Thunder beat Spurs in Game 3 to take 2-1 Western Conference finals lead

Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 123-108 on Friday, May 22, at Frost Bank Center to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points and had 12 assists, and the Thunder recovered after falling behind by 15 points in the opening minutes, according to NBA.com and an Associated Press recap carried on the league site. The Thunder got major production beyond their starters. Jared McCain scored 24 points, Jaylin Williams added 18 and Alex Caruso scored 15 off the bench as Oklahoma City's reserves outscored San Antonio's 76-23, NBA.com said. ### How did the game get away from San Antonio after that fast start? San Antonio opened with a 15-0 run, the longest run to begin a conference finals game since the play-by-play era began in 1997, according to the Associated Press recap on NBA.com. (nba.com) De'Aaron Fox started the burst with a layup, Victor Wembanyama hit a 3-pointer after crossing over Isaiah Hartenstein, and Devin Vassell's 3 made it 10-0 before Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called timeout. Oklahoma City began to recover when Wembanyama went to the bench. The Thunder answered with a 13-2 run and closed the first quarter down 31-26, trimming what had briefly become a 15-point hole, the NBA recap said. ### Who were the main players in Game 3? Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 26 points and 12 assists. McCain's 24 points and Jaylin Williams' 18 gave the Thunder the secondary scoring they needed on the road, while Caruso's 15 points helped drive the bench margin that defined the night. (nba.com) Wembanyama scored 24 points for San Antonio, while Vassell added 20 and Fox had 15 in his first game of the series, according to NBA.com. (nba.com) Fox had been listed with a sprained right ankle before returning for Game 3. ### What changed for Oklahoma City entering this game? Jalen Williams did not play because of left hamstring soreness, according to the NBA recap. (nba.com) Oklahoma City still won by leaning on its depth, with NBA.com's series page describing the result as a game in which the Thunder bench "comes up huge." Fox and Dylan Harper were cleared to play about 45 minutes before tipoff for San Antonio, the NBA recap said. (nba.com) Their availability gave the Spurs more ballhandling and shot creation than they had earlier in the series, but it did not stop Oklahoma City from winning its second straight game after San Antonio's double-overtime victory in Game 1. ### Why does the 2-1 score matter now? The series shifted back toward Oklahoma City after San Antonio won Game 1 and the Thunder answered in Game 2. NBA.com's playoff page lists the Western Conference finals as 2-1 in favor of Oklahoma City after Friday's result. The next date is Sunday, May 24. NBA.com lists Game 4 in San Antonio at 8:00 p.m. (nba.com) ET on Peacock and NBC, with Games 5 through 7 scheduled for May 26, May 28 and May 30 if needed. (nba.com)