Thunder punch back from Game 4 dud for runaway Game 5 win over Spurs to move 1 win away from NBA Finals

This is Oklahoma City Thunder basketball.

After a Game 4 dud in which they scored their fewest points since 2021, the Thunder bounced back for a 127-114 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night.

With the win, the Thunder move one win away from a date with the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals in their quest for a second consecutive NBA championship. The Spurs will need to win two straight games to keep their season afloat.

The Thunder secured the win by playing their brand of basketball — efficient offense featuring success from 3-point distance and repeated trips to the free throw line alongside a swarming defense that kept Victor Wembanyama in check and forced the Spurs into mistakes.

After arguably his worst performance of the playoffs in Game 4, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was back in MVP form at home. He led all scorers with 33 points alongside 9 assists and 2 steals.

And, to the certain chagrin of Spurs fans, he did significant damage at the free-throw line on a 16-of-17 effort.

Wembanyama countered with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals. He hit all 12 of his free throw attempts. But the Thunder bottled him up from the field, limiting Wembanyama to a 4-of-15 shooting night.

And with Oklahoma City holding a 120-106 lead, the Spurs waved the white flag and sent Wembanyama to the bench with 2:13 remaining.

The series now shifts to what promises to be a raucous scene in Game 6 as the Spurs seek to keep their season alive in San Antonio.

Game of runs

The Spurs started the game where they left off from Sunday’s 103-82 win in San Antonio in Game 4, forcing an early Thunder timeout after taking an 11-6 lead.

But the Thunder recovered quickly to take a 29-27 lead into the second quarter. From there it was a game of runs for both teams. After Oklahoma City extended its lead, the Spurs answered with a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to 45-44.

The Thunder responded with 24-14 run to close the half and enter the break with a 69-58 advantage. From there, they extended their lead to 20 points in the third quarter and never relinquished control despite multiple Spurs efforts to cut into the lead.

Thunder recover on offense despite playing shorthanded

Oklahoma City played again Tuesday night without two of their key players. Jalen Williams missed a third straight game with the hamstring injury that he aggravated in Game 2. Ajay Mitchell, who would normally replace him in the starting lineup, missed a second straight game with a calf strain.

Cason Wallace, a defensive specialist, got the start in Game 4, and the Thunder managed just 82 points. Jared McCain got the first playoff start of his career in Game 5 and finished as Oklahoma City’s third-leading scorer with 20 points.

Oklahoma City’s offense as a whole showed a dramatic turnaround from Game 4 as it shot 48% from the field, 44% from 3 (14 of 32) and went to the free-throw line 38 ties (33 of 38, 87%).

The tremendous depth that OKC has regularly leaned on since the start of last season’s championship run came through again as five players scored in double figures. Alex Caruso, a frequent hero of these and last season’s playoffs, offered 22 points, 6 assists and 3 steals off the bench while shooting 4 of 8 from 3.

Stephon Castle (24 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) and Julian Champagnie (22 points, 8 rebounds; 4 of 8 from 3) helped keep the Spurs afloat. But San Antonio ultimately didn’t have enough firepower to recover from poor shooting (40% from the field, 29% from 3) and 15 turnovers.

Since a Game 1 thriller that went took two overtimes to settle, each team has taken its turn as the dominant force. The Spurs will need to flip the script again Thursday night (8:30 pm. ET, NBC) to force a Game 7 and keep their season alive.

Live coverage is over24 updatesTue, May 26, 2026 at 8:00 PM PDT

Ryan Young

The Spurs got within eight early in the fourth, but Oklahoma City has responded to every push.

Jared McCain drilled a quick 3-pointer there to follow an Isaiah Hartenstein bucket inside, and the Thunder lead by 14 now with 6:11 left.

If the Spurs are going to rally, it has to be now.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 7:41 PM PDT

Ryan Young

The Thunder led by as many as 20 there early in the third, but we’ve got a game again. Mitch Johnson picked up a technical in the final minute of the quarter, too, after he got into it with Tony Brothers.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 7:12 PM PDT

Ryan Young

Well, Oklahoma City started the second half perfectly. The Thunder went on a 7-0 run to start the third quarter, and forced a quick Spurs timeout after a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 3-pointer.

The lead is now 18 not even three minutes into the third.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM PDT

Jason Owens

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all scorers with 19 points, and, to the surprise of few, is getting it done at the free throw line with 10 first-half attempts.

Victor Wembanyama, meanwhile, scored 11 points, but was limited to 6 first-half field-goal attempts.

Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 19 points, 3 assists; 4 of 10 from the field, 10 of 10 from the line
Alex Caruso: 14 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
Chet Holmgren: 12 points, 6 rebounds; 5 of 6 from the field

Spurs
Victor Wembanyama: 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 block; 2 of 6 from the field
Julian Champagnie: 17 points, 5 rebounds; 4 of 7 from 3
Stephon Castle: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Team stats
Thunder shooting: 52.5% from field, 50% from 3 (7 of 14)
Spurs shooting: 38.6% from field, 33.3% from 3 (7 of 21)

Thunder rebounds: 26
Spurs rebounds: 22

Thunder turnovers: 9
Spurs turnovers: 8

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 6:51 PM PDT

Jason Owens

In a first half of runs, the Thunder claimed the last.

Oklahoma City responded to a 9-0 Spurs run with a 24-14 run to close the second quarter and go into halftime with 69-58 lead. There’s nothing wrong with the Thunder offense tonight.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT

Jason Owens

Oklahoma City’s lead is down to 45-44 after a 9-0 Spurs run, and the Thunder have called timeout.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 6:17 PM PDT

Jason Owens

Oklahoma City is running on all cylinders now. The Thunder have started the second quarter on a 10-3 run to extend their lead to 39-30 and force a Spurs timeout.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 6:04 PM PDT

Jason Owens

OKC overcame its slow offensive start and has a 29-27 lead through one quarter. Victor Wembanyama had a look at a go-ahead 3 at the buzzer that missed the mark, but we’re off to a hot start in a competitive Game 4.

Chet Holmgren leads the Thunder with 8 points and 4 rebounds, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has 7 points and 2 assists.

Julian Champagnie has 13 points on 3 of 6 shooting from 3 to lead the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama has 2 points on just 2 field goal attempts.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 5:47 PM PDT

Jason Owens

San Antonio picked up where it left off from Game 4 and has an early 11-6 lead, prompting OKC to take the game’s first timeout.

Julian Champagnie has sparked the Spurs outburst with 2 early 3s. Chet Holmgren has 4 of OKC’s 6 points.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 5:38 PM PDT

Jason Owens

The ball is tipped, and Game 5 is underway in Oklahoma City. Can the shorthanded Thunder bounce back at home from Game 4’s blowout loss?

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 5:25 PM PDT

Jason Owens

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play shorthanded in the Western Conference finals once again.

The Thunder announced pregame that All-NBA forward Williams will remain out for Game 5 with a lingering left hamstring injury that’s sidelined him since the first half of Game 2.

Oklahoma City previously ruled Ajay Mitchell out Monday with a lingering calf strain.

Jared McCain, who scored 24 points in 27 minutes off the bench in OKC’s Game 3 win will slot into the starting lineup. The Thunder are hoping he can provide an offensive spark after the Spurs limited the Thunder to 82 points in San Antonio’s runaway Game 4 win.

Cason Wallace, a defensive specialist, got the start in Game 4 and will move back to the bench for Game 5.

The Spurs will be at full s

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 5:15 PM PDT

Yahoo Sports Staff

Get your TVs set! The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder tip off Game 5 of the Western Conference finals at 8:30 p.m. ET, airing live on NBC and live streaming on Peacock.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 4:30 PM PDT

Tom Haberstroh

Same player. Same game. Same shot. Similar contact. Two very different outcomes.

With two minutes left in the first quarter of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals, Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander possessed the ball, defended by San Antonio Spurs star guard De’Aaron Fox. Operating from the right elbow, SGA took a hard dribble and then a stepback midrange jumper. Fox closed out his airspace, contested the shot and made contact with Gilgeous-Alexander.

The shot did not go in, but a whistle blew. Foul. Two free throws.

A few minutes later, about halfway into the second quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander possessed the ball, this time defended by Stephon Castle. Operating at the top of the key, the two-time MVP took two hard dribbles to his left and then a stepback midrange jumper. Castle contested the shot, closed out his airspace and made contact with Gilgeous-Alexander.

The shot did not go in and no whistle blew. No foul. No free throws. Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t pleased, raising his right arm in protest and staring back at the closest official, Scott Foster, as he trotted back on defense.

The big difference between the two plays? In the first one, Gilgeous-Alexander fell to the ground. In the second, he landed on two feet.

Those two plays represent a lesson in the power of falling to the hardwood. The first play, of course, generated a swarm of controversy on social media for being a flop. It was yet another example of SGA hitting the deck on a shot attempt.

Tue, May 26, 2026 at 4:15 PM PDT

Kevin O’Connor

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