Thunder vs Spurs Game 4 Preview: OKC Looks to Take Control of the Western Conference Finals
The Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs has lived up to every expectation. Game 1 went to double overtime. Game 2 produced an instant classic from Victor Wembanyama. Game 3 saw the Thunder bench explode for one of the great supporting cast performances in playoff history. Game 4 is Sunday night in San Antonio, and the Thunder have a chance to take control of the series.
OKC leads the series 2-1 after winning Game 3 thanks to a 76-point bench performance led by Jared McCain. That kind of depth is what makes the Thunder different from every other team in the league. When their stars are not at their best, they have a roster that can pick up the slack. McCain alone had 24 points off the bench in Game 3.
For the Spurs, this is the must-win moment of the series. They cannot afford to fall behind 3-1 with two of the remaining games on the road in Oklahoma City. They need a home win to even the series and shift the momentum back in their favor.
The Wembanyama factor is what makes this series so compelling. The Spurs star put together a 41-point, 24-rebound, 3-block performance in Game 1 that ranks as one of the great playoff debuts in NBA history. He is doing things on a basketball court that nobody has ever done at his combination of size, skill, and athleticism. The Thunder do not have a real answer for him on defense.
But Wemby cannot win this series alone. The Spurs have leaned heavily on him through the first three games, and Oklahoma City’s defense has done a good job of forcing the supporting cast to make plays. Dylan Harper, the rookie point guard, has been brilliant. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals in Game 1. But the Spurs need more from their secondary scoring options if they are going to extend the series.
The Thunder’s path is more familiar. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been doing what he always does, scoring efficiently and controlling the pace of the game. Chet Holmgren has been a difference-maker on defense. Jalen Williams has been the third option who shows up in big moments. The depth is the cherry on top.
OKC head coach Mark Daigneault has been masterful with his rotation. He has trusted his bench in critical moments and been rewarded for it. The McCain explosion in Game 3 was not a fluke. It was the kind of game the Thunder system is designed to produce. Quality looks, ball movement, defensive intensity, and contributions from every player who steps on the court.
Game 4 is going to come down to whether the Spurs can find a second consistent scorer to take pressure off Wembanyama. Devin Vassell has had moments. Stephon Castle has been up and down. Keldon Johnson is shooting it well. Somebody needs to put up a 20-point game to support Wemby, or the Spurs are going to keep getting outscored in the non-Wemby minutes.
The Thunder are the defending champions. They know what it takes to win in the playoffs. They have been through close series before and come out the other side. The experience advantage is real, even though the Spurs have a lot of high-end talent.
The home court matters too. The Spurs play with a different energy in San Antonio. The crowd is going to be electric for what is essentially a must-win game in their franchise history. Game 4 is the kind of moment that defines playoff careers, and Wembanyama is going to want to deliver the performance of his life.
Prediction-wise, this game has a Wemby triple-double written all over it. The Spurs are going to ride their star and force the Thunder to win an ugly game. If OKC’s bench delivers another big night, they could go up 3-1 and put a stranglehold on the series. If the Spurs can get a balanced effort and lean on their crowd, they can even things up.
Whatever happens, this series is delivering the kind of playoff theater the NBA was hoping for when Wemby arrived in the league. Game 4 tips at 8 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBC. Anyone who is not watching is missing the best basketball of the season.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
