Oklahoma City Thunder level series with San Antonio Spurs as league MVP plays key role

[p]Having been largely kept in check in Monday's game one loss to the Spurs, the league's back-to-back Most Valuable Player scored 30 points and provided nine assists.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Thunder[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=UNmWVTi5"]home win[/a] poises the series at 1-1, with the teams next headed to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio[/a] for games three and four on Friday and Saturday.[/p][p]"[b]The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one,[/b]" said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Gilgeous-Alexander[/a].[/p][p]"[b]We brought the energy from the jump[/b]."[/p][p]Two nights after it had taken a double-overtime classic to separate them, the two teams with the best NBA regular-season records put on another intense display.[/p][p]Following a tied first quarter, the Thunder roared ahead for an 11-point half-time lead.[/p][p]Gilgeous-Alexander, who had endured a sluggish start in the previous game, led the charge from tip-off, regularly scoring from mid-range.[/p][p]His team hustled for 13 turnovers worth 16 points in the first half alone.[/p][embed guid="1de8f28a-6961-4586-864e-ed3d4701be9b" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2057298254665040102?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Spurs' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Victor Wembanyama[/a] - having dazzled in game one, with 41 points and 24 rebounds - was stifled, frequently wrestling with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hartenstein-isaiah/v5FbfBw9/"]Isaiah Hartenstein[/a] and double-teamed by an aggressive Thunder defense.[/p][p]But his teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/castle-stephon/Kzd3IGeT/"]Stephon Castle[/a] responded in style, leaping for a sensational dunk over the head of seven-foot-tall Hartenstein that left the crowd and players gasping.[/p][p]From 13 points down, the Spurs - without starting guard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fox-de-aaron/Ysw8Hl5J/"]De'Aaron Fox[/a] for a second consecutive contest due to a right ankle sprain - rallied to pull level midway through the third.[/p][p]But San Antonio never quite managed to retake the lead, with Oklahoma City soaking up the pressure.[/p][p]"[b]The guys were ready to play, (we) didn't get discouraged by the runs they made,[/b]" said Gilgeous-Alexander, after the game.[/p][p]"[b]Obviously, they're a good team, they are gonna make runs[/b]."[/p][p]On a night of intense physicality, Oklahoma City's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a] and San Antonio's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harper-dylan/E95BW6Df/"]Dylan Harper[/a] both left the court with injuries, and did not return.[/p][p]The Thunder extended their advantage again in the final quarter.[/p][p]Gilgeous-Alexander sank yet another step-back jump shot before an [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/caruso-alex/j3T3c42g/"]Alex Caruso[/a] lay-up extended the lead to nine with 20 seconds remaining.[/p][p]"[b]We got a W, it's all you can ask for. Now we got to go on the road against a really good team and go get one,[/b]" said Gilgeous-Alexander.[/p][p]A downcast Wembanyama said Gilgeous-Alexander had "made shots, but nothing that he hasn't made all season."[/p][p]"[b]We worked on it, we just didn't apply as much,[/b]" said the Frenchman.[/p][p]Oklahoma City is trying to become the first team to repeat as champions since Golden State in 2017 and 2018.[/p][p]The Thunder racked up a league-best 64 regular-season wins, and swept the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix Suns[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] in the first two playoff rounds.[/p][p]But they lost four of five regular-season contests against the Spurs, who won 62 regular-season games to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.[/p][p]The winner of the series will face either the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]New York Knicks[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] in the NBA Finals.[/p]