{"id":1224,"date":"2026-05-23T04:35:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1224"},"modified":"2026-05-23T04:35:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:35:46","slug":"thunder-get-76-points-off-the-bench-the-key-to-a-game-3-win-over-spurs-in-west-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1224","title":{"rendered":"Thunder get 76 points off the bench, the key to a Game 3 win over Spurs in West finals"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) works toward the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during the second half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo\/Ashley Landis)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Ordinarily, this would have been a disaster. Oklahoma City had three starters combine to score seven points in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday night.<\/p>

Read more Gilgeous-Alexander, bench propel Thunder past Spurs 123-108 after historic slow start for 2-1 lead<\/a><\/p>\n

Few people probably noticed.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how good the Thunder bench was \u2014 again.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll give out an MVP award when these West finals are over, and if things keep going like this, it might be a good idea to cut it up into parts and just hand it out to those on Oklahoma City\u2019s bench. OKC\u2019s reserves outscored San Antonio\u2019s bench 76-23 on Friday night, a huge reason why the Thunder beat the Spurs 123-108<\/a> for a 2-1 series lead.<\/p>\n

Jared McCain scored 24 points for the Thunder; that\u2019s a playoff career best. Jaylin Williams \u2014 the forward, with Thunder guard Jalen Williams out with hamstring issues again \u2014 hit five 3-pointers and scored 18; that was also a playoff career high. And Alex Caruso had 15 points, giving him 63 in this series; that\u2019s the best three-game scoring span of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like proving my support system right,\u201d said McCain, a midseason pickup in a trade with Philadelphia. \u201cThe people who really believe in me, I like proving them right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, they were right. And they had a lot to talk about Friday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talk about it a lot, in practice and throughout the whole playoffs: Be ready and stay ready,\u201d McCain said. \u201cCoaches have done a great job of that. … We all are hoopers and we all know what to do out there, especially this team. It\u2019s a very mature team. Coming in, I just want to be as ready as I can, no matter what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not alone. The entire OKC bench has been ready, throughout the whole series.<\/p>\n

The Thunder got 50 points from their reserves in Game 1, then 57 in Game 2 \u2014 and on Friday, the bench mob struck again.<\/p>

Read more Pirates call up red-hot prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, start him in right field at Toronto<\/a><\/p>\n

The 76 bench points were the most by a team in a conference finals game since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984. The previous mark was 69 by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. Only two Thunder starters scored in double figures \u2014 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and Chet Holmgren had 14.<\/p>\n

Didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n

Down 15-0 not even three minutes into the game, coach Mark Daigneault went to his bench for the first time.<\/p>\n

And everything changed in an instant, a harbinger of what was to come. Caruso, McCain, Williams and Cason Wallace combined to score 21 points in the remainder of that first quarter. The Spurs\u2019 lead was down to five going into the second, and it didn\u2019t take long for Oklahoma City to grab control.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe assume the opponent\u2019s always at their best and we need to be at ours and depth is a part of that. … It just needs to be one of our strengths that we rely on, regardless of circumstance,\u201d Daigneault said.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City\u2019s bench contributed 62% of the scoring for the Thunder in Game 3 \u2014 something no team had done in a winning effort during a conference finals game in the last four decades. And after being down 15 at the start, the Thunder won by 15 at the end.<\/p>

Read more Si Woo Kim just misses history at Byron Nelson, settling for 60 after a bogey on the final hole<\/a><\/p>\n

For the series, the Thunder reserves have outscored the Spurs\u2019 bench 183-64.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were ready,\u201d McCain said.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP NBA: https:\/\/apnews.com\/nba<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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