Thunder at Spurs Game 3 tonight

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs enter Game 3 on Friday night with the Western Conference finals tied 1-1 after two games in Oklahoma City. NBA.com lists the game for 8:30 p.m. ET in San Antonio, with NBC and Peacock carrying the broadcast. San Antonio opened the series with a 122-115 double-overtime win on May 18, and Oklahoma City answered with a 122-113 victory on May 20. NBA.com said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points in Game 2 as the Thunder leveled the series, while Victor Wembanyama has averaged 31.0 points and 20.5 rebounds through the first two games. (nba.com) ### Why does Game 3 matter so much in a 1-1 series? Friday’s game is the first of two in San Antonio, where the Spurs can try to turn home court into an edge after splitting the opening pair on the road. NBA.com’s official playoff schedule shows Game 4 is also set for San Antonio on Sunday, before the series shifts back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on May 26. (nba.com) The first two results have been narrow enough to keep the matchup unsettled. San Antonio needed two overtimes to win Game 1, and Oklahoma City responded by winning Game 2 behind a 57-25 bench-scoring advantage and a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers, according to NBA.com. ### What has Gilgeous-Alexander looked like through two games? (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 27.0 points and 10.5 assists in the series, according to NBA.com’s series page. His Game 2 line included 30 points on 12-for-24 shooting with nine assists, FOX Sports said. A social-media betting post that circulated Friday said San Antonio has held Gilgeous-Alexander below 24.5 field-goal attempts in all 13 of his career meetings with the Spurs and cited a series usage rate below 28%. (nba.com) That post was not an official league statistic release, but it has centered attention on how often San Antonio can keep the ball out of his hands or force Oklahoma City into secondary actions. (nba.com) ### What have the Spurs done well defensively? San Antonio has already shown it can drag the series into the kind of game it wants. The Spurs won Game 1 in double overtime after holding on late, then stayed close in Game 2 even as Oklahoma City cleaned up its offense. Victor Wembanyama has been the biggest two-way constant for San Antonio. (nba.com) NBA.com lists him at 31.0 points, 20.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the series entering Friday. ### What about the injury questions going into Friday night? Jalen Williams left Game 2 with a hamstring issue and was ruled out for the second half, according to NBA.com and the Associated Press. (nba.com) Williams had already missed six playoff games earlier this postseason with a strained left hamstring. Dylan Harper also exited Game 2 with a right leg injury after starting in place of De’Aaron Fox, who was sidelined by an ankle injury, NBA.com said. (nba.com) Harper scored 12 points in 25 minutes before leaving the game. ### What comes next after Friday? Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, at 8 p.m. ET in San Antonio, and Game 5 is set for Tuesday, May 26, at 8:30 p.m. (api-hub.nba.com) ET in Oklahoma City, according to NBA.com’s playoff schedule. The winner of the series will advance to the NBA Finals, which the league says begin June 3 on ABC. (nba.com) (api-hub-qa.nba.com)