The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will battle it out once more in an all-important Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 26.
The series is currently tied at 2-2, with the winner of Game 5 getting the crucial 3-2 lead and moving one win closer to the NBA Finals.
The Thunder won Games 2 and 3 of the series, while the Spurs took Game 1 in OKC and Game 4 in San Antonio.
Game 5 could be the difference-maker for any team in the series.
Referees For The All-Important Game 5 Of The Western Conference Finals
GettyNBA referee Tony Brothers in action.
The officials for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals are as follows: Tony Brothers (crew chief), James Capers (referee), Sean Wright (umpire), and JB DeRosa (alternate).
Officiating has been a point of contention among fans in the series. However, no issues have been raised so far by any team in the series.
Among the officials, Brothers is the most familiar to fans. He has been in the NBA since 1994, having called over 1800 regular-season games, over 200 NBA playoff games, and 19 NBA Finals games.
Brothers also officiated Game 2 of the West Finals, where the Thunder won by nine points.
The series has been very physical since the get-go, with many believing that there have been more non-calls than calls in some games.
Spurs Get The Upper Hand In Free Throws
GettySan Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama celebrates the 103-82 Game 4 win on Sunday.
The Spurs have been enjoying more free-throw opportunities in the Western Conference Finals.
According to Brandon Rahbar of the Daily Thunder, the Spurs have shot 17 more free throws in the series than the Thunder, whose squad has been accused of benefiting from referees’ calls throughout the series.
In Game 1, which the Spurs won, they shot 10 more free throws. In Game 4, they had 14 more than the Thunder.
Game 2 saw the Thunder gain seven more free throws than the Spurs. Game 3 was even for both squads.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault pointed out OKC’s lack of physicality in the losses, where they gave up a double-digit free-throw disparity to the Spurs.
“We didn’t have the sharpness, force or precision necessary to crack them. They were really good defensively. Just their energy, their physicality,” Daigneault said.
“A lot of these playoff games come down to physicality and force. Your force has to be better than their physicality on defense, and your physicality has to be better than their force on offense. That’s kind of the trenches of a playoff game.”
With the home crowd on their side for Game 5, expect the Thunder to carry a little bit more boost than in the past two games.
How To Watch Game 5 Between Thunder And Spurs
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Game 5 will be broadcast via NBC and Peacock and can be livestreamed through NBA League Pass.
The game will be happening inside the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, where fans are expected to pack the arena.
Tip-off will be at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, while the game’s broadcast will start 30 minutes earlier.
Who Are The Referees For Crucial Game 5 of Thunder-Spurs Western Conference Finals?