Thunder bench erupts for 76 points in Game 3, giving OKC a 2-1 series lead over Spurs

Oklahoma City took back control of the Western Conference Finals on Friday, May 22, by winning 123-108 in San Antonio after falling behind 15-0 in the opening minutes. The Thunder’s bench scored 76 points, with Jared McCain and Jaylin Williams posting playoff career highs and turning a shaky start into a double-digit road win. The result gave Oklahoma City a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and extended one of the clearest trends of the matchup: the Thunder’s second unit has overwhelmed San Antonio’s reserves. NBA.com said the 76 bench points were a franchise playoff record for Oklahoma City and part of a 76-23 edge over the Spurs’ bench in Game 3. ### How did Oklahoma City flip a game that started 15-0? San Antonio opened with a 15-0 run at Frost Bank Center, but Oklahoma City steadied itself before the end of the first quarter and never let the early deficit define the night. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game, “Credit them, they were ready to play, and they got us early,” adding that his team showed “great poise and understanding the 48-minute nature of the game.” (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists, and Oklahoma City’s overall shooting numbers reflected the recovery. Fox Sports listed the Thunder at 48.1% from the field and 44.7% from 3-point range, compared with 42.5% and 31.7% for San Antonio. ### Which bench players drove the 76-point burst? (nba.com) Jared McCain scored a playoff career-high 24 points, including 16 in the second half, and Jaylin Williams added a playoff career-high 18 points with five 3-pointers, according to NBA.com. Alex Caruso scored 15 points, and Cason Wallace added 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. (nba.com) NBA.com said Oklahoma City’s starters scored only 47 points, a total that would usually put pressure on a team in a conference finals road game. Instead, the Thunder’s reserves supplied the margin. Through three games, NBA.com said Oklahoma City’s bench has outscored San Antonio’s bench 183-64, including the 76-23 gap in Game 3 alone. (nba.com) ### Why did the bench number stand out beyond one game? The 76 points were described by ESPN, as cited in the source briefing, as the most bench points by any team in a conference finals or NBA Finals game since starters were first tracked in 1971. NBA.com separately called it a franchise playoff record for Oklahoma City. (nba.com) Mark Daigneault tied the production to roster construction rather than matchup luck. “We just try to look at things through the lens of our own strengths,” he said, according to NBA.com. He added that “depth is a part of that.” ### What did San Antonio get from its starters? Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points for San Antonio, and De’Aaron Fox finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists in his Western Conference Finals debut after missing the first two games with an ankle issue, NBA.com said. (nba.com) All five Spurs starters finished in double figures, but the second unit could not match Oklahoma City’s production. (nba.com) Fox Sports said San Antonio also lost the turnover battle 15-10 and was outscored 20-16 on points off turnovers. Oklahoma City finished with a 41-37 rebounding edge. ### What changes before the next game? Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, in San Antonio at 8 p.m. (nba.com) ET on NBC and Peacock, according to NBA.com. Oklahoma City enters with a 2-1 series lead and with Jalen Williams still sidelined by a hamstring injury after missing his seventh full postseason game in Game 3. (nba.com) (foxsports.com)