Translation result
[MyDaily = Reporter Shim Jae-hee] Bench strength!
Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City took a crucial Game 3 win in the 2025-2026 Western Conference Finals, beating the San Antonio Spurs on the road. The Thunder rode a dominant performance from their bench to complete a comeback and extend their momentum in the series.
On May 23 (Korean time), Oklahoma City topped San Antonio 123-108 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Thunder trailed 26-31 after one quarter but rallied in the second to take a 58-51 lead into halftime. They extended the advantage in the third, leading 95-84, and closed out the game in the fourth for the 123-108 victory.
Oklahoma City’s bench exploded for an astonishing 76 points—well beyond the starters’ combined 47. The reserves complemented the starters and were the driving force behind the comeback. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 26 points and 12 assists, and Chet Holmgren added 14 points. Key contributions off the bench included Jared McCain (24 points), Jalen Williams (18 points, 5 rebounds), Alex Caruso (15 points), and Kaison Wallace (11 points, 5 rebounds).
As the West’s No. 1 seed, Oklahoma City now leads the Western Conference Finals 2-1 after dropping Game 1 and winning the next two. The Thunder fell in a double-overtime Game 1 at home on May 19, 115-122, then evened the series with a 122-113 home win on May 21. Sunday’s road win put them ahead; they’ll try to extend the streak in Game 4 on May 25.
No. 2 seed San Antonio slipped at home and now trails 1-2. All five starters finished in double figures, but the Spurs were overwhelmed by Oklahoma City’s bench production. Victor Wembanyama had 26 points, Devin Vassell scored 20 with seven rebounds, De’Aaron Fox posted 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Stephon Castle added 14 points, five rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the loss.
Most Read
-
IVE’s Rei: Naturally slender with a striking presence—how does she have it all?
-
Late announcer Song Ji-sun marks her 15th anniversary today (23) — the baseball star whose life was cut short by vicious online comments [MD Today]
-
The so-called ’21st-century matriarch’ reaches the National Assembly…possible recovery of Korea Creative Content Agency funds [MD Issue]
Most Commented