The San Antonio Spurs faced a tough challenge on Friday night as they went up against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Despite a strong start, the Spurs were unable to maintain their lead, ultimately falling 123-108 to the Thunder.

Thunder’s Bench Makes History

The Thunder’s bench played a pivotal role in their victory, scoring an impressive 76 points. This performance set a new record for the most bench points scored in a conference finals game since the NBA adopted the 16-team playoff format in 1984. The previous record was held by the Los Angeles Lakers, who scored 69 points in 1985.

Jared McCain led the charge for the Thunder’s reserves with a playoff career-best 24 points. Jaylin Williams, stepping up in the absence of guard Jalen Williams due to hamstring issues, contributed 18 points, including five 3-pointers, also marking a career high. Alex Caruso added 15 points, bringing his total to 63 points over the last three games, the best scoring span of his career.

Game Dynamics

The game began with the Spurs taking a commanding 15-0 lead within the first three minutes. However, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault quickly turned to his bench, which proved to be a game-changing decision. Alex Caruso was the first substitute, helping to stabilize the Thunder’s play and reduce the Spurs’ lead by the end of the first quarter.

From that point on, the Thunder controlled the game, turning a 15-point deficit into a 15-point victory. The bench’s contribution accounted for 62% of the Thunder’s total scoring, a feat unmatched in recent conference finals history.

With this win, the Thunder now lead the series 2-1 and are just two victories away from returning to the NBA Finals. The Spurs will need to regroup and find a way to counter the Thunder’s deep roster as they prepare for Game 4.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.