Thunder take 2-1 Western finals lead with win over Spurs

Oklahoma City moved back in front in the Western Conference finals on Friday, May 22, with a 123-108 road win over San Antonio in Game 3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and 12 assists, according to the NBA’s game recap, and the Thunder erased a 15-point deficit from the opening minutes. (nba.com) Oklahoma City now leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 after splitting the first two games and taking the first game in San Antonio. The NBA’s series page lists Game 4 for Sunday, May 24, in San Antonio. (nba.com) ### How did Oklahoma City flip a game that started 15-0? San Antonio opened Game 3 with the first 15 points, but Oklahoma City recovered quickly and outscored the Spurs the rest of the way, according to the Associated Press recap carried on NBA.com. The Thunder were down by 15 only minutes into the game before settling into a more balanced rotation and cutting into the gap. The Thunder’s reserve unit supplied the biggest swing. NBA.com’s playoff coverage said Oklahoma City’s bench scored 76 points, a franchise playoff record, turning a game that began with a Spurs surge into one controlled by Thunder depth. (nba.com) NBC Sports said Jared McCain scored 24 points off the bench and Jaylin Williams added 18. ### What did Gilgeous-Alexander do in Game 3? Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder’s starters with 26 points and 12 assists, according to the official NBA recap. (nba.com) His scoring total was slightly lower than the preliminary local report cited before tip-off, but the league and Associated Press recaps both list 26 points in the final box. The NBA’s series leaders page lists Gilgeous-Alexander at 26.7 points and 11.0 assists per game through three games in the series. That has kept Oklahoma City’s offense steady even as the matchup has shifted from a double-overtime Spurs win in Game 1 to consecutive Thunder victories in Games 2 and 3. (api-hub.nba.com) ### How much of this game belonged to the bench? Oklahoma City’s bench was the clearest separator on Friday. NBA.com’s latest playoff report said the reserves “came up huge” and identified the 76 bench points as the defining number from the night. (nba.com) NBC Sports said the Thunder bench had already outscored San Antonio’s bench by 66 points through the first two games before widening that gap again in Game 3. Jared McCain’s 24 points and Jaylin Williams’ 18 points were both central to that push, according to NBA.com and NBC Sports. (nba.com) The Thunder also got enough creation from Gilgeous-Alexander to keep those second-unit runs organized after the early hole. ### Where does Victor Wembanyama leave the Spurs from here? The NBA’s series page lists Victor Wembanyama as San Antonio’s leading performer through three games at 29.3 points, 15.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. But Game 3 ended with the Spurs trailing by 15 after failing to sustain the force they showed in the opening stretch. (api-hub.nba.com) NBC Sports said San Antonio now heads into Game 4 needing a response at home, while the series page shows the Spurs still have at least two more chances to extend the matchup after Sunday. (api-hub.nba.com) The schedule lists Game 5 for Tuesday, May 26, back in Oklahoma City if the series continues on its current track. ### What is next in the series? Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, at 8 p.m. ET in San Antonio, according to the NBA’s official playoff bracket page. The same page lists Game 5 for Tuesday, May 26, in Oklahoma City, with Games 6 and 7 set for May 28 and May 30 if necessary. (nba.com) The NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3 on ABC, ESPN’s playoff schedule says. For now, Oklahoma City returns to the floor with a 2-1 edge and a chance on Sunday to move within one win of the conference title. (nba.com) (espn.com)