Thunder even Western series with 118-103 Game 2 win over Spurs

Oklahoma City tied the Western Conference finals at 1-1 on May 20 with a 122-113 win over San Antonio in Game 2, sending the series to Texas even after the Spurs took a double-overtime opener. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and added nine assists for the Thunder, according to NBA.com. San Antonio committed 21 turnovers, and Oklahoma City turned those into a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday, May 22, in San Antonio. ### How did Oklahoma City answer after dropping Game 1? The Thunder took control late in the first quarter and held the lead for most of the night, according to NBA.com. Oklahoma City closed with steadier late-game execution than it showed in the opener, when San Antonio stole home-court advantage in a 122-115 double-overtime win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told NBA.com after the game, “The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one. We brought the energy from the jump.” NBA.com said Gilgeous-Alexander hit a late jumper that helped seal the result. ### Which numbers best explain the Game 2 result? Oklahoma City forced 21 San Antonio turnovers and posted 14 steals, while the Spurs had 10 turnovers and five steals, according to Sporting News. The Thunder also finished with 34 assists to San Antonio’s 22, a sign of cleaner half-court offense after the opener. The 27-10 margin in points off turnovers was one of the clearest separators, NBA.com reported. San Antonio shot 49% from the field and 40% from 3-point range, according to Sporting News, but the extra possessions created by Oklahoma City’s pressure defense helped offset that efficiency. ### Who led the Thunder, and who kept San Antonio close? Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30 points led seven Thunder players in double figures, NBA.com reported. Alex Caruso added 17 points on seven shots, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 10 points and 13 rebounds after playing 27 minutes, up from 12 minutes in Game 1, according to NBA.com. Victor Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocks for San Antonio, NBA.com said. Stephon Castle scored either 25 or 28 points, depending on live-recap updates from NBA.com and Sporting News, but both outlets reported that his ballhandling burden was costly as the Spurs’ turnovers mounted. NBA.com said Castle committed nine turnovers. ### What changed from the opener? Mark Daigneault said after the game, “I just thought the overall flow, rhythm, was really good,” according to NBA.com. That showed up in the Thunder’s ball movement and in the decision to lean more on Hartenstein’s size and rebounding against Wembanyama. The fourth quarter also unfolded differently from Game 1. Sporting News reported that San Antonio cut the lead to 99-97 early in the period, but Oklahoma City answered with an 8-0 run and then back-to-back 3-pointers to push the margin back out. By the final minute, the Thunder had rebuilt a two-possession lead and did not let it slip. ### What does the series look like going back to San Antonio? The series is now a best-of-five with San Antonio holding home court for Game 3 and Game 4. NBA.com’s playoff bracket lists Game 3 for Friday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, with Game 4 set for Sunday, May 24, in San Antonio. NBA.com lists the Western Conference finals as tied 1-1 and shows Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 27.0 points and 10.5 assists through two games, while Wembanyama is averaging 31.0 points and 20.5 rebounds in the series. The winner will advance to the NBA Finals, which NBA.com says begin June 3.