Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder within a win of a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance with a 127-114 home win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday.
The Thunder lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 going into Game 6 in San Antonio on Thursday.
Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault made a change to the starting lineup with his team once again playing without Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (calf).
Instead of Cason Wallace, who started Game 4 on Sunday, Daigneault went with Jared McCain.
McCain had just four points in the Thunder’s 103-82 loss that evened the series 2-2, and he got off to a slow start on Tuesday, shooting 1 of 5 while scoring two points in the first half.
However, McCain heated up in the second half, scoring 18 points after the break.
Gilgeous-Alexander made just 7 for 19 shots from the field but was 16 of 17 from the free-throw line.
Alex Caruso, a key piece for Oklahoma City off the bench in the first three games before going scoreless in Game 4 with just one shot, got going quickly and finished with 22 points.
The Thunder’s bench outscored San Antonio’s 40-33.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Julian Champagnie added 22 points. Victor Wembanyama scored 20 but made just 4 of 15 from the field. He grabbed six rebounds.
After Oklahoma City started each of the past two games in a big hole, falling behind by 15 in the first quarter each time, the Thunder’s eight-point early deficit on Tuesday was plenty manageable.
The Thunder battled back to take the lead near the end of the opening quarter on five consecutive points from Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City carried an 11-point lead into halftime and extended the margin coming out of the break, scoring the first nine points of the third quarter.
San Antonio didn’t go away quietly, cutting the deficit to eight twice late in the third quarter.
The Spurs never could pull closer, though, as Oklahoma City closed out the game to bounce back from the Game 4 loss.
In the closing minute of the third, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson asked for a challenge after an out-of-bounds call went against San Antonio but replays showed the ball going off of the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren.
Officials didn’t grant the challenge, and after Gilgeous-Alexander drew a foul at the other end, Johnson was called for a technical foul. Gilgeous-Alexander sank the ensuing three free throws, putting the Thunder up 101-88.
Holmgren added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma City, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Keldon Johnson scored 15 points off the San Antonio bench.
