Overview
- Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 123-108 on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
- The Thunder’s bench scored 76 points while the Spurs’ reserves managed 23, the most bench points in a conference-finals or Finals game since starters were first tracked in 1971.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced OKC with 26 points and 12 assists while Jared McCain had 24 off the bench, Jaylin Williams added 18 with five 3s, and Alex Caruso contributed 15.
- Oklahoma City used physical, experience-driven matchups and rotations to hold Victor Wembanyama to 26 points and four rebounds, and the game featured an altercation that led to a flagrant foul and technicals.
- De’Aaron Fox returned but appeared limited after re-aggravating his ankle and Dylan Harper played through an adductor issue, leaving San Antonio’s thin bench as the series’ central vulnerability heading into Game 4 on Sunday.