The Oklahoma City Thunder seized the upper hand in their Western Conference Finals clash against the San Antonio Spurs, notching a 123-108 victory in enemy territory during Game 3 on Saturday.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again led his team, topscoring for OKC while recording a double-double of 26 points and 12 assists, along with 2 rebounds.
“It’s the highest level of competition. They’re obviously a really good team, they really challenge you. You find out about yourself and about your group when you go against the best,” Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame.
Four Thunder Bench Players Score in Double Figures
The Thunder bench ultimately became the deciding factor in their momentum-sealing win, outscoring San Antonio’s second unit by a staggering 76-23 margin.
In fact, OKC’s reserves outperformed the starters entirely, with Jared McCain leading the way with 24 points, while Jaylin Williams and Alex Caruso chipped in 18 and 15 points, respectively.
The Thunder also secured the victory undermanned, missing key contributor Jalen Williams due to an aggravated hamstring injury.
Spurs Claim Big Lead Early but Falter Late
The Spurs opened the game firing on all cylinders, racing to a historic 15-0 start in the opening minutes—the largest such run in a conference finals game since the play-by-play era began in 1997.
However, San Antonio failed to sustain its momentum. OKC responded with a 32-20 second quarter, extinguishing the Spurs’ early spark and never relinquishing control thereafter.
Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs in the loss with 24 points and 4 rebounds, while Devin Vassell added 20. De’Aaron Fox, returning to the lineup, contributed 15 points and 7 boards.
The Thunder will look to extend their advantage to 3-1, while the Spurs aim to even the series in Game 4 on Monday.
