Per @StatsWilliams, the Thunder’s 76 bench points are the most in a conference finals or Finals game since starters began being tracked in 1971.
Getty
Thunder’s 76 bench points are the most in a conference finals or Finals game
The Oklahoma City Thunder regained control of the Western Conference Finals on Friday night with a 123-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 at Frost Bank Center. Oklahoma City now leads the series 2-1 after responding to San Antonio’s early momentum and a hostile road atmosphere.
The Thunder overcame a 15-0 deficit to open the game and delivered one of the most productive bench performances in NBA playoff history. According to Matt Williams, Oklahoma City’s 76 bench points were the most ever recorded in a conference finals or NBA Finals game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 26 points, while the Thunder reserves completely shifted the game after San Antonio’s fast start. Jared McCain scored 24 points off the bench, Jaylin Williams added 18 points with five made three-pointers, and Alex Caruso contributed 15 points.
“We just went out there and competed,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They obviously jumped on us early. First game in their building, their crowd behind them, they were excited to play. We just wanted to make sure we competed from that point on.”
GettyOklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams
Oklahoma City’s second unit changed the game after San Antonio dominated the opening minutes.
The Spurs energized the home crowd immediately behind Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and the return of De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper from injuries. San Antonio led 19-4 early as the arena erupted during the franchise’s first Western Conference Finals home game since 2017.
But the Thunder settled the game quickly behind their bench production.
Jaylin Williams hit three first-half three-pointers to stabilize Oklahoma City after the rough opening stretch. McCain later helped extend the lead in the second half, including a corner three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that pushed the Thunder’s advantage to 15 points.
Per @StatsWilliams, the Thunder’s 76 bench points are the most in a conference finals or Finals game since starters began being tracked in 1971.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised his team’s composure after the early deficit.
“It was a punch. Credit them, they were ready to play and they got us early,” Daigneault said. “I just thought we showed great poise to understand the 48-minute nature of the game.”
According to Matt Williams, the Thunder’s 76 bench points set an NBA record for the most bench points scored in a conference finals or NBA Finals game.
San Antonio’s bench managed only 23 points in comparison.
The Thunder also overcame several issues of their own. Jalen Williams did not play, Ajay Mitchell was limited before exiting, and Gilgeous-Alexander shot 6-for-17 from the field. Even with those struggles, Oklahoma City controlled the second half with its depth and defensive pressure.
GettySan Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, while Vassell added 20 points, four steals, and six made threes for San Antonio. But the Spurs struggled to maintain their early intensity as Oklahoma City’s depth wore them down.
Fox returned after missing the first two games of the series with a right ankle sprain, though he appeared limited after aggravating the injury again during the second half. Harper also returned after dealing with an adductor injury, but scored only six points in 17 minutes.
“It pains me to see them in pain,” Wembanyama said about Fox and Harper. “I feel like I need to make my teammates better.”
The game also featured several physical moments. Stephon Castle was fouled hard twice during transition opportunities in the third quarter, leading to a brief confrontation between both teams. Ajay Mitchell was assessed a flagrant foul and a technical foul after one sequence, while Devin Vassell also received a technical foul.
“Just had my teammate’s back,” Vassell said. “That’s my brother, and the first play is a basketball play, but I mean, two times in a row, he’s about to go out for dunk, and you feel like you pushed him. That could be a dangerous play.”
The Thunder eventually pulled away late despite the emotional atmosphere inside Frost Bank Center.
“Of course there were going to be hard trials,” Wembanyama said. “But now we’re going to see what we’re made of.”
Debayan Biswas Debayan Biswas is a sports writer at Heavy Sports covering NBA, NFL, Golf, and Soccer. His work has been syndicated on Yahoo Sports, Yardbarker, Flipboard, The Sun News, and The Olympian. Previously, he contributed to Athlon Sports, EssentiallySports, and PFSN. More about Debayan Biswas
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