In a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will face off tonight on on NBC and Peacock.
The top two seeds in the West have split the first four games of the series. When a best-of-seven series is tied
2-2, the winner of Game 5 has advanced 81.8% of the time (198-44).
In Game 5s with a -2 tie in their franchise histories, Oklahoma City is 10-8 (.556), and San Antonio is 14-10 (.583).
With a 3-2 lead, Oklahoma City is 12-2 (.857) in best-of-seven series, but the Thunder are 3-11 (.214) after they fall behind 3-2. They’ve won three series in such scenarios: the 2014 West first round against Memphis, the 1980 West semifinals vs. Milwaukee (as Seattle) and the 1979 West Finals vs Phoenix.
Oklahoma City won last year’s NBA championship over the Indiana Pacers after the series was tied 2-2.
San Antonio is 17-3 (.850) all-time with a 3-2 series lead in a best-of-seven series, but the Spurs are 1-13 (.071) after falling behind 3-2. San Antonio’s only comeback from a 3-2 deficit was in the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals over the Hornets.
This marks only the fourth time since 2011 that the Western Conference Finals have been tied 2-2 and the first time since 2018 when Golden State went on to beat Houston 4-3 en route to a championship.
See below for additional information on the Spurs-Thunder game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Whatever Popovich said worked, that was a much better San Antonio performance in Game 4
Injuries rermain a concern for the Thunder, who have listed Ajay Mitchell as out with a right calf strain. Star wingman Jalen Williams will be questionable with a left hamstring strain.
Oklahoma City is coming off a Game 4 loss of being held to 82 points, which is the fewest for the team in a single game since Dec. 2, 2021 (when the Thunder lost 152-79 to the Grizzlies ,a 73-point loss that is the largest loss in NBA history).
The Thunder’s 82 points were were also their fewest in a playoff game since Aug. 29, 2020. Oklahoma City hasn’t been held under 100 pts in back-to-back games since Feburary 2022, the longest active streak in the NBA. Oklahoma City will need to improve its shooting after making 33% of shots from the field and 18.2% from 3-poit range i Game, both of which were their worst shooting percentages in a single game this season.
Being without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell came back to bite the Thunder.
“I thought we left a lot to be desired on that end of the floor tonight,” Okklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault said. “We didn’t have the sharpness, force or precision necessary to crack them. And they were really good defensively with just their energy and their physicality.”
No Thunder player scored more than 20 points for the second time in the playoffs. Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held under 20 points after no games with fewer than 20 points during the regular season.
“We’ve got to do a better job of starting the games,” Gilegous-Alexander said. “Obviously it’s a little more challenging on the road, and we know that, but we’ve got to go out there and do it.”
How to watch the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock:
NBC Sports will present the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. All games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. Here is the series schedule:
- Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115, 2OT
- Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113
- Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108
- Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82
- Game 5: Today,8:30 p.m.
- Game 6: Thursday, May 28: 8:30 p.m.
- Game 7: Saturday, May 30, 8 p.m.*
*—If necessary
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