2026 NBA Playoffs

Recap: Thunder dominate to secure 2-1 lead in Western Conference Finals

Check out highlights from Game 3 of the West Finals with the NBA.com live blog, as the Thunder secured a 2-1 series lead.

NBA.com Staff

Jaylin Williams and Jared McCain dropped playoff career-highs in scoring to help OKC take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Enjoy the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news and highlights from Friday’s action.

Happy Friday, hoops fans! The Oklahoma City Thunder set a franchise record in their convincing 123-108 win in Game 3 over the hosting San Antonio Spurs, as the defending champions dropped 76 bench points behind Alex Caruso (15 pts), Jaylin Williams (18 pts), Jared McCain (24 pts) and Cason Wallace (11 pts).

What we know about Friday’s game:

  • The team that wins Game 3 of a best-of-7 series tied at 1-1 goes on to win the series 73.2% of the time. History favors the defending champs after tonight’s result.
  • Injuries playing key role in Western Conference Finals. Game 3 of this thrilling series will be without Jalen Williams (hamstring) for OKC, as he missed his seventh full postseason contest. Meanwhile, De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dylan Harper (adductor), who were listed as questionable leading up to this game, were both available for San Antonio. Fox made his debut in the Western Conference Finals after sitting out Games 1 and 2, and finished with 15 points (7-14 FG), seven rebounds, six assists and one steal in 31 minutes.
  • Oklahoma City secured a 2-1 lead in the West Finals behind SGA (26 pts, 12 ast) and playoff career-highs from Jaylin Williams (18 pts, 5 3PM) and Jared McCain (24 pts). With their 76-23 advantage in bench scoring in Game 3, the Thunder’s second unit now holds a +119 scoring differential over San Antonio through three contests. OKC’s bench is putting up historic numbers.

MAY 22, 2026 / 11:24 ET

Friday’s final:

Postgame presser:

MAY 23, 2026 / 12:06 ET

McCain joins Harden

Special company for ‘JMac’.

MAY 22, 2026 / 11:56 ET

Player(s) of the night!

The Thunder bench deserves a ton of credit for their Game 3 victory, with shout outs to Jared McCain and Jaylin Williams for recording new postseason career-highs.

MAY 22, 2026 / 11:36 ET

Thunder dominate Game 3, grab 2-1 lead

Oklahoma City trailed this game 15-0 midway through the opening quarter, but they never panic or get out of sorts and handle business in Game 3. The Thunder win 123-108 over the hosting Spurs behind a 76-23 advantage in bench scoring.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishes with 26 points (6-17 FG, 2-4 3PM), 12 dimes and one block while going a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe, all of which came in the second half.

Alex Caruso (15 pts, 3 3PM, 2 stl) and Jared McCain (playoff career-high 24 pts) both secure a game-best +28 plus-minus rating, while Jaylin Williams adds a postseason career-high 18 points and 5 3-pointers to fuel OKC’s dominant bench performance. Cason Wallace (11 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl) does a bit of everything on a night when he earned All-Defensive Second Team honors.

All five Spurs starters finish in double-figures scoring, with Victor Wembanyama (26 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk) and Devin Vassell (20 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl) leading the way. San Antonio will get a chance to even the West Finals at 2 games apiece in Game 4 on Sunday (8:00 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock).

MAY 22, 2026 / 11:16 ET

J-Will going OFF

Jaylin Williams continues to bring the heat off the Thunder bench, matching Alex Caruso (15 pts, 3 3PM, 3 reb, 2 stl) with a game-best +23 in almost 21 minutes of action.

A quick 5-0 run by the Spurs makes it 111-101 OKC with 3:31 remaining in the contest. Who will take a 2-1 lead in the series?!

MAY 22, 2026 / 11:06 ET

Spurs not going away at home

San Antonio forces a timeout from OKC after the Spurs cut their deficit to 105-96 with 6:56 remaining in Game 3. Victor Wembanyama (21 pts, 2 blk) and Devin Vassell (20 pts, 3 3PM, 4 stl) are keeping the Spurs within striking distance.

Jared McCain has a playoff career-high 20 points on 9-for-20 shooting, while SGA tallies game-highs in scoring (24 pts) and assists (10).

MAY 22, 2026 / 10:49 ET

Thunder up 95-84 heading to 4Q

After going scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in the first quarter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is up to 21 points (6-14 FG, 2 3PM, 7-7 FT) and 10 assists in 29 minutes. Oklahoma City holds a 11-point advantage over the Spurs with 12 minutes left in the game.

Victor Wembanyama leads San Antonio with 19 points on 5-for-10 shooting (2-3 3PM, 7-9 FT) to go along with 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks and one steal in 29 minutes.

A 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals is on the line on NBC/Peacock!

MAY 22, 2026 / 10:38 ET

San Antonio staying close

The Spurs trail 84-77 with 3:03 left in the third quarter, but they’re gaining some momentum and continue to respond with buckets whenever it looks like OKC might take full control in Game 3.

Devin Vassell is cooking with a game-high 18 points (5-10 FG), three 3s and 3 steals for San Antonio, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is up to a team-high 17 points on 6-for-14 shooting for the Thunder.

MAY 22, 2026 / 10:25 ET

Thunder, Spurs battling in 3Q

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has 12 points and 9 assists, with Alex Caruso (11 pts) and Jared McCain (13 pts) continue to spark off the bench for the Thunder. OKC holds a 75-66 lead over the Spurs with 6:23 left in the third.

Victor Wembanyama (12 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk) and Stephon Castle (13 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk) are stuffing the stat sheet for the Spurs as they look to climb back in Game 3.

MAY 22, 2026 / 10:10 ET

Game 3 getting chippy

Stephon Castle takes exception to fouls on fastbreaks from Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell is assessed a flagrant 1 and a double technical foul with Devin Vassell for arguing after the swipe on Castle.

Oklahoma City holds a 67-59 advantage over the Spurs with 8:14 remaining in the third quarter.

MAY 22, 2026 / 9:50 ET

SGA, bench drive OKC’s 58-51 lead

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posts 9 points (4-9 FG, 1 3PM) and 6 assists in 17 minutes to help the Thunder secure a 7-point lead over San Antonio at halftime. The second unit has been an X-factor for OKC, as they’re outscoring the Spurs’ bench 39-10 through 24 minutes.

Thunder reserve center Jaylin Williams drops a playoff career-high 14 points (4-6 FG) with four 3s in just 11 minutes, adding 3 rebounds and 2 steals with a +18 plus-minus. Alex Caruso (8 pts, game-best +20) and Jared McCain (8 pts, 2 reb, +16) are doing a bit of everything for the defending champs.

Devin Vassell (11 pts, 3 3PM, 4 reb), De’Aaron Fox (11 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl) and Victor Wembanyama (10 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk) lead the way for San Antonio. Tune in on NBC/Peacock to watch the second half!

MAY 22, 2026 / 9:36 ET

Thunder clicking in 2Q

OKC uses a 9-0 burst to take a 52-45 lead over the Spurs with 2:49 left before halftime. Isaiah Hartenstein’s (2 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast) stat line doesn’t look crazy, but his size, basketball IQ and passing have been difference-makers in the second quarter for the Thunder.

Jared McCain adds 8 points on 4-for-7 shooting off the Thunder bench, helping the road team secure a 35-10 advantage in bench scoring.

MAY 22, 2026 / 9:21 ET

Game 3 delivering so far

The Thunder rally back from a 15-point deficit to start the game, taking a 43-42 lead with 6:49 remaining before halftime. Game 3 has seen seven lead changes and two ties to this point, and it looks like fans are in for another awesome battle between these budding rivals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is up to 5 points (2-6 FG) with a game-high 6 assists, and Jaylin Williams paces OKC with 11 points, three 3s and 2 steals off the bench.

De’Aaron Fox matches ‘J-Will’ with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting to power the Spurs.

MAY 22, 2026 / 9:12 ET

Spurs on top after 1Q

San Antonio grabs a 31-26 advantage over the Thunder as we head to the second quarter. Victor Wembanyama is everywhere, dropping 7 points with two 3s, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal and one block in 9 minutes, but he was called for his second personal foul just before the end of the frame.

In his return from a two-game absence, De’Aaron Fox tallies a game-high 9 points on 4-for-5 shooting in 9 minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting with 3 assists, but Alex Caruso (5 pts, 1 stl, 1 blk) and Jaylin Williams (8 pts, 2 3PM, 3 reb) are picking up the scoring slack through 12 minutes of play.

MAY 22, 2026 / 8:59 ET

OKC storms back

The Thunder trailed 15-0 to start Game 3, but back-to-back triples by Jaylin Williams has OKC down 24-19 with 3:02 left in the first quarter.

De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell have 6 points apiece to lead the Spurs, while Victor Wembanyama has 3 points, 2 boards, 2 dimes and one block.

MAY 22, 2026 / 8:42 ET

Spurs bring the heat early

San Antonio scores the first 10 points of the game to grab a 10-0 lead with 10:10 remaining in the opening quarter on NBC/Peacock! The Thunder take a quick timeout with Frost Bank Center in a frenzy.

MAY 22, 2026 / 8:30 ET

Starting Lineups: Thunder-Spurs, Game 3 WCF

Oklahoma City Thunder:

  • PG – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28.7 ppg, 7.8 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.0 bpg)
  • SG – Luguentz Dort (6.5 ppg, 1.7 3PM on 36.2 3P%)
  • SF – Ajay Mitchell (16.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.7 spg)
  • PF – Chet Holmgren (17.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.6 bpg)
  • C – Isaiah Hartenstein (9.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg)

With no Jalen Williams (hamstring) tonight, Ajay Mitchell will slide back into OKC’s starting unit, a role he’s played brilliantly throughout the postseason in just his second season.

Alex Caruso, who dropped 31 points and 8 3-pointers in Game 1, Jared McCain, and Cason Wallace, fresh off being named a Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, should absorb most of the minutes vacated by ‘J-Dub’.

San Antonio Spurs:

  • PG – De’Aaron Fox (18.8 ppg, 5.8 apg, 1.1 spg)
  • SG – Stephon Castle (20.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.6 apg)
  • SF – Devin Vassell (13.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg, 0.9 bpg)
  • PF – Julian Champagnie (10.7 ppg, 2.5 3PM, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 spg)
  • C – Victor Wembanyama (22.1 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 4.0 bpg)

Rookie sensation Dylan Harper (14.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.5 spg) will suit up after sustaining an adductor injury that forced him out of Game 2’s loss on Wednesday. Harper’s size and athleticism have been on full display throughout the postseason, and he’ll bring a dynamic spark off the Spurs’ bench.

Getting Fox back at the lead guard position should help stabilize a Spurs offense that’s turned it over 44 times through two outings.

Keldon Johnson (8.5 ppg, 43.3% on 2.3 3PA) and rookie Carter Bryant (2.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg) keep the energy and defensive tenacity alongside Harper in the second unit.

MAY 22, 2026 / 8:15 ET

Fox on the loose

De’Aaron Fox will make his Western Conference Finals debut after missing the first two games with an ankle injury. Fox is averaging 18.8 points, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game on 46.2 / 34.6 / 73.3 shooting splits in 11 playoff appearances this season.

MAY 22, 2026 / 7:51 ET

Bam crowned NBA Social Justice Champion

Congratulations to Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat for being named the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion!

MAY 22, 2026 / 7:47 ET

Kia NBA All-Defensive Teams announced

Congratulations to the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team!

Congratulations to the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team!

A closer look at the voting results:

MAY 22, 2026 / 7:54 ET

Tonight’s injury report

OKC @ SAS — Jalen Williams (hamstring) is out for the Thunder.

De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dylan Harper (adductor) are both available to play for the Spurs. Fox will be making his debut in the Western Conference Finals.

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