The Oklahoma City Thunder came back from an early 15-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108 and take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals on Friday night.
Back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came up with a 26-point, 12-assist double-double, propelling the Thunder to a pivotal victory that helped the Mark Daigneault-coached team recapture homecourt edge they initially lost following their double-overtime setback in Game 1.
Thunder bench neutralizes Spurs
Oklahoma City’s bench also shone in Game 3, piling up 76 points, as they buried the Spurs, whose reserves managed just 23 points.
Jared McCain spearheaded the Thunder bench mob, putting up 24 points while Jaylin Williams added 18. Veteran Alex Caruso contributed 15 for Oklahoma City, which won for the first time at the Frost Bank Center this season.
The Thunder won the game without forward Jalen Williams, who sat out due to a sore left hamstring. Oklahoma City won the game despite the Spurs having a better lineup on paper after De’Aaron Fox was cleared to play after being sidelined in the first two games due to sprained right ankle.
The comebacking guard sparked a 15-0 Spurs surge in the opening period. He started the run by wrapping in a driving layup that was followed by Victro Wembanyama’s crossover 3 off Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein.
Daigneault was forced to call an early timeout after Devin Vassell drilled another triple. The Thunder coach believed that the team’s defensive discipline brought them back from that 15-0 deficit.
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Oklahoma City responds to adversity
Hartenstein, who was greeted by non-stop boos from the Spurs fans due to his rugged play on the French center, responded to Wembanyama’s crossover 3 with a runner that Oklahoma City break the scoreless drought.
The visiting Thunder then went on a 13-2 run when Wembanyama went to the bench and closed the first quarter trailing 31-26.
The Spurs tried to pull away again but they were unable to overcome the productive Oklahoma City bench that went havoc on San Antonio and gave coach Mitch Johnson more problems.
Emotions boiled over early in the second half as Stephon Castle hit the court on back-to-back dunk attempts.
The second resulted in a flagrant 1 foul against Ajay Mitchell and technical fouls on Mitchell and Vassell after the two exchanged words following the foul.
The Thunder led by as many as 18 points and had the upperhand for 66 percent of the game.
Both teams each had 33 free-throw attempts with Oklahoma City making 28 while San Antonio connecting 27.
Wembanyama had 24 points for the Spurs while Vassell and Fox added 20 and 15, respectively.
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SportJustSport writers 
Ella Magyar