Victor Wembanyama had 33 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 103-82 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday to even the Western Conference finals at two games each.
Wembanyama added eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals.
The best-of-seven series returns to Oklahoma City for Tuesday’s Game 5.
The Thunder shot just 33% from the field, their worst shooting percentage in any game since March 2022 and worst in a playoff game since 2020. Oklahoma City also shot just 18.2% from 3-point range.
The Spurs took control early with a big run for the second consecutive game. In Friday’s Game 3, San Antonio opened with a 15-0 run before losing 123-108.
On Sunday, San Antonio scored 16 consecutive points in four minutes to build another 15-point lead.
The Spurs hit five of six shots during the stretch while Oklahoma City was 0 for 7 with three turnovers.
With about a minute to go in the first half, Oklahoma City trimmed a deficit that was as large as 15 in the first quarter to five.
But the Spurs scored seven points in the final minute to stretch the lead back to 12 at the break. Wembanyama added the exclamation point, hitting a 3-pointer from near midcourt as time expired.
Oklahoma City’s 38 first-half points were its fewest of the season.
The Spurs kept their foot on the gas to start the second half, posting a 20-7 run over nearly seven minutes to start the third quarter.
After playing the entire third quarter and with the game virtually decided, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat the rest of the way.
The Spurs changed up their defense on Gilgeous-Alexander, mostly defending the two-time reigning MVP one-on-one, but constantly rotating on him.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
No other Thunder player scored more than 12.
Oklahoma City’s bench had been key to grabbing the series lead through three games, with the Thunder reserves outscoring San Antonio’s 183-64.
But without starter Jalen Williams and his recent replacement, Ajay Mitchell, available due to injuries, the Thunder reserves struggled to find footing.
Alex Caruso, who had averaged 21 points per game in the series, was scoreless on just one shot attempt as the Thunder bench outscored San Antonio’s just 34-30.
Stephon Castle, who struggled with turnovers over the first two games, had 13 points and just one turnover. De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists with no turnovers as the Spurs shot 38.9% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc.
–Field Level Media
