Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (calf) were factors in the offensive struggles.
The Spurs’ bench also outscored the Thunder’s bench in fast-break points 7-0 during Game 4, a statistical note that underscored San Antonio’s transition defence. Coach Gregg Popovich had addressed the team after their Game 3 loss, a moment that De’Aaron Fox suggested served as a catalyst for the turnaround.
The series now returns to Oklahoma City tied at 2-2, with the Thunder favoured by 5.5 points for Game 5. The Spurs, who have regained home-court advantage, will aim to carry the momentum from Sunday’s dominant showing — and maybe a blessing — into the next contest.
