By: Jennifer Portee
5/23/2026
For a few minutes, it looked like Oklahoma City wasn’t prepared for game 3.
San Antonio went up 15-0 at the start of the game before the Thunder could even get settled. The crowd was loud, the energy was real, and it felt like OKC might get run out of the building early.
But instead of giving up, they regrouped.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t try to do too much. He just got organized. Picked his spots. Made the right reads. By the end of the night, he had 26 points and 12 assists, but more importantly, he had control of the game when it mattered most.
And once the Thunder found their game, everything started to change.
Oklahoma City’s bench didn’t just keep them in it they took over. Jared McCain dropped 24, Jaylin Williams added 18, and Alex Caruso brought his usual game with 15 big points. Altogether, the Thunder bench overwhelmed San Antonio’s, 76-23.
All of this without Jalen Williams, which makes the response even more impressive.
San Antonio had its moments. Victor Wembanyama showed flashes of why he’s so special, finishing with 24 points. Devin Vassell added 20, and De’Aaron Fox, back in the lineup, gave them a boost early. That opening run? Historic.
But the problem wasn’t the start it was everything after.
Once Oklahoma City settled into the game, the Spurs couldn’t keep up with their consistency. The Thunder slowed things down, played smarter, and stopped giving away easy chances. It became less about highlights and more about execution and that’s where OKC pulled away.
There was some tension, too. A few hard fouls, some words exchanged typical playoff energy. But even in those moments, the Thunder looked like the more composed team.
That’s been the difference since Game 1.
Oklahoma City now has two straight wins and a 2-1 lead, but more than that, they look like a team that understands how to respond. They don’t panic. They adjust.
And in a series like this, that might matter more than anything.