Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a masterclass with 30 points and nine assists to guide the Oklahoma City Thunder past the visiting San Antonio Spurs for a 122-113 victory in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday.
The high-stakes home win successfully squares the powerhouse series at 1-1 as both teams prepare to shift the battlefield to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday. After a brutal outing in Game 1 where he went a cold 7-of-23, the reigning two-time league MVP bounced back with elite efficiency on Wednesday night, knocking down 12 of his 24 shots from the floor to anchor OKC's offense.
NBA Playoffs Thunder vs Spurs 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 on Wednesday.
Oklahoma City led by two early in the fourth quarter when Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the game after a break of nearly three minutes. 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 3-pointers ā both assisted by Isaiah Hartenstein.
After logging just 12 minutes in Game 1, as Oklahoma City used Alex Caruso and Wallace much more, Hartenstein played a key role in Game 2.
With just more than four minutes remaining, 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.
The Spurs cut the deficit to five with 1:25 remaining before Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an offensive foul on Castle.
However, Devin Vassell missed a 3-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 City scored 27 points off San Antonio's 21 turnovers.
Both teams lost players to injury in the game.
Oklahoma City'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, who had 26 points in Game 1 during his return from a six-game absence caused by a left hamstring ailment, 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.
(With inputs from Reuters)