The Oklahoma City Thunder responded to their crushing double overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals by rattling off wins in Games 2 and 3 to retake control of this high-stakes battle. And yet, the work only appears to be getting started for the Thunder when it comes to eliminating the Spurs.
With Jalen Williams in and out of the lineup due to a hamstring injury, that has placed more of a burden on the shoulders of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And while he received some help on the back of a historic scoring performance from OKC’s bench in Game 3, he made sure to issue a strong warning to his teammates after this game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Refuses to Take the Spurs Lightly
After Victor Wembanyama posted 41 points and 24 rebounds in Game 1 of this series, it looked like the Thunder could be in trouble. But OKC has turned the tables and won the past two games, thanks largely to its ability to limit Wembanyama. Even with De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper playing through injuries, and Williams sitting out, the Thunder managed to overcome an early 15-point deficit to win this game quite handily.
Of course, that’s due in large part to the play of Gilgeous-Alexander. While he has struggled with his efficiency (he’s shooting just 39.1% from the field), he’s still scoring 26.7 points per game and more importantly, averaging 11 assists per game. The Spurs are trying to make Gilgeous-Alexander’s supporting cast win games for the Thunder, and so far, they have.
Oklahoma City has made the proper adjustments to this point, but there’s no doubt that San Antonio is going to fight back. Gilgeous-Alexander made it clear that the Thunder cannot afford to take the Spurs lightly because they are doing some things right in this series, and if they can figure out a couple of other things, this quickly could end up being a battle that requires seven games in order to determine a winner.
“They’re a really good basketball team, and if we don’t put our best foot forward, they’re capable of beating us, and we know that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. “They’re obviously not gonna lay down. It’s first to four, not first to two … We’d be silly to look ahead.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder Looking to Take Commanding 3-1 Lead
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 18: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after his three-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
While the Thunder aren’t looking past the Spurs, they can acknowledge the fact that they can take complete control of this series in Game 4. They already stole back home-court advantage in this series, but if they can win again on Sunday night, they will have an opportunity to book their spot in the 2026 NBA Finals in Game 5 at Paycom Center.
Will it be as simple as winning two games against San Antonio? Of course not. The Thunder benefited from a historic performance in Game 3 from their bench, but there’s no guarantee some of their role players will be as productive as they were when they return to action for Game 4. It’s clear this is an extremely important contest for Oklahoma City, and all eyes will be on these teams when they return to action at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sends Warning to Thunder After Game 3 Win vs. Spurs