Thunder beat Spurs 123-108, go 2-1

Oklahoma City took back control of the Western Conference finals on May 22 by winning 123-108 at San Antonio after falling behind 15-0 in the opening minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists, but the defining number was 76 bench points from the Thunder reserves, according to ESPN and NBA box-score data. The result gave the Thunder a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 4. It also reversed the early shape of a night that began with San Antonio overwhelming Oklahoma City at the start. ### How did the game flip after that 15-0 San Antonio start? San Antonio opened Game 3 with a 15-0 run less than three minutes in, forcing Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to his bench almost immediately, ESPN reported. Oklahoma City stabilized from there, and by halftime the game had shifted from a Spurs sprint to a deeper Thunder rotation contest. The Thunder outscored the Spurs 36-22 in the second quarter and built separation over the middle stages of the game, according to NBA game data. By the end, Oklahoma City had turned a 15-point hole into a 15-point win. ### Why was the bench the story? Oklahoma City's reserves scored 76 points, the most by a team in a conference finals game since the NBA adopted the 16-team playoff format in 1984, according to AP. ESPN identified that bench output as the decisive number in the comeback. Jared McCain led the second unit with 24 points, while four Thunder reserves scored in double figures, according to game reports and the NBA box score. Only two Oklahoma City starters reached double figures, which underscored how heavily the Thunder leaned on non-starters after the opening punch from San Antonio. Mark Daigneault said the bench has to remain one of Oklahoma City's dependable strengths regardless of the situation, according to postgame reports. The decision to go to the second unit early changed the pace and shot profile of the game. ### What did Gilgeous-Alexander and the starters still provide? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander supplied 26 points and 12 assists, giving Oklahoma City its steadiest half-court creator once the game settled. Chet Holmgren also scored in double figures for the Thunder, while the rest of the starting group combined for limited offense. The Thunder did not need a huge scoring night from the full starting lineup because the bench carried so much of the load. Gilgeous-Alexander's role was more about control than rescue by the second half, as Oklahoma City reduced turnovers and found easier scoring chances. ### What did San Antonio get, and where did it slip? Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs controlled the first few minutes and had the home crowd engaged early in San Antonio. But the Spurs could not sustain that edge once Oklahoma City's rotation widened and the game moved deeper into the bench. San Antonio finished with 108 points after scoring only 22 in the second quarter, the period that let Oklahoma City erase the early deficit. The Spurs now trail in the series for the first time since splitting the first two games in Oklahoma City. ### What matters now before Game 4? Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Oklahoma City can take a 3-1 series lead with another road win, while San Antonio will try to send the series back to Oklahoma City level at 2-2. The NBA's official playoff schedule lists the 2026 Finals as beginning June 3. For now, the next date in this series is May 24, with Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Oklahoma City's bench at the center of Game 4.