San Antonio Spurs build 23-point lead

San Antonio seized control of Western Conference finals Game 4 on Sunday, opening a 23-point lead over Oklahoma City in the third quarter at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs entered the night trailing 2-1 in the series, and their push was driven by Stephon Castle’s transition plays and Victor Wembanyama’s finishing at the rim. (foxsports.com) NBA.com’s live playoff page showed San Antonio rolling through a 12-0 run, while social posts from the league highlighted Castle’s steal-to-dunk sequence and his self-lob finish. (nba.com) The game fit the stakes. Oklahoma City came in trying to move within one win of the NBA Finals, while San Antonio was trying to avoid a 3-1 deficit. (nba.com) By halftime, the Spurs had already built a double-digit edge, and the margin grew sharply after the break. ### How big was the Spurs’ lead, and when did it happen? The Spurs’ advantage reached 23 points in the third quarter, according to the game context cited in the league’s social highlight package and the live game listings. NBA.com’s playoff page also flagged that San Antonio had taken control with a 12-0 run in Game 4. (nba.com) Oklahoma City began the night with a 2-1 series lead after winning Games 2 and 3. That made Sunday’s game a swing point in the matchup: a Thunder win would have put San Antonio on the edge of elimination, while a Spurs win would level the series at 2-2. (nytimes.com) ### Which Castle sequence set off the run? Stephon Castle supplied the two plays that drew the most attention during San Antonio’s surge. The first was a steal that turned into a Victor Wembanyama slam, part of the run that widened the margin in front of the home crowd. (nba.com) The second was a lob-to-himself dunk that punctuated the sequence and circulated quickly through NBA highlight feeds. The league’s own video listings on the playoff page separately highlighted Wembanyama’s dunk and the Spurs’ first-half and first-quarter runs, underscoring how much of the game’s momentum came in transition and at the rim rather than from 3-point volume. (msn.com) FOX Sports’ live box score snapshot also showed both teams struggling from long range during the stretch it displayed. ### What did the Spurs need from Wembanyama and the guards? Victor Wembanyama had been San Antonio’s statistical anchor through the series, entering Game 4 as the Spurs’ leader at 28.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, according to NBA.com. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entered as Oklahoma City’s leading scorer in the matchup at 24.0 points per game. (nba.com) Castle’s role had already expanded earlier in the playoffs. NBA.com reported before Game 4 that Castle and fellow young guard Dylan Harper had been central to San Antonio’s postseason push, with Castle producing across scoring and playmaking categories. Sunday’s burst showed that same formula again: pressure on the ball from the guards, easy baskets in space, and Wembanyama finishing possessions. (nba.com) ### Where did the series stand before tipoff? Oklahoma City arrived in San Antonio ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. The Thunder had recovered from a Game 1 loss by taking the next two games, including a 123-108 win in Game 3. (nba.com) The schedule now turns quickly. NBA.com lists Game 5 for Tuesday, May 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Games 6 and 7 set for May 28 and May 30 if needed. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)