San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City, Final Score: Spurs extend series to Game 7 with dominant 118-91 win

San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City, Final Score: Spurs extend series to Game 7 with dominant 118-91 win

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Spurs rattled Oklahoma City with a cogent 35-22 first quarter and a convincing 32-13 third quarter (including a 20-0 run) to secure a resounding game 6 win and force game 7 on Saturday night (NBA / Peacock 7:00 PM CDT). San Antonio did it by honoring its possessions, limiting its penchant for turnovers, and nearly doubling up the Thunder from three in the minutes that mattered. The Spurs also had the unexpected bench scoring advantage (46-38) in a trend that could bode well for Saturday evening. Victor Wembanyama (28 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals) matched his four field goal total from game 5 in the first quarter alone and his Spurs led from start-to-finish. While the Thunder starters struggled with their outside shooting, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso led a spirited backup effort to prevent a runaway over 2 1/2 quarters before San Antonio’s second-half detonation.

Wembanyama and Castle (17 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds) received a crucial boost from rookie Dylan Harper (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists), who had his best game since game 1 tonight as the third banana to his more heralded teammates. Devin Vassell (12 points and 2 blocks) and Julian Champagnie (10 points and 6 rebounds) supplied timely shooting and suffocating defense to aid San Antonio’s impressive start. Carter Bryant supplied a healthy dose of defensive pressure in his limited minutes, and Keldon Johnson performed well (9 points and 3 rebounds) in his spot minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15 points and 4 assists) was kept contained throughout the game with contributions from Isaiah Hartenstein (10 points and 5 rebounds) and Chet Holmgren (10 points and 11 rebounds) being empty calories. Wallace (11 points) and Caruso (7 points) provided an early bench boost for Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams returned to action for the first time since game two, but did not significantly impact the game

A 9-2 opening burst caused Mark Daigneault to call for time within 90 seconds. While Wembanyama and Castle got off to good starts, Vassell and Champagnie held up their end of the outside shooting bargain with three combined triples. Gilgeous-Alexander connected on his first two shots, and the Thunder defense kept the Spurs out of the lane over several minutes. Given the very close-quarters combat nature of the previous games, it was surprising that the teams combined for a ‘only’ handful of fouls in 10 minutes of action. Just as they had started the period, Wembanyama and Castle pieced together a 5-0 run to get San Antonio to 35-22.

Behind McCain and Wallace’s scoring, Oklahoma City closed the gap with the Spurs to six quickly. San Antonio’s rookie guard Harper supplied his most points since the first two games of the series. A pair of jumpers by Wembanyama pushed the lead back out to double-digits. The physicality ratcheted leaps-and-bounds late in the half with Vassell and Bryant instigating a good amount of San Antonio’s defensive presence. The Thunder threateningly found their shooting touch late in the stanza – bringing their deficit down to seven.

The Spurs continued to nudge the Thunder players well away from their comfortable spots throughout a third quarter that seemingly rattled Gilgeous-Alexander, and timely and accurate shooting from Vassell, Champagnie, and Harper increased the San Antonio advantage back to 15. During a 20-0 run coinciding with a good amount of minutes for Wembanyama to rest, Harper figured the most prominently in hastening the Frost Bank Center crowd to a froth. A Holmgren lay-up broke a 7+ minute Thunder drought and the Spurs went to the fourth up 92-66.

Observations

  • The stark differences in officiating and physicality between games 2 and 6 should be a real focus of Adam Silver’s this summer instead of lottery business. (yes, I’m typing this as I typed the words ‘Wembanyama,’ ‘Castle,’ and ‘Harper’ numerous times tonight).
  • Wembanyama – even at this stage of his career, is a more consistent free throw shooter than Tim Duncan and David Robinson at their peaks.
  • A debt of gratitude is owed to Assistant Coach Rashard Lewis for getting Bryant ready for these playoff rounds.
  • Very strange to hear Carmelo Anthony imploring the Spurs’ rotation players to ‘deliver the nastiness’ and ‘get the hustle plays.’
  • The (very subjective) 25-26 Spurs comps that I had going into game 5: 1990 Bulls (lost to Detroit in 7), 1998 Lakers (lost to Jazz in 4), 2005 Suns (lost to Spurs in 5), 2011 Thunder (lost to Mavs in 5).
  • Sequence of the Game #1: Late in the first quarter, Vassell admirably defended a 2-on-1 OKC fastbreak – standing up Gilgeous-Alexander on his lay-up attempt and then knocking away Caruso’s tip try. Harper encouragingly hit a three at the other end to make it 26-17.
  • Sequence of the Game #2: San Antonio showcased a ’Beautiful Game’ possession late in the opening half that saw Harper flick a pass baseline to Carter Bryant in the corner to Fox on the left wing to Wembanyama on the right wing. The superstar center drove slow-motion into the lane for a floater.
  • Sequence of the Game #3: After a well-defended possession moments into the third, Wembanyama snared the long carom, and fed a streaking Castle near the paint. Castle found Champagnie on the left baseline for a corner three.
  • Sequence of the Game #4: That 20-0 run in the third quarter looked way different than the tempporarly 15-0 run San Antonio started game 3 with.

Game Rundown

Champagnie saw his first three go down from the tip. Just like in game 4, Hartenstein responded with two floaters in succession. Wembanyama sandwiched two threes around a block on McCain. Lu Dort hit Oklahoma City’s first three. Wembanyama assertively drove Hartenstein deep into the lane and hit an effortless fadeaway. Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down his first two shots. San Antonio started settling for threes and their offense unsurprisingly stalled out. Vassell’s pair of triples put the Spurs up five. Gilgeous-Alexander noticeably didn’t fall to the ground on two misses. Fox and Johnson helped keep the Spurs’ sufficiently ahead. Wembanyama’s stepback three and Castle’s shotclock beating jumper helped put San Antonio up 13 at the end of one.

McCain’s transition three got Oklahoma City to within 10 to start the second period. San Antonio diligently drew three team fouls on the Thunder, and Harper’s three kept their advantage in double digits. Wallace’s pair of threes brought the Thunder within six. Harper confidently knocked down a baseline jumper and powered a lay-up over Hartenstein. His playmaking allowed Castle and Fox to get a breather over much of the quarter. Jaylin Williams (240 lb) got ‘laid out’ by Bryant (220 lb) on a pick. Bryant responded with an emphatic slam at the other end, and Vassell turned away Holmgren at the rim during a heated sequence. The Thunder put together a 10-5 run to make it a 60-53 game at the half.

Coming out of the break, Vassell hit his fourth three, which was answered by yet another Hartenstein floater. Shortly after, Wembanyama was whistled for a questionable goaltend on a Gilgeous-Alexander and-1. Wembanyama excellently kept Oklaoma City out of the paint. Holmgren and Harteinstein did tally two tip-ins to keep the Thunder in striking distance. Castle executed a nifty stepthrough move in the paint to draw an and-1, and Harper followed that with a stepback that would have made James Harden proud. Gilgeous-Alexander made contact with Harper’s head on a foul, but it was not reviewed for any further escalation. An emboldened Harper drew another foul on the next possession by driving it through several Thunder defenders. By the time San Antonio completed its 20-0 run, Oklahoma City essentially lost its chance to close out the series tonight.

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