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Thunder host the Spurs for Christmas day matchup

San Antonio Spurs (22-7, second in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (26-4, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Thursday, 2:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -9.5; over/under is 235.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder square off against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Thunder are 22-4 in Western Conference games. Oklahoma City averages 121.9 points while outscoring opponents by 14.9 points per game.

The Spurs have gone 13-6 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio averages 120.4 points while outscoring opponents by 6.8 points per game.

The Thunder’s 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.9 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs are shooting 48.6% from the field, 5.6% higher than the 43.0% the Thunder’s opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 24 the Spurs won 130-110 led by 25 points from Keldon Johnson, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points for the Thunder.

TOP PERFORMERS: Chet Holmgren is averaging 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.0 points over the last 10 games.

Victor Wembanyama is averaging 23.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. Johnson is averaging 5.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 7-3, averaging 121.5 points, 44.3 rebounds, 25.2 assists, 10.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.

Spurs: 9-1, averaging 123.4 points, 47.9 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.6 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: day to day (undisclosed), Nikola Topic: out (groin), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Ousmane Dieng: day to day (calf), Chet Holmgren: day to day (face), Jaylin Williams: day to day (foot).

Spurs: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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