Spurs fall to Thunder in Game 3 despite historic 15-0 start
The Spurs’ 123-108 defeat leaves them trailing 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals, echoing the fate of the 2017 Washington Wizards.
The San Antonio Spurs have set a historic benchmark in the NBA Playoffs, despite suffering a 123-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The loss places San Antonio in a 2-1 series deficit, yet the performance is defined by a statistical anomaly: the team began the contest with a 15-0 run, the longest unanswered start to a conference finals game since the play-by-play era commenced in the 1997-98 season.
According to ESPN Insights, only one other team in league history has matched this feat. The 2017 Washington Wizards also began a playoff game with a 15-0 run or better, going up 16-0 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference second round before ultimately losing. The Spurs join the Wizards as the sole instances in modern NBA history where a team has started a playoff game with such a dominant surge and subsequently lost the match.
San Antonio’s early momentum was driven by contributions from De’Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama, and Devin Vassell, prompting Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to call a timeout. However, Oklahoma City responded with a 13-2 run to end the first quarter, trailing 31-26. The Thunder seized control in the second quarter, outscoring the Spurs 32-20 to take a commanding lead into halftime.
The Thunder’s victory was anchored by a historic 76-point performance from their bench. Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from Philadelphia, recorded a playoff-career-high 24 points, while Jaylin Williams, playing through left hamstring issues in place of Jalen Williams, contributed 18 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the starters with 26 points, supported by 14 from Chet Holmgren and 15 from Alex Caruso.
San Antonio’s inability to maintain their early advantage was compounded by significant errors. The Spurs missed 28 free throw attempts, committed 15 turnovers, and lost the rebounding battle 41-37. Injury concerns also mounted for the Spurs, specifically regarding De’Aaron Fox. With the series now at 2-1, the Spurs must address these structural deficiencies to avoid following the Wizards’ path to elimination.
