Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and dished out nine assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder now move within one win of a second straight NBA Finals appearance after responding to Sunday’s blowout loss with one of their best offensive performances of the postseason.
Gilgeous-Alexander struggled at times from the field, shooting 7-of-19 overall, but repeatedly punished San Antonio at the free throw line and finished 16-of-17 on free throws. He also overcame six turnovers while helping Oklahoma City maintain control throughout the second half.
Alex Caruso delivered another huge postseason performance off the bench with 22 points, six assists and four made three-pointers. Jared McCain added 17 points and hit several key shots late in the fourth quarter, while Chet Holmgren finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points, 15 rebounds and four assists.
Oklahoma City shot 48 percent from the field and knocked down 44 percent of its three-point attempts after struggling badly from deep in Game 4.
For San Antonio, Stephon Castle scored 24 points and Julian Champagnie added 22. Victor Wembanyama finished with 20 points but shot just 4-of-15 from the field and missed all five of his three-point attempts. Wembanyama also finished with only six rebounds after dominating Oklahoma City on the glass earlier in the series.
The Thunder controlled much of the game after building a double-digit lead in the first half behind aggressive offense and strong bench production. Oklahoma City went a perfect 20-for-20 from the free throw line in the first half alone and entered halftime leading 69-58. They finished 33-38 from the charity stripe.
Holmgren helped set the tone early, scoring efficiently around the basket while Gilgeous-Alexander repeatedly attacked the paint and drew fouls. Caruso later sparked Oklahoma City’s second-quarter surge with multiple three-pointers despite briefly leaving the game after rolling his ankle.
The Thunder appeared ready to break the game open early in the third quarter. Oklahoma City opened the second half on a 7-0 run after baskets from Lu Dort, Gilgeous-Alexander and McCain pushed the lead to 76-58 and forced an early Spurs timeout.
San Antonio responded with a 14-2 run midway through the quarter behind improved shooting and multiple and-one opportunities. Champagnie continued his strong night from the perimeter while Keldon Johnson provided a major spark off the bench.
The Spurs briefly cut the deficit to single digits before controversy erupted late in the third quarter.
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson received a technical foul after officials denied a challenge request on an out-of-bounds play that replay appeared to show went off Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander converted the technical free throw, temporarily halting the Spurs’ momentum and helping Oklahoma City carry a 101-91 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Thunder then closed the game behind timely shooting from McCain and Caruso.
McCain buried multiple fourth-quarter three-pointers, including a pull-up transition shot that pushed the lead back to double digits and forced a Spurs timeout with just over six minutes remaining. Moments later, another McCain three-pointer sent Paycom Center into a frenzy and effectively sealed the game.
Caruso also continued his outstanding postseason run, scoring 20-plus points for the second time in the series while anchoring Oklahoma City’s perimeter defense throughout the night.
The series now shifts back to San Antonio for Game 6, where the Thunder will have their first opportunity to close out the Spurs and advance to the NBA Finals.
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Follow along below and on our X account for live updates, highlights and key moments throughout Game 4 in Los Angeles.
Where/how to watch
- Series: Series tied 2-2
- Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. CT
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock
- Location: Paycom Center — Oklahoma City
