Oklahoma City's depth is overwhelming San Antonio
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Oklahoma City's preparation and trust in their bench depth proved crucial in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, allowing them to overcome an early 15-0 deficit against San Antonio's Spurs.
- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault utilized unconventional lineups, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with four bench players, which sparked a 13-2 run during Victor Wembanyama's rest period.
- Oklahoma City's bench outperformed San Antonio's significantly, scoring 76 points compared to the Spurs' 23 in Game 3, highlighting the stark contrast in team depth.
- San Antonio heavily relies on Wembanyama, as evidenced by the team's positive performance when he's on the court (+21) versus a significant drop-off when he's off (-38), while their starters log heavy minutes due to lack of bench trust.
- The Thunder's fresh legs and disruptive defense have disrupted the Spurs' offense, and San Antonio's limited bench options and injury concerns have contributed to their struggles in the series.