Thunder Takes Advantage with Historic Performance from the Bench
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Western Conference finals, defeating the San Antonio Spurs with a score of 123-108 and taking a 2-1 lead in the series. The key to victory was an unprecedented performance by their reserve players.
The team led by Mark Daigneault reacted after an adverse start, falling 15-0 behind in the first few minutes. The entry of the substitutes changed the course of the match, boosting Oklahoma City’s comeback.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Most Valuable Player of the season, led the Thunder with 26 points, while Chet Holmgren contributed 14.
The second unit of Oklahoma City was the central figure of the night, scoring 76 points. This figure represents the highest number of points scored by substitutes in a conference finals game since the NBA adopted the modern playoff format in 1984.
Jared McCain had his best postseason performance with 24 points, while Jaylin Williams made five three-pointers and finished with 18 points. Alex Caruso was also decisive off the bench, contributing 15 points.
The Thunder’s substitutes generated 62% of the team’s offensive production, an unprecedented percentage in a conference finals victory in the last four decades.
San Antonio started dominating the match, but their performance diminished against the offensive depth and the pace set by Oklahoma City, who controlled the game until the end.
With this victory, the Thunder are only two wins away from returning to the NBA Finals.
