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Spurs Beat Thunder, Tie Series After Record Bench Outburst

5/25/2026

43 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Oklahoma City’s bench scored 76 points in Game 3, the most by any team’s reserves in a conference-final game since records began in 1971.
Through the first three games the Thunder’s reserves outscored the Spurs’ bench 183-64, highlighted by Jared McCain’s 24 points in Game 3.
San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City 103-82 in Game 4 on May 25, tying the Western Conference Finals series at 2-2.

History

Historical Context

After the NBA adopted the three-point line in 1979—when Chris Ford made the league’s first three-pointer on October 12—teams rose from 2.8 attempts per game to 32.0 by 2018-19. That long-range expansion set the stage for today’s bench explosions, exemplified by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 76-point surge in Game 3 of the 2024 Western Conference Finals.

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Story summary

Oklahoma City’s bench scored 76 points in Game 3, the most by any team’s reserves in a conference-final game since records began in 1971.
Through the first three games the Thunder’s reserves outscored the Spurs’ bench 183-64, highlighted by Jared McCain’s 24 points in Game 3.
San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City 103-82 in Game 4 on May 25, tying the Western Conference Finals series at 2-2.

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