OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder are one step away from returning to the NBA Finals after a decisive 127-114 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 32 points, while Alex Caruso contributed significantly off the bench with 22 points.
Jared McCain made an impressive playoff debut, stepping up in the absence of Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, scoring 20 points in his first start for the defending champions. This win places the Thunder ahead in the series with a 3-2 lead, putting them in a favorable position as they inch closer to the championship series.
The Thunder also saw notable contributions from Chet Holmgren, who recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Isaiah Hartenstein, who added 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. These performances highlight the depth and resilience of the Thunder’s roster as they aim to defend their title.
On the opposing side, the Spurs fought valiantly, with Stephon Castle leading their scoring efforts with 24 points. Julian Champagnie and Victor Wembanyama also made significant contributions, scoring 22 and 20 points, respectively, although Wembanyama struggled with his shooting, finishing 4-of-15 from the field.
Keldon Johnson added 15 points off the bench, but the team faced difficulties from beyond the arc, missing 29 of their 41 three-point attempts. This shooting struggle proved costly as the Thunder capitalized on their opportunities to build and maintain their lead.
The pivotal Game 6 is set for Thursday in San Antonio. Should the series extend to a Game 7, it will return to Oklahoma City on Saturday, where the New York Knicks await the victor to face them in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3.
Oklahoma City asserted their dominance in the second quarter, scoring 40 points and establishing a significant lead that they would not relinquish. “We just played to who we were tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander remarked, reflecting on the team’s performance.
In an unusual turn of events, the first free throws of the game weren’t awarded until nearly ten minutes in, but once the floodgates opened, both teams combined for 29 free throws in the second quarter alone. This marked the highest number of free throws in a second quarter since the NBA’s bubble playoffs nearly six years ago, with the Spurs converting 15 of 17 attempts and the Thunder going a perfect 14 for 14.
The Thunder built a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but the Spurs managed to close the gap to eight points at one point. However, San Antonio’s frustration mounted as they faced a series of missed calls, including a goaltending situation that went uncalled and an out-of-bounds call that appeared to favor them but was ruled otherwise.
As the third quarter concluded, Oklahoma City maintained a 101-91 lead, setting the stage for a thrilling finish in the final period.
___
For more NBA coverage, visit AP NBA.
