Thunder bench explodes for 76 points in Game 3 win over Spurs

Oklahoma City opened Game 3 in San Antonio by falling behind 15-0 less than three minutes into the first quarter, then won the game anyway because its second unit overwhelmed the Spurs. The Thunder beat San Antonio 123-108 on Friday, May 22, taking a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals behind 76 bench points, compared with 23 for the Spurs. AP reported the 76 points were the most by a team in a conference finals game since the NBA adopted the 16-team playoff format in 1984, and ESPN said it was the most by any team in a conference finals or NBA Finals game. ### How unusual was 76 bench points in a conference finals game? The number itself is the story. Oklahoma City's reserves scored 76 points in a game the Thunder won by 15, which means the bench alone nearly matched San Antonio's entire second unit by a margin of 53 points. AP said the previous conference finals record under the 16-team format was 69 by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. (nba.com) NBA.com described the performance as record-setting and said Oklahoma City's bench has outscored San Antonio's 183-64 through three games of the series. That gap explains why the Thunder were able to absorb a poor scoring night from several starters and still control the game after the opening burst. (seattlepi.com) ### Which Thunder reserves drove the swing? Jared McCain led the bench with a playoff career-high 24 points after arriving from Philadelphia at the February trade deadline, according to NBA.com and AP. Jaylin Williams added a playoff career-high 18 points and hit five 3-pointers, while Alex Caruso scored 15 points. Cason Wallace chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, NBA.com said. (nba.com) AP said Oklahoma City played without Jalen Williams because of left hamstring soreness, which increased the load on the second unit. Jaylin Williams filled part of that gap, and McCain's scoring gave the Thunder another ballhandler and shot creator once the starters stumbled early. ### How did the game turn after San Antonio's 15-0 start? (nba.com) San Antonio's 15-0 opening run was the longest to start a conference finals game since the play-by-play era began in 1997, according to the AP game recap carried on NBA.com. De'Aaron Fox, back from a sprained right ankle, helped ignite that start in his series debut, and Victor Wembanyama added early pressure. (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists, and Mark Daigneault said the Thunder responded with "great poise and understanding the 48-minute nature of the game," according to NBA.com. Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters the Thunder stopped focusing on the bad start and "focus[ed] on the next possession." (nba.com) ### What changed in Oklahoma City's rotation? Mark Daigneault went to his bench before the game was three minutes old, after the Thunder fell behind 15-0, according to ESPN's report summarized in other coverage and AP's account. That early move mattered because Oklahoma City's starters produced only 47 points, while three starters combined for seven points, AP said. (nba.com) Daigneault told NBA.com that Oklahoma City was looking at "our own strengths" and that "depth is a part of that." In practice, that meant longer and earlier minutes for McCain, Caruso, Wallace and Jaylin Williams, and those groups changed the pace of the game. ### What does it set up next in the series? (msn.com) Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, in San Antonio at 8 p.m. ET, with NBC and Peacock carrying the broadcast, according to NBA.com's series page. Oklahoma City enters that game leading the series 2-1 after winning the last two games, while San Antonio will try to even the matchup on its home floor. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)