Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder down Spurs to take 3-2 series lead / Photo: Christian Petersen - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
-
South Korea to invest nearly $1.2 tn in chips, AI data centres
-
Pakistan strikes on eastern Afghanistan kill dozens
-
Russia rallies support for army with 'patriotic' tourist routes
-
Cape Verde, Africa's outlier in LGBTQ tolerance
-
Brazil, Germany eye World Cup last 16 as Netherlands face Morocco
-
South Korea demands change after dismal World Cup exit
-
Washington says US, Iran pausing strikes, talks to proceed
-
Stocks mixed and oil rises as US, Iran call end to latest attacks
-
EU, China trade tensions loom over minister visit
-
For sale on Facebook: monkeys, rhino horn and dead pangolins
-
Israelis, Palestinians torn over sacred shrine in city of Hebron
-
In Sudan's Kordofan, a key city reels as paramilitary offensive looms
-
Scheffler to face Hovland in Monday playoff for PGA Travelers title
-
'Burnt out' Stokes leaves England facing tricky questions
-
Germany must win to defy World Cup doubters, says Nagelsmann
-
Critical rescue window closing in Venezuela as quake death toll nears 1,500
-
South Korea's Ryu Hae-ran wins Women's PGA Championship
-
Canada's Marsch praises history-making World Cup 'heroes'
-
Brazil strike confident tone ahead of Japan World Cup clash
-
Co-hosts Canada beat South Africa to reach World Cup last 16 as knockouts begin
-
Israel detonates tunnel, strikes south Lebanon
-
Putin acknowledges fuel shortages after Ukraine strikes
-
Moriyasu praises 'united' Japan on eve of Brazil World Cup clash
-
Canada reach World Cup last 16 as late strike sinks South Africa
-
Looting, theft in Venezuela's earthquake zone add to tragedy
-
Perry stars as Australia knock India out of World Cup
-
Venezuela quakes kill 1,450, time running out to find survivors
-
Stokes 'content' after extraordinary England exit
-
West Indies beat Sri Lanka in first Test
-
Europe swelters as heatwave moves east
-
Asia's World Cup falls apart with just two teams remaining
-
Stokes announces shock England exit as New Zealand eye series win
-
Bromell upsets Lyles, Duplantis shines at Paris Diamond League
-
CAF president Motsepe hails African World Cup successes
-
Man Utd reveal Ugarte knee injury in Uruguay World Cup defeat
-
South Korea coach quits after early World Cup exit
-
Stokes out for 30 in final Test innings after shock England retirement
-
Venezuela quakes kill 1,400, time running out to find survivors
-
Wolff praises 'cold-blooded' Russell, enjoys Antonelli enthusiasm at Austrian GP
-
Hamilton laments lack of power and poor tyre performance
-
Stokes announces shock England exit as Mitchell bats New Zealand into commanding lead
-
Goals galore at record-breaking World Cup
-
Russell overcomes 'tricky run of form' to revive title bid
-
Augusta Tops Best Gold IRA Companies List By Gold Advisor
-
Europe swelters as heatwave moves east, excess deaths rise
-
They support Argentina at the World Cup, but are not Argentine
-
Raducanu hopes to feature at Wimbledon despite injury woe
-
Iran warns ships not to bypass its chosen Hormuz route
-
Russell holds off Verstappen to win Austrian Grand Prix
-
Serena blasts drug test rules ahead of Wimbledon return
Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder down Spurs to take 3-2 series lead
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 to move within one win of a return to the NBA Finals on Tuesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder punished an error-strewn performance by San Antonio to claim a victory which leaves the reigning NBA champions 3-2 up with two games remaining in the Western Conference finals.
San Antonio had leveled the series at 2-2 with a battling performance on Sunday but never got going in a lacklustre game five display at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had a miserable shooting night, scoring 20 points but making just 4-of-15 attempts from the field while grabbing only six rebounds.
Spurs forward Devin Vassell also had a night to forget, scoring just six points from 2-of-11 shooting after averaging 17 points in the opening four games of the series.
Oklahoma City will head to San Antonio for Thursday's game six with a chance to clinch the series after a typically clinical performance, recovering from a slow start to seal a deserved win.
Gilgeous-Alexander was one of five Thunder players to finish in double figures, with Alex Caruso scoring 22 from the bench including four three-pointers and Jared McCain impressing with 20 points.
Chet Holmgren had 16 points with 11 rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points with 15 rebounds.
"I might have had the worst start to a basketball game in my career, but the group held it down and kept us in the game," Gilgeous-Alexander said of a sluggish first quarter by the Thunder that saw San Antonio jump into an early eight-point lead.
"Somehow we still won the first quarter but that's a testament to the guys in the locker room.
"I've been saying it all year -- we're a group of one through 15, and we wouldn't be this deep in the season without everybody on the team, and it showed again tonight," the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player added.
"We made adjustments after the last game and applied what we learned.
"Against a really good team you've just got to try to be better each and every game, and we definitely got better from the last game."
T.Batista--PC