San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Score, highlights, stats, analysis from WCF Game 7
OKLAHOMA CITY — Game 7s tend not to be won just by stars, but because role players step up. Or do not.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped up like a two-time MVP, scoring 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting, with nine assists. He said it’s the most he’s felt like himself in the past few games. But he didn’t get enough help. Three OKC starters — Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort — combined for 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, with Holmgren in particular not making an impact (he took just two shots).
Victor Wembanyama stepped up and led the Spurs with 22 points and seven rebounds, but it was the six 3-pointers and 20 points from Julian Champagnie that kept answering every Thunder run that made a huge difference. It was Stephon Castle with 16 points, De’Aaron Fox dropping 15, and even Luke Kornet, who had a huge block in the final minutes that helped the Spurs keep the momentum.
“I never seen Luke run that fast. Never,” Champagnie said, adding he thought it was the biggest play of the game, sucking the air out of the building.
It was the Spurs who came together, made plays like that, and won Game 7 on the road with a maturity expected from the defending champs, not the “inexperienced” San Antonio team.
The Spurs executed better down the stretch and won 111-103. San Antonio advances to the NBA Finals for the first time since the Tim Duncan era.
San Antonio now heads home to host Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, June 3, against the New York Knicks.
“They were just a better team tonight from start to finish,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And then every time we tried to cut into it and take control of the game, it felt like they had an answer, and a lot of times it felt like it was like tough shot making, so hats off to them.”
Rookie Dylan Harper had 12 points and seven boards off the bench for the Spurs, and Keldon Johnson scored 11. As a team, San Antonio shot 42.5% from 3-point range on the night and seemed to hit a big one — especially Champagnie — whenever they needed it.
The Thunder bench kept them in this. Jared McCain and Alex Caruso each had a dozen points, although Caruso shot 3-of-14, and Jaylin Williams had 11.
