The Oklahoma City Thunder sent an early message in their Western Conference Finals rematch against the San Antonio Spurs, securing a convincing 116-104 victory behind an explosive performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a dominant showing from their role players. The 2025 champions controlled the game for long stretches, building a lead as large as 26 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 32 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks. The Thunder also received a spectacular 20-point performance from Jared McCain off the bench, who knocked down six three-pointers in just 22 minutes.

On the other side, the Spurs struggled to find their shooting rhythm, and Victor Wembanyama had one of the worst games of his young career offensively.

San Antonio actually finished with more points in the paint and more blocks, but Oklahoma City’s efficiency was decisive. Here are four reasons why the Spurs were outplayed on both ends.

1. The Spurs’ Perimeter Shooting Completely Let Them Down

The biggest difference between the two teams was their shooting from beyond the arc. Oklahoma City converted 14-31 three-point attempts, an outstanding 45.2% clip, while San Antonio managed just 10 makes on 37 attempts, shooting a disappointing 27.0%.

That 18.2% gap gave the Thunder a massive scoring advantage from deep and forced the Spurs to work much harder for their offense. Oklahoma City made four more three-pointers despite attempting six fewer shots from beyond the arc.

McCain was the biggest culprit behind San Antonio’s perimeter problems, pouring in 20 points while shooting 6-8 from three-point range. His scoring gave the Thunder a major lift off the bench and punished the Spurs.

San Antonio had some individual bright spots. Stephon Castle scored 24 points and knocked down five three-pointers, while Dylan Harper added 18 points. However, the Spurs’ other options struggled to provide consistent perimeter production. Wembanyama went 0-4 from deep, De’Aaron Fox finished 0-2, and Devin Vassell made just one of his four attempts.

The Spurs did not need a spectacular shooting night to compete, but they could not afford such an efficiency gap against a team as dangerous as Oklahoma City.

2. Victor Wembanyama Had A Night To Forget As A Scorer

Wembanyama’s defensive impact was undeniable, but his offensive struggles were a major storyline. The Spurs star finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and six blocks, yet shot just 1-13 from the field.

His 10-12 performance at the free-throw line kept his scoring total respectable, but Wembanyama could not consistently convert his field-goal attempts. He also missed all four of his three-point attempts and committed four turnovers.

The six blocks demonstrated how much of a defensive presence he remained, and his 13 rebounds helped San Antonio stay competitive on the glass. However, the Spurs needed more efficient scoring from their franchise centerpiece.

Wembanyama was not alone in struggling, but his shooting line was particularly damaging because of his importance to San Antonio’s offense. When a player of his caliber converts just one field goal, it becomes much harder for the rest of the lineup to make up for it.

We can’t overreact to one difficult outing, especially given Wembanyama’s defensive production. Still, this matchup showed how Oklahoma City can make life difficult for San Antonio’s star and force other players to shoulder more of the offensive burden.

3. Oklahoma City’s Supporting Cast Won The Bench Battle

Gilgeous-Alexander was the headliner, but the Thunder’s supporting cast helped turn a competitive matchup into a convincing victory. McCain’s 20 points were especially important, as he shot 7-9 from the field and 6-8 from three-point range in an exceptionally efficient performance.

Alex Caruso also had an effective two-way outing, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, two steals, and a plus-minus of +16. Aday Mara added seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, while Ajay Mitchell contributed four points and six assists in 23 minutes.

These contributions gave Oklahoma City valuable production beyond its leading scorer. The Thunder did not need Gilgeous-Alexander to manufacture every basket, and McCain’s perimeter shooting provided an additional weapon that San Antonio struggled to contain.

The Spurs had some useful bench performances of their own. Keldon Johnson scored 10 points, while Julian Champagnie recorded eight points, two steals, and three blocks. However, San Antonio lacked a comparable offensive eruption from its reserves.

The difference was apparent from the three-point line. McCain alone made six triples, matching 60% of San Antonio’s total for the entire game.

4. The Thunder’s Transition Offense Punished San Antonio’s Mistakes

Oklahoma City also found a major advantage in transition, outscoring San Antonio 31-12 in fast-break points. That 19-point difference was one of the clearest indicators of how the Thunder controlled the game.

The Spurs actually finished with more points in the paint, 48-42, and committed the same number of turnovers as Oklahoma City at 14 apiece. However, the Thunder were far more effective at turning opportunities into quick points.

Oklahoma City’s eight steals helped fuel its defensive pressure, and the team recorded nine blocks as well. The Thunder combined those defensive plays with efficient shooting to make San Antonio pay whenever the opportunity arose to attack before the Spurs could get organized.

San Antonio did not completely lose the battle in the possession game. The teams were relatively close in rebounds, with Oklahoma City holding a 47-45 edge, and both grabbed 10 offensive boards. The Spurs also finished with 11 blocks, two more than the Thunder.

The Thunder’s largest lead reached 26 points, and they led for 92% of the game. Those figures illustrate how thoroughly Oklahoma City controlled the matchup despite the Spurs’ advantages in certain paint statistics.