Spurs vs Thunder Game 5: SGA drops 32 points as OKC puts Wembanyama on brink of elimination

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started poorly with three turnovers and missed his first four field goals, yet Oklahoma City still led 29-27 after the first quarter. He later found his range and scored 32 points to help the Thunder defeat the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 and move ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference finals. Chet Holmgren contributed eight points in the opening quarter, Jared McCain added 18 points in the second half, and Alex Caruso scored 22 points with six assists and three steals off the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the team’s depth and the importance of all 15 players, while praising Caruso’s competitiveness and experience in big games.

"Gilgeous-Alexander committed three turnovers and missed his first four shots from the field in a terrible first quarter but the Thunder still edged it 29-27, demonstrating their strength in depth once again. Once he had found his range, there was no stopping the back-to-back MVP as he poured in 32 points to help Oklahoma to a 127-114 win."

""I always say we're a team out there," said Gilgeous-Alexander. "We don't get this far, I don't have this individual success, this team doesn't have the success without all 15 guys in the locker room. We proved it tonight. "If it was four or five me's out there, we would've been down 20 after the first quarter. But the guys were great to start the game. I probably should never start like that again and give us a better chance to win a ball game, but the guys held it down.""

"Chet Holmgren had eight of his 16 points in the opening quarter to make up for Gilgeous-Alexander's lack of impact while Jared McCain helped bring them home with 18 in the second half. Alex Caruso was another impressive contributor with 22 points, six assists and three steals in 28 minutes off the bench."

""He's played in the most big games on this team," Gilgeous-Alexander said of Caruso. "That experience you can't recreate or manufacture. AC isn't some uber-talented guy... But he's one of - if not the best competitor in the NBA night in and night out. He wears that and he sets that tone for us as a group, and it's come full-fledged this series with guys out and him having to step up.""

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