OKLAHOMA CITY. – The Oklahoma City Thunder made a statement in the Western Conference finals by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 123-108 and taking a 2-1 lead in the series, fueled by a historic performance from their reserve players.
The team led by Mark Daigneault reacted after a complicated start in which they were down 15-0 in the first few minutes of the game. However, the entry of the bench completely changed the rhythm of the game and allowed Oklahoma City to come back.
The season’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, led the Thunder with 26 points, while Chet Holmgren added 14 units.
However, the main protagonist of the night was the second unit of Oklahoma City, which contributed 76 points, the highest figure achieved by substitutes in a conference finals game since the NBA adopted the modern playoff format in 1984.
Jared McCain signed his best postseason performance with 24 points, while Jaylin Williams scored five three-pointers and finished with 18 points. In addition, Alex Caruso contributed 15 points and was again decisive off the bench.
The Thunder’s substitutes accounted for 62% of the team’s offensive production, a figure unprecedented in a conference finals victory in the last four decades.
San Antonio started dominating the match, but lost intensity as the minutes passed against the offensive depth and the pace set by Oklahoma City, which ended up controlling the game until the end.
With the victory, the Thunder are only two wins away from returning to an NBA Finals.
