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Through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama produced numbers not seen at this stage of the playoffs in roughly 50 years.
As the series moved to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday, the French basketball phenom once again led the Spurs in scoring. But his 26-point performance wasn’t enough to give San Antonio a 2-1 lead over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Back-to-back reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched Wembanyama with 26 points, leading Oklahoma City to a 123-108 victory.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on May 22, 2026. (Daniel Dunn/Imagn Images)
Shortly after Game 2 on Wednesday, Spurs goalie Stephon Castle admitted that his team was “probably more comfortable playing in front of our fans.” San Antonio quickly confirmed that sentiment in Game 3, taking a 15-0 lead in its first home game of the series.
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Just five minutes into the match, Spurs held a commanding 19-4 advantage as the home crowd created a raucous atmosphere.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on May 22, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
But Oklahoma City’s bench played a pivotal role in the comeback that ultimately gave the Thunder a critical lead in the series. Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams, Jared McCain and Cason Wallace have been widely credited with helping evolve the game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket in front of Julian Champagnie of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on May 22, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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The Spurs won Game 1 thanks to 41 points and 24 rebounds from Wembanyama, and the defending champion Thunder got 30 points from Gilgeous-Alexander before securing the victory in Game 2.
