Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and handed out nine assists to help lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 122-113 win over the visiting San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals yesterday (Philippine time).
The result tied the series at one victory apiece headed into Game 3.
Gilgeous-Alexander was much more efficient in Game 2. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had 21 points and 17 rebounds after scoring 41 points and grabbing 24 rebounds as San Antonio took Game 1 in double overtime.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 25 points.
Oklahoma led by two early in the fourth quarter. The Thunder immediately went on an 11-0 run.
Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t score during the stretch but did plenty to create for his teammates. Cason Wallace and Jared McCain got the spree started with back-to-back three-pointers — both assisted by Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma used Alex Caruso and Wallace much more. Hartenstein played a key role in Game 2. Hartenstein grabbed two rebounds in quick succession. He finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes, fighting through early foul trouble to remain a key piece of the Thunder’s attack. Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an offensive foul on Castle.
However, Devin Vassell missed a three-point attempt at the other end, and the possession ended with Castle’s ninth turnover of the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander then hit a step-back jumper and after a Castle miss, Alex Caruso hit a driving layup to put the game away.
Oklahoma scored 27 points off San Antonio’s 21 turnovers. Both teams lost players to injury in the game.
Oklahoma’s Ajay Mitchell, who had stepped into a bigger role throughout the season with the string of injuries to Jalen Williams, went down grabbing his right leg with 1:01 remaining.
Earlier in the contest, Williams left the game late in the first quarter with left hamstring tightness and did not return.
The Spurs, already down starting point guard De’Aaron Fox, who missed his second consecutive game due to a sore right ankle, lost another key guard in the third quarter.
Rookie Dylan Harper, whose monster Game 1 performance helped San Antonio to the victory, headed to the locker room with a right leg injury and didn’t return.
Caruso added 17 points off the bench for Oklahoma City. (Field Level Media / Reuters)