The Oklahoma City Thunder inched closer to another Finals appearance, romping past the San Antonio Spurs in a Game 5 victory, 127-114, on Wednesday.
Reigning back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander willed Oklahoma City to break the crucial series deadlock, dropping 32 points, 9 assists, and 3 stocks.
“We just played who we were tonight… The group held it down, kept us in the game. We’re a group of one through fifteen, and we wouldn’t be this deep this season without everybody on the team, and it just showed again tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame.
Thunder Bounce Back After Embarrassing Blowout in Game 4
Monday’s 82-103 Game 4 defeat marked OKC’s fewest points scored in a game since 2021, and the Thunder responded in major fashion.
Despite a 9-0 Spurs run in the second quarter, the Thunder replied with a 24-14 run of their own, closing the first half with an 11-point cushion. From there, the reigning champs never looked back—as a layup from Gilgeous-Alexander with two minutes remaining extended their lead to 120-106, sealing the blowout.
Alex Caruso continued to prove his value as a reliable bench spark, notching 22 points and 6 assists, while Chet Holmgren added a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Despite committing 16 turnovers, the Thunder overwhelmed the Spurs defensively from deep, holding San Antonio to just a 29.3% clip from three.
Spurs Stars Struggle as Season Starts to Dim
The Spurs’ loss now places the team at a 2-3 series deficit—on the brink of elimination.
Amid the blowout, the star duo of De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama struggled mightily, as both players shot just 4-for-15 from the field, finishing with 9 and 20 points, respectively.
The Thunder will look to book their second straight Finals appearance, while the Spurs will aim to force a rubber match in Game 6 on Friday.
