Thunder Top Spurs in Game 5 Behind 32 from SGA, Take 3-2 Series Lead

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to take a 3-2 series lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 32 points and nine assists, anchoring a balanced Thunder attack that outlasted the Spurs on the road.

SGA’s performance was critical in a game where the Thunder shot 50.4% from the field and outscored San Antonio 34-24 in the fourth quarter. Though he turned the ball over six times, his leadership and scoring kept Oklahoma City in control. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Alex Caruso delivered a career playoff high with 22 points and six assists.

Jared McCain made his first career playoff start and responded with 20 points, 18 of which came in the second half. His energy off the bench was a key factor in the Thunder’s late-game dominance. “He's played in the most big games on this team,” said SGA of Caruso. “That experience you can't recreate or manufacture.”

The Spurs got 24 points from Stephon Castle, who led all scorers. Victor Wembanyama added 20 points and six rebounds but struggled with his shot, making just 4 of 15 attempts. His matchup against Isaiah Hartenstein was a focal point of San Antonio’s game plan. “It's a team thing,” Hartenstein said. “With any great player, you're not going to stop him with one player. So it's going in there, just making his looks hard.”

The Thunder have now won three of the last four games in the series and are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2022. San Antonio, meanwhile, has not won a playoff series since 2022 and must now close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday at the AT&T Center.

Game 6 tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally. The Spurs are looking to avoid elimination for the second time in the 2024 playoffs.