Spurs on the brink of elimination after falling flat in Game 5 loss to Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 Tuesday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals at the Paycom Center, taking a 3-2 series lead and putting San Antonio on the brink of elimination.

Why it matters: The Spurs had a chance take the series lead and steal momentum. Instead, their stars disappeared offensively at the worst possible time.

Now, San Antonio must win Thursday at Frost Bank Center just to force a Game 7.

By the numbers:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 32 points, which included going 16-for-17 from the free throw line.
• Alex Caruso added 22 points off the bench after being held scoreless in Game 4. 
• Jared McCain scored 20 points in his first playoff start.
• San Antonio got 24 points from Stephon Castle and 22 from Julian Champagnie. 

The big picture: The Spurs’ biggest issue was the lack of firepower from their star players.

• Victor Wembanyama scored 20 points but shot just 4-for-15 from the field and never looked comfortable offensively. De'Aaron Fox struggled as well, finishing with only nine points.
• San Antonio’s aggressive defensive approach also backfired after working in Game 4.

Key moment: The Thunder dominated the second quarter, and dictated the tempo for most of the night. Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s second unit 40-33.

What they're saying: San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said he needs more from his stars if the Spurs are going to force a Game 7.

• "To beat a team of this caliber in their building with the stakes, we’ll need to be a lot better to give yourself a chance," Johnson said.

Up next: Game 6 shifts back to San Antonio on Thursday night, where the Spurs will try to extend their season and force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City.