Thunder even Western Conference finals 1-1 with win over Spurs

Oklahoma City tied the Western Conference finals at one game apiece with a 122-113 win over San Antonio on Wednesday, May 20, according to NBA.com. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points as the Thunder answered a Game 1 loss that had gone to double overtime. The split sends the series to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. NBA.com lists Game 3 for May 22 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern and Game 4 for May 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern. ### How did Oklahoma City get the series back to 1-1? Game 2 ended 122-113 after Oklahoma City tightened up defensively and avoided the late-game collapse that marked the opener, NBA.com’s live recap said. The Thunder’s response came two nights after San Antonio took Game 1, 122-115, in double overtime. (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone with 30 points, and The Athletic’s live coverage said Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points, 13 rebounds and strong interior defense against Victor Wembanyama. NBA.com described the Thunder’s approach as pressure defense that harassed San Antonio and helped even the series. (nba.com) ### What numbers stand out through two games? NBA.com lists Gilgeous-Alexander as Oklahoma City’s series leader at 27.0 points and 10.5 assists per game through the first two matchups. The same page lists Wembanyama at 31.0 points, 20.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for San Antonio. Basketball-Reference’s Game 2 box score shows San Antonio still reached 113 points in defeat, underlining how narrow the margin has been even with the series tied. (nytimes.com) Across two games, NBA.com’s series averages show San Antonio ahead 53.0-40.5 in rebounds, while Oklahoma City holds the edge in assists at 29.5-23.5. (nba.com) ### What changed after that Game 1 double-overtime opener? May 20 became a reset point for Oklahoma City after the Thunder let the opener slip away in a game that extended through two extra periods. NBA.com’s recap said Oklahoma City improved its offensive execution in Game 2 and prevented Wembanyama from producing another outsized performance. (basketball-reference.com) USA Today said the result left the Western Conference finals “all knotted up” as the series shifted to Texas. That means the early edge San Antonio earned by winning on the road in Game 1 did not become a 2-0 lead before the change in venue. ### Where does the series go from here? (nba.com) San Antonio is the site for the next two games, with NBA.com’s playoff page listing Game 3 on Friday, May 22, and Game 4 on Sunday, May 24. The same schedule lists Game 5, if necessary, back in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 26. The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin June 3 on ABC, according to ESPN’s playoff schedule page. (usatoday.com) For now, the immediate next step is the weekend set in San Antonio, where one team will emerge from Games 3 and 4 with control of the series. (espn.com) (nba.com)