NBA: Thunder beats Spurs away from home and leads 2-1 in the West

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108, away from home, this Friday (22), and took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference final.

The big difference in the match was the performance of the Thunder bench, which scored 76 points, a franchise record in playoff games. Game 4 takes place this Sunday (24), at 9pm (Brasília time).

The decisive play came in the fourth quarter, when Jaylin Williams converted a foul three-pointer, extending the lead to 15 points and silencing the San Antonio crowd. After the play, Williams celebrated while still on the ground, while teammate Jared McCain cheered by his side. Spurs center Luke Kornet left the court visibly frustrated.

"These plays completely change the momentum of the game," McCain said. "Especially when you manage to silence the crowd. Being able to pass the ball to him, see the basket fall and still suffer the foul was a huge shift in energy."

The start of the match seemed to indicate a different scenario. Spurs opened the first 15 points of the match and threatened a quiet victory, but coach Mark Daigneault quickly bet on the reserves, and the response was immediate.

In addition to Williams and McCain, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace helped command the Thunder's reaction. "We talk a lot about enduring difficult times," McCain said.

McCain, signed from the Philadelphia 76ers, finished the game with 24 points, converting eight of the 11 two-point shots he attempted.

NBA targets European football giants for basketball league

Source: CNN