Oklahoma City’s depth overwhelms San Antonio

Oklahoma City spent 82 games preparing for the unpleasant and unexpected. Like the beginning of Game 3.

The Spurs’ physical defense forced stops and steals, which turned into transition opportunities. It was as unexpected as the best ball movement the Spurs had in the series. Then things happened as expected, with the much-hyped Victor Wenbanyama putting on a show.

In the blink of an eye, it was 15-0 San Antonio, and the crowd roared.

Oklahoma City was prepared to stay calm in the face of the unexpected and be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. But more than that, the Thunder were prepared to use and rely on their depth.

That preparation paid off, and the stark difference between the two teams’ benches was evident Friday night in San Antonio. And why did that depth help OKC win 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals?

After the Spurs’ onslaught early on, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault turned to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a lineup of four players on the bench. It’s a combination he rarely used during the season, but one he relied on during key moments in the playoffs.

“Really, we’re not a team that looks for stability in the rotation in the regular season. We’re trying to create some variability because it gives us learning and it gives us options,” Daigneault said of using unconventional lineups late in the regular season. “It also puts our players in a situation where they have to adapt to who they’re on the floor with, which we think is good for their development as players and for the playoffs.”

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson doesn’t have the luxury of that much depth, which has become increasingly an issue this series, especially if he has to rest Wenbanyama.

Those two things happened at the same time in San Antonio on Friday night. As Wenby took his usual rest at the beginning of the game, Daigneault huddled into an unconventional line-up. As a result, the Thunder won easily with a score of 13-2, and the Spurs quickly took the lead and lost momentum.

Daigneault believed in the mid-season acquisition of Jared McCain (Philadelphia fans would call it a “gift”) and in that moment scored 24 points.

“We talk about it a lot, both in practice and throughout the playoffs. Let’s be ready and be ready,” McCain said via the Associated Press. “The coaches have done a great job in that regard. … We’re all hoopers and this team in particular knows what to do outside. It’s a very mature team.”

difference in depth

The difference in depth between these two teams didn’t start in Game 3. Through the first two games, Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s bench by 66 points.

This is nothing compared to Game 3. Oklahoma City got 76 points off the bench, which was 53 more points than the Spurs. Jaylin Williams made five 3-pointers and scored a playoff career-high 18 points. Alex Caruso scored 15 points on four 3-pointers and also showed off his usual disruptive defensive play.

Conversely, San Antonio’s stats are +21 in the 125 minutes Wembaneyama is on the court and -38 in the 29 minutes he’s off.

But it’s not just Wenby that Johnson has had to put so much effort into, he’s played a lot of minutes in the starting lineup as he doesn’t fully trust the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander has played the most minutes in this series (126 minutes), but the next four players on the list are all Spurs starters (Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, Wenbang Yama), and Harper would have been on that list had Fox not returned for Game 3 and played 31 minutes.

The Thunder’s depth means they can continue to put fresh bodies and fresh feet on the court even if the Spurs start to tire. Additionally, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper have recovered from injuries but are clearly not 100%, limiting their options in Johnson’s absence.

The Thunder’s devastating defense threw off San Antonio’s offense — Wembaneyama continued to play, but the offense was disconnected after that. While Johnson searches for answers, there are simply fewer pieces on the chessboard. Experience is key in moments like this, and Spurs have gained that experience the hard way over the past two games.

The Thunder have gained experience throughout the season to prepare for these unexpected moments. As a result, they lead the series with 2 wins and 1 loss.