The crowd inside Paycom Center stood still, waiting for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to make his move.
Subtle chants of “O-K-C” could be heard, but most fans were silent. The less distractions the better for the two-time MVP, who was looking to deliver the dagger during the final minute of Game 2 against San Antonio on Wednesday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander then did exactly that. He freed himself from Stephon Castle with a stepback and freed the crowd from its nerves by sinking an 18-foot jumper. It was a big-time bucket that helped the Thunder secure a 122-113 win and even up the Western Conference finals series.
Celebrations from the crowd ensued after the shot, all while a straight-faced Gilgeous-Alexander held his hand out.
“Calm the (expletive) down,” he could be seen saying.
But Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t talking to the fans or even his team, in general, during the high-pressure situation. He was talking to Jared McCain, who’d been loudly calling for the ball at the top of the arc while Gilgeous-Alexander was trying to score.
“Jared was yelling at me while I was shooting,” Gilgeous-Alexander explained after the game. “And I was like, ‘Bro, I’m shooting. Don’t distract me.’ That’s all that was. I was literally just telling Jared to calm down.”
McCain’s services weren’t needed on that play, as Gilgeous-Alexander showed why he’s the Clutch Player of the Year winner. But they were essential throughout the rest of the night.
So were the rest of the contributions from OKC’s bench, which poured in 57 points compared to San Antonio’s 25 and helped get plenty of stops on the other end. It was a performance that spoke volumes to the Thunder’s depth, one of its biggest advantages in this series.
“I think it’s great,” Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said. “Just having that many guys who have that much talent and are ready at any moment’s notice, no matter what they’re called to do, I think it’s great. It gives us a lot of buttons to push and a lot of different things we can try out there.”
One of the first buttons was McCain, who head coach Mark Daigneault activated midway through the opening quarter. And the impact was instant.
The sophomore guard takes pride in his polished nails, but he took even more pride in getting chippy. When a loose ball rolled along the floor at the 1:23 mark, McCain was the first player on either team to dive for it. That sparked a Thunder fastbreak that ended in a made 3-pointer by Cason Wallace.
McCain’s shot didn’t drop as much as it usually does. He scored his 12 points on 4-for-14 shooting from the field (3 for 9 from deep). But that just meant he had to pick up his activity.
From out-hustling larger opponents for offensive boards to jumping into passing lanes for steals to pushing the pace in transition to creating advantages with his off-ball movement, McCain earned his 26 minutes. He rounded out his stat line with six rebounds (four offensive boards), three assists and two steals with no turnovers.
“I just want to win,” McCain said. “These are the best games I’ve ever played in. I love playing these games. Anything I can do, if the shot isn’t falling, I want to stay on the court no matter what. If I can make some hustle plays, get some rebounds and do anything I can to stay on the floor, I’m gonna do it.”
McCain has quickly learned the language of the reigning champion Thunder. When listening to him talk Wednesday, it was easy to hear the influence of Alex Caruso. Someone who knows what it takes to translate your game to the playoffs.
OKC’s veteran guard plays with his metaphorical hair on fire, so much so that the fear of getting burned is nonexistent. And that could be seen to start the second quarter.
Caruso grabbed a long offensive board and saw Victor Wembanyama was out of position. He didn’t hesitate to meet the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner at the rim for a layup, and he drew a foul as a result.
That was one of the many effort plays by Caruso, who racked up 17 points, five assists and three rebounds in 25 minutes. He also posted a game-high plus-minus of 18.
“It’s that time of year,” Caruso said. “If you’re not fearless, then you’re probably gonna lose and go home. You’ve got to lay it all out on the line if you want to win. If you want to win big, at least. If you want to win the last game of the season, which I do. Every time that I’m here, I want to win the last one. For me, it’s pretty easy to get myself going and lock into that mentality.”
Wallace was also locked in. The third-year guard chipped in 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in 25 minutes off the bench. And he registered 11 deflections, while everyone else in the game combined for 17.
Then there was Ajay Mitchell, who bounced back from a quiet Game 1 performance. He posted 10 points, four steals and two assists in 28 minutes
Each of OKC’s backups brought something different to the table, but they all brought that same mentality. That desire to provide a spark any way they can.
“Especially this time of the year, it’s really important,” Mitchell said of OKC’s depth. “I think it’s just a team that, one through 15, everyone is always ready. … Everyone really buys into it. I feel like every time we put someone in, he’s going to have an impact, which is huge.”
It’s especially huge against San Antonio, a team that entered the series at a disadvantage in the depth department. That’s even more of a weakness now, with De’Aaron Fox (right ankle soreness) missing the first two games and Dylan Harper (right leg injury) exiting the third quarter of Game 2.
OKC could also need guys to step up if Jalen Williams misses time. The All-NBA forward left the game during the first quarter due to left hamstring tightness and didn’t return. His availability moving forward is up in the air.
Regardless, the Thunder’s bench will have to make its presence known throughout the rest of the series. That’s clear to everyone, including Gilgeous-Alexander.
“That’s what great shooters do,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of McCain with a smile. “They let you know when they’re open. We hashed it out. We’re good.”
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder’s bench made its presence known in Game 2 win vs. Spurs