MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander loomed large again as Oklahoma City produced a 15-point over San Antonio to take the lead for the first time in the Western Conference finals series.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and 12 assists, as the Thunder climbed out of a 15-point hole minutes into Game 3 to beat the Spurs 123-108 on Friday night for a 2-1 series lead.
Jared McCain had 24 points and Jaylin Williams added 18 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder were without Jalen Williams, who sat out with left hamstring soreness.
OKC'S BENCH SHINES AGAIN!
— NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2026
GAME 3: 76 bench points (most in any NBA Conference Finals game since 1970-71)
GAMES 1-3: 183 bench points (most in the first 3 games of an NBA Conference Finals series)
Thunder take a 2-1 series lead in the West Finals 🍿 https://t.co/8xHUUkOuau pic.twitter.com/Dk5x1JB4Dy
Oklahoma City's bench outscored San Antonio's 76-23, including 15 points by Alex Caruso.
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points for San Antonio. Devin Vassell added 20 and De'Aaron Fox had 15 in his series debut.
The Thunder have won two straight after the Spurs' double-overtime victory in Game 1. Game 4 is on Sunday.
Fox (sprained right ankle) and Dylan Harper (right adductor soreness) were cleared to play 45 minutes prior to tipoff.
Fox's return sparked a historic start.
The Spurs raced to a 15-0 lead, the longest run to open a game in the conference finals since the play-by-play era began in 1997.
Fox opened the run by wrapping in a driving layup and Wembanyama followed by crossing over Isaiah Hartenstein to drill a three-pointer. Vassell's three-pointer put the Spurs up 10-0, leading to an early timeout by Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
Hartenstein broke the drought with a runner over Wembanyama, but the centre was immediately greeted with thunderous boos after his physical play against the Spurs in Game 2.
The Thunder went on a 13-2 run when Wembanyama went to the bench and closed the first quarter trailing 31-26.
It was a pattern the Spurs could not overcome.
The series continued to be chippy with emotions boiling over early in the second half.
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.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylin Williams extended Oklahoma City's first lead to 35-31.
