The Spurs crush the Thunder to the beat of Wembanyama (2-2)
San Antonio evens the series against Oklahoma in a perfect game offensively and defensively
Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs in a crucial night to tie the Western Conference Finals. The French star recorded 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in the 103-82 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth game of the series.
The Texan team evened up the series thanks to an outstanding defensive performance, holding Oklahoma City to their second-lowest scoring output of all current playoffs. The Spurs also maintain an important statistic: they have not lost three consecutive games throughout the entire season.
De'Aaron Fox contributed a double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each for a team that dominated practically from the start.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the top scorer for the Thunder with 19 points, despite a modest 6 for 15 shooting performance. Oklahoma struggled immensely against Wembanyama’s presence, especially on offense. With the Frenchman on the court, the Thunder recorded a -50 plus-minus, scored just 0.89 points per possession, and shot at a poor 39.6% accuracy. Additionally, they committed 45 turnovers and were forced to shoot from further distances.
"We all have very high standards," stated Wembanyama after the game when asked about facing difficulties in these playoffs. "I know I have many responsibilities, but I'm here for it. Today was better. Not perfect, but better."
The French center's response came after taking the defeat in the third game on Friday personally when Oklahoma City prevailed 123-108. This time, San Antonio presented a completely different image and controlled the game from the start.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field and only 18% from beyond the arc, with a poor 6 of 33 from long range. They also balanced the bench battle after being soundly beaten in the previous game. Following a 76-23 point deficit from the bench in Game 3, San Antonio's second unit responded with 30 points compared to Oklahoma's 34.
The Key Start of the Matchup
The start once again proved crucial for the Spurs. After beginning the third game with a 15-0 run, they repeated the explosive start this time and never relinquished the lead. One of the most spectacular plays occurred when Devin Vassell blocked a layup attempt by Jared McCain and then threw an alley-oop for Wembanyama to dunk during a 16-0 run that set the score at 23-8 with 4:19 left in the first quarter.
San Antonio displayed excellent ball movement from the start, assisting on their first ten baskets of the game. The series will now head back to Oklahoma City for the fifth game, scheduled for Tuesday, before returning to San Antonio for the sixth game on Thursday.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Spurs destrozan a los Thunder al ritmo de Wembanyama (2-2)
