76 points from Oklahoma City reserves erased a 19-4 Spurs opening and handed the Thunder a 123-108 victory in Game 3 on 22 May at Frost Bank Center. Jared McCain scored 24 off the bench and Jaylin Williams added a playoff-career-high 18, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26 points but was limited to four rebounds as OKC’s depth outscored San Antonio’s reserves 76-23. The result gives the defending champions a 2-1 lead and a momentum swing that the Spurs must counter in Sunday’s Game 4.

The headline was the bench. Oklahoma City’s second unit poured in a franchise-record 76 points to overturn a furious start from San Antonio and secure a 123-108 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on 22 May. San Antonio opened with a ripping 19-4 run and still led by five at the start of the second quarter, but their offence went cold and the Thunder answered with a steady, physical response. Jared McCain emerged as the chief spark, contributing 24 off the bench, while Jaylin Williams produced a playoff-career-high 18 and hit five 3-pointers. The reserves repeatedly punished the Spurs in transition and on second-chance opportunities, a pattern that flipped the game and the series tempo. The bench differential was the clearest statistical story of the night. Oklahoma City’s second unit outscored San Antonio’s reserves 76-23 in the game, and through three games the Thunder bench had outscored the Spurs bench by a combined 183-64. That 119-point gap has materially shifted momentum toward the defending champions and forced San Antonio into uncomfortable rotations. OKC coach Mark Daigneault leaned heavily on rotation depth, bringing fresh players who repeatedly attacked mismatches and stretched the Spurs’ defence. McCain and Williams were central to that strategy. Their scoring bursts removed San Antonio’s margin for error and allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to operate without carrying the scoring load alone. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists, and Chet Holmgren added 14. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting, but he had only four rebounds as Oklahoma City’s defence kept him largely away from the paint. That defensive attention, and the heavy minutes Wembanyama has logged across the series, limited San Antonio’s ability to secure second-chance possessions and altered their usual interior dynamics. Devin Vassell offered 20 points and made several hustle plays, yet the Spurs bench couldn't match the Thunder’s scoring bursts. De'Aaron Fox returned to the lineup and scored 15 points, but he left late in the third after aggravating his right ankle before re-entering the game. The match grew chippy late and officials assessed technical and flagrant fouls. San Antonio’s coach said the team started sharply but couldn't sustain that level, a combination that allowed Oklahoma City’s depth to take over. The numbers don't lie. A 19-4 opening run suggested San Antonio could seize control, but the Thunder’s bench put the contest beyond reach. OKC’s fresh legs converted turnovers and missed shots into quick points. San Antonio’s reserves, by contrast, managed just 23 points and were overwhelmed in frequency and efficiency by their opponents’ second unit. Strategic matchups will matter in the coming games. If San Antonio wants to blunt the bench tide, it must find a way to protect the glass and limit transition chances while preserving Wembanyama’s energy. Oklahoma City will aim to repeat the rotation patterns that produced 76 points from its reserves and to keep the Spurs on their heels every time the starters come to the bench. The immediate consequence is clear: the Thunder lead the series 2-1, and the momentum now sits with the defending champions.

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Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, and San Antonio faces a must-win to avoid falling behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Originally reported by sports.yahoo.com.

This article was created with AI assistance.