Thunder bench produces 76 points to overwhelm Spurs in Game 3 win and take 2-1 series lead
The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 119-104 at Paycom Center in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals to take a 2-1 series lead. The story of the game was numerical and emphatic: the Thunder bench produced 76 points — one of the highest reserve totals in conference finals history.
The opening minutes were a nightmare for the home side. The Spurs opened on a 15-0 run, fuelled by two Victor Wembanyama layups and a block, that consumed the first three minutes. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault made his first substitution at the three-minute mark, breaking up the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren first five to bring on Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace. 'It felt right then, but I didn't expect the numbers to flip that fast,' he said in the post-game press conference.
Before the end of the first quarter the Thunder were ahead 29-22. The bench impact was not just at the offensive end; it carried on defence as well. Wiggins matched up persistently with Wembanyama on post-ups by switching the small-big pairing on every screen. The Spurs' young centre finished with 21 points but went 9-of-15 from the floor in the second and third quarters as the Thunder collapse strategy kept him at arm's length.
The biggest bench contribution came from Aaron Wiggins. The 26-year-old forward finished 14-of-24 from the floor for 31 points, 14 of those in the third quarter. He drained four of five from three-point range to feed the Thunder's perimeter-heavy offence. Also off the bench, Isaiah Joe scored 18 and Cason Wallace 12 with 7 rebounds. Their combined court time was 87 minutes for a plus-minus of +38.
The Thunder's star trio Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren were spared from carrying their usual load. SGA finished with 22 points and 8 assists, with most of the fourth quarter spent on the bench; Williams added 16 and Holmgren a quiet double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. 'This wasn't only a test of the bench. It was a test of how deep this roster goes,' said Gilgeous-Alexander.
On the Spurs side, Wembanyama produced 21 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks but never found the rhythm of the game. De'Aaron Fox was held to 19 points and Devin Vassell to 17. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered a mixed read after the game: 'Their bench was quicker and tougher than ours tonight. Our depth couldn't match theirs. Whether that's a one-night problem or a structural issue, the jury's out. We'll see Sunday.'
The Thunder's bench production has been a feature of the series. The reserves had averaged 41 points across the first two games; tonight's 76 was an exclamation point on the depth that was central to OKC's case heading into the playoffs. The Thunder led the NBA in bench scoring during the regular season at 41.2 points per game.
Game 4 tips off on Sunday at Paycom Center. The Spurs are awaiting clarity on Jeremy Sochan's back stiffness; treatment will resolve over the next day. The Thunder are expected to have a full roster.
The shape of the series leaves both teams with strategic questions to answer. The Spurs need a way to replicate that 15-0 opening run, either by keeping Wembanyama on the floor longer or by diversifying their offensive options. The Thunder, in turn, must find a way to make the bench production sustainable across the rest of the series rather than treating Game 3 as a one-night spike.
In the Eastern Conference, the Knicks lead Cleveland 2-0 with Game 3 tipping off Sunday. A Knicks-Thunder Finals is becoming a plausible scenario, but Wembanyama's reigning-champion Spurs and the Cavs around Donovan Mitchell both retain the firepower to flip their series.