San Antonio Spurs kept their championship hopes alive with a commanding 118-91 victory over Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines) in San Antonio, Texas.
Playing in front of their home crowd, the Spurs bounced back strongly from a disappointing defeat in Game 5 and delivered one of their most complete performances of the postseason.
The win, the most lopsided in Spurs history when facing elimination, leveled the best-of-seven series and sent the battle back to Oklahoma City for the deciding contest on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).
Victor Wembanyama once again led San Antonio’s charge, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocked shots. The young superstar controlled both ends of the floor and helped the Spurs seize momentum early before turning the game into a rout.
San Antonio received key contributions from its supporting cast. Filipino-American Dylan Harper scored 18 points, Stephon Castle added 17, while Devin Vassell chipped in 12 points.
The defending champion Thunder struggled to find offensive rhythm. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 15 points while shooting just 6-of-18 from the field.
San Antonio established control from the opening minutes behind Wembanyama, who knocked down two early three-pointers and energized the crowd with a block on Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City’s offense stalled for long stretches, particularly in the third quarter when the team failed to score for nearly eight minutes, a stretch where the Spurs unleashed a 22-0 run, blowing open the game.
Jared McCain, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Hartenstein added 13, 11, and 10 points, respectively, while Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder.
The winner of Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals and open the championship series against the New York Knicks next week./PN
