The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of the NBA Finals after dismantling the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 on Tuesday night, pushing their Western Conference Finals series lead to 3-2. One more victory in Game 6 on Thursday will send Oklahoma City through.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 32 points despite a nightmarish opening quarter, scoring just seven points on four missed attempts and committing three turnovers early. The reigning back-to-back MVP turned it around dramatically in the second and third quarters, accounting for 23 of his points during that stretch while also distributing nine assists overall.
"If it was four or five versions of me out there, we would've been down 20 after the first quarter," Gilgeous-Alexander said of his rough start. "Probably should never start like that again."
Coach Mark Daigneault credited the team's overall approach rather than focusing on his star's slow beginning. "I thought we were first to the fight tonight on both ends and I thought we weren't the other night," Daigneault said. "I just loved the way we approached tonight on both ends of the floor."
The Thunder received a critical lift from complementary pieces who struggled in Game 4's 103-82 loss. Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and Jared McCain had combined for just 14 points on 4-of-19 shooting that night, but Tuesday told a completely different story. The trio erupted for 58 points on 18-of-38 shooting.
McCain made his first playoff start after Daigneault opted to elevate him over Cason Wallace. Though McCain managed just two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first half, he finished with 20 points and zero second-half turnovers. Holmgren added 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Caruso exploded for 22 points, six assists, and three steals after being held scoreless on one attempt in Game 4.
Gilgeous-Alexander praised Caruso's impact. "He's one of, if not the best, competitor in the NBA night in and night out," he said. "He's huge for us."
San Antonio's offensive attack never found rhythm. Victor Wembanyama finished with 20 points on just 4-of-15 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, continuing a concerning decline after averaging 20.5 rebounds per game in the series' first two contests. Over the last three games combined, he has collected only 18 rebounds.
Stephon Castle paced the Spurs with 24 points but expressed frustration with the officiating afterward. Oklahoma City attempted 38 free throws compared to San Antonio's 32, a six-shot disparity that Castle said affected the team's ability to play physical defense. "I just think with the way they guard, how physical they are, we don't get that same luxury to be able to play as physical on the other end at times," Castle said.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was direct about what needs to happen for his team to extend the series. He told Wembanyama bluntly that the franchise's Finals hopes depend on him taking more shots and scoring well above 20 points. "He's going to have to take more than 15 shots even with the free throws," Johnson said. "He's going to have to score more than 20 points for sure."
The Thunder entered halftime with an 11-point cushion and methodically pulled away after the break, scoring the opening nine points of the third quarter. San Antonio mounted a brief rally that cut the deficit to eight late in the third period, but Oklahoma City never let the Spurs complete a comeback, closing out the game to avoid falling behind in a best-of-seven.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Spurs' window is closing fast, and Wembanyama has to become the dominant force everyone expected or Oklahoma City walks into the Finals."
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