Jared McCain erupts as Thunder weather Spurs’ fast start, seize 2–1 series lead

Facing a 15-0 deficit early in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals Friday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t panic.

Instead, the defending champions did what they always do: defend, attack relentlessly and lean on their depth, throwing waves of athleticism at the San Antonio Spurs.

By halftime, the Thunder had turned that early hole into a 58-51 lead behind a stunning 58-36 run. By the final buzzer, Oklahoma City had a 123-108 victory, reclaiming home-court advantage and taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was held scoreless in the first quarter, finished with 26 points and 12 assists to lead the Thunder at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander, who didn’t attempt a free throw until midway through the third quarter, went a perfect 12 for 12 from the line.

Jaylin Williams, who scored just six total points in the first two games of the series, erupted for a career playoff-high 18 points, including 14 in the first half as Oklahoma City seized control. Jared McCain also delivered one of his best performances of the postseason, providing an offensive spark and scoring 24 points in 27 minutes. Six Thunder players finished in double-figures after seven reached that mark in Game 2.

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, coming off a dominant 41-point, 24-rebound performance in San Antonio’s Game 1 win, looked far more human Friday night. He finished with 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting and grabbed just four rebounds. Devin Vassell added 20 points for the Spurs. The series stays in San Antonio for Game 4 on Sunday.

Here are our takeaways from Game 3:

McCain’s big night

The real MVP might be Daryl Morey, who delivered Jared McCain at the NBA trade deadline. McCain tallied 24 points as part of the Thunder’s 76-point bench effort in a monumental Game 3 without Jalen Williams. As McCain caught fire, one of his former 76ers teammates had a simple message of support: “JMAC.” It felt fitting.

JMAC

— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) May 23, 2026

The starters led a disastrous start, down 15-0 to begin, and the bench dug them out. McCain with his courageous drives, Jaylin Williams hit timely 3s. Alex Caruso hasn’t just been one of the best role players in this series, but he’s also been one of the best players overall. Then again, maybe Sam Presti is the MVP for selecting the right reserves to fill Oklahoma City’s gaps. — Joel Lorenzi, Thunder writer 

The Spurs need more than Wemby

The Spurs just don’t have enough offensive connectivity to beat the Thunder right now. This isn’t about injuries, either — Oklahoma City is missing its second- and third-best creators. At least San Antonio had its core available, even if some players were clearly limited physically. Right now, the Spurs simply can’t find a consistent offensive rhythm or get Victor Wembanyama the ball in advantageous spots often enough.

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The Thunder’s defense has been every bit as dominant as expected. The Thunder have disrupted San Antonio’s actions throughout the series, making it incredibly difficult for the Spurs to get downhill or generate clean looks. Oklahoma City has also done an excellent job separating Wembanyama from his playmakers, and San Antonio hasn’t shown the same poise offensively that defined much of its season.

So how do the Spurs get back into this series? Their wings have to make more 3-pointers. Devin Vassell was the only reliable source of offense in this game, and he impacted both ends of the floor. Beyond him, though, the Spurs got very little. The bench turned in one of its weakest performances in weeks, while Oklahoma City’s reserves stepped up in a major way after Ajay Mitchell’s injury.

This felt like a quintessential champion’s win from the Thunder. They held the edge in nearly every area of the game. For San Antonio to respond, the Spurs need to attack the paint with more confidence and force, and Mitch Johnson has to find cleaner, more precise ways to get Wembanyama touches in the post. — Jared Weiss, Spurs writer

OKC’s offense took over

The Thunder trailed 15-0 and the Frost Bank Center crowd was going crazy. But once the starters struggled, Oklahoma City leaned into its depth and quickly flipped the game. A lineup built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and four reserves steadied things, and by the end of the first quarter the Thunder were already back within striking distance. From there, Oklahoma City’s offense took over — even with Gilgeous-Alexander shooting a modest 6-for-17.

The reason? So. Many. Weapons. Jaylin Williams came off the bench and hit 5 of 6 from 3 while also doing his usual work drawing a charge. Alex Caruso — who seriously might win series MVP — scored 15 points in 24 minutes, locked in defensively and finished a game-high plus-28. Jared McCain added 24 points, and Cason Wallace chipped in 11 points and three steals.

Yes, there are still questions with the starters — Ajay Mitchell exited with an injury, and Luguentz Dort once again didn’t provide much offensively — but if the second unit continues to dominate like this (even with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins barely playing), Oklahoma City is going to be a serious problem. A 97-point onslaught over the final three quarters, on the road, against a great defensive team, stands as a fairly monumental proof of concept for that. — John Hollinger, senior NBA writer