NBA: San Antonio Spurs fight back to win Game 4 and level Western Conference Finals

The San Antonio Spurs evened the Western Conference finals at 2-2 with a 103-82 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4. Victor Wembanyama led the scoring with 33 points, adding eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. San Antonio responded to a heavy Game 3 loss by starting with far more intensity. Wembanyama hit an early 27-foot three-pointer, rejected a Chet Holmgren dunk attempt, and produced 17 points in the first quarter. The Spurs also delivered strong defense, limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting and holding Oklahoma City to one made three-pointer in the first half. Oklahoma City struggled to score early and never fully recovered.

"The Spurs came out with far greater intensity from the opening tip and Wembanyama immediately established the tone on both ends of the floor. He buried a 27-foot three-pointer just 24 seconds into the contest before rejecting a Chet Holmgren dunk attempt moments later. Wembanyama scored or assisted on 17 points in the first quarter alone and at one stage outscored Oklahoma City 11-8 by himself during the opening stretch. His remarkable half ended with a stunning 40-foot buzzer-beater from near halfway, the longest made field goal by a Spurs player in the playoffs since tracking began in 2014."

"San Antonio also delivered one of their best defensive performances of the postseason. A collective effort led by Stephon Castle, Fox, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper helped contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting. The Spurs repeatedly disrupted Oklahoma City's rhythm and held the Thunder to just one made three-pointer in the first half. At one stage, the visitors went more than five minutes without scoring in the opening quarter as San Antonio built a commanding 25-point lead."

""I feel like with who we are, we need to start games like this," Wembanyama said afterwards. "I was just thinking shoot to score. I wasn't messing around." "We really paid attention to detail a lot better than Game 3," Castle said. "Hitting first just feeds energy throughout the team, especially defensively.""

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