Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he wasn’t surprised by the impact Alex Caruso and Jared McCain made off the bench in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 3 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, as the Thunder moved two wins from the NBA Finals. Oklahoma Cit
Oklahoma City didn’t just answer San Antonio’s early punch in Game 3 on Friday night—it did it with the kind of depth that can change how a series feels.
San Antonio opened fast and even led 15-0 at one point, setting a tense early rhythm. But the Thunder flipped the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Spurs 32-20 in that stretch and largely turning the night into a steady chase that San Antonio couldn’t sustain from there.
Going into the contest. Oklahoma City and San Antonio were even at one game apiece after a series opener that required overtime to decide and a Game 2 victory for the Thunder. By the end of Game 3. Oklahoma City had turned the momentum into something closer to a statement: the Thunder are now officially two wins away from returning to the NBA Finals for the second straight year.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure the credit didn’t stay on the starting lineup. He offered high praise for teammates Alex Caruso and Jared McCain after their performances off the bench, and he pointed to what that kind of production says about the team when the game tightens down the stretch.
Four players reached double figures in scoring off the bench, including Caruso and McCain. The entire bench unit combined for 76 points—an NBA history-making total. Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on the win after the game on the NBC broadcast and emphasized that Oklahoma City’s depth is part of why they can play at the highest level.
“We have a really good basketball team. 1-15 can really play at the highest level. … No surprise for us, we know what we’re capable of,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The stat line from the floor matched the message. Six players scored in double digits for Oklahoma City in the win. Gilgeous-Alexander led the attack with 26 points, 12 assists, two rebounds, and a block. McCain finished with 24 points and four rebounds. Jaylin Williams added 18 points and five rebounds, while Caruso chipped in 15 points and three rebounds.
The sequence of the night carried an obvious consequence: Oklahoma City now has a route to the Finals that requires two more victories. and the Spurs will have to solve a Thunder team that can manufacture scoring from multiple layers. If Caruso and McCain keep delivering quality minutes and big-impact outputs off the bench. it becomes harder for San Antonio to slow the game down on Oklahoma City’s terms.
San Antonio’s next challenge comes immediately. The Spurs hope to take the series lead 3-1 when they face the Thunder on the road in Game 4 on May 24 at 8 p.m. ET.
Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Alex Caruso Jared McCain Game 3 NBA playoffs bench scoring NBA history Game 4