The Oklahoma City Thunder are one victory away from a return trip to the NBA Finals after a 127-114 win over the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on Tuesday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the effort with 32 points, and Oklahoma City detonated for a 40-point second quarter that completely flipped the game. Alex Caruso piled up 22 points off the bench and Jared McCain added 20 in his first playoff start, lifting the Thunder to a 3-2 edge in the Western Conference finals. Victor Wembanyama finished with 20 for San Antonio, but the Spurs could not keep up with OKC's depth and physicality.
That second quarter was where the night turned. The Thunder poured in 40 points, and the teams combined for 29 free throws in the period, the most second-quarter free throws in a game since the bubble. "We just played to who we were tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said afterward, crediting his teammates for the barrage in transition and on the offensive glass. Oklahoma City protected its cushion the rest of the way and methodically closed out the win. As reported by MySA, those swings defined the night.
Thunder's balanced attack keys the win
Gilgeous-Alexander was the engine, but Oklahoma City’s balance made the box score look like a blueprint. Caruso delivered 22 points in a supercharged performance off the bench. Chet Holmgren posted 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein muscled his way to 12 points and 15 boards. McCain, thrust into the starting lineup with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell sidelined, responded with 20 points and a timely scoring jolt. The win pushed the Thunder up 3-2 in the Western Conference finals, and the official box score shows the final at 127-114, according to NBA.com.
Spurs couldn't find their range
San Antonio’s offense never really snapped into place from the perimeter. The Spurs missed 29 of 41 three-point attempts, and Wembanyama went just 4-for-15 from the field while getting to 20 points. Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 24 points and Julian Champagnie added 22, but those efforts were not enough to erase the hole dug in the second quarter. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson picked up a technical after an unsuccessful challenge late in the third, a sequence that further undercut San Antonio’s momentum, as detailed by MySA.
What's next
Game 6 is set for Thursday in San Antonio, a must-win for the Spurs if they want to force a deciding Game 7 in Oklahoma City on Saturday, per the league schedule. The winner will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks beginning June 3. The Thunder will try to protect the series lead and close things out, while the Spurs need a quicker offensive trigger and tighter perimeter defense at Frost Bank Center, according to NBA.com.
San Antonio heads home with a tight turnaround and a simple but unforgiving checklist: hit more threes, cut down on fouls that lead to free throws, and drag the Thunder into slower halfcourt possessions. If the Spurs can check those boxes, they have a shot to flip the series. If not, Oklahoma City is poised to lock up another Finals appearance. Expect a raucous crowd, high stakes and a full-on chess match on Thursday night.
