Game 5 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals returns to the Paycom Center on Tuesday, May 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the host OKC Thunder tied 2-2 against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs fought back from down 2-1 to secure a dominant 103-82 win in Game 4 to send a message to the Thunder before the series heads back.
The Thunder were led by a disappointing performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ended the night with 19 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. Isaiah Hartenstein was their second-leading scorer with 12 points and seven rebounds. The Spurs had Victor Wembanyama drop 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks in a dominant performance, flanked by Stephon Castle’s 13 points and six assists.
The Spurs have shown they can beat OKC on the road after their Game 1 performance, and they clearly have no fear of the reigning champions. The Thunder are on the back foot, but if they want to cement their burgeoning dynasty as a real one, they’ll have to overcome the challenge in Game 5.
Injury Report
Thunder
Jalen Williams: Questionable (left hamstring soreness)
Ajay Mitchell: Out (right calf strain)
Thomas Sorber: Out (right ACL surgical recovery)
Spurs
No players listed.
Why The Thunder Have The Advantage
The Thunder have been the No. 1 seed in the West for three straight seasons. That sort of success is ingrained into a franchise and its core, something that the Thunder can boast about, unlike the first-timers in San Antonio. They overcame two seven-game series en route to the 2025 NBA Championship and have a lot of familiarity with the kind of adversity a tied series at Game 5 can bring. The Spurs have proven that no moment is too big for them, but the Thunder have been there and done that already, which counts for a tactical advantage.
The Thunder’s biggest on-court advantage is their bench, which is one of the most productive benches in the NBA. OKC is averaging 42.1 bench points per game over the Playoffs, an easy No. 1 for the 2026 postseason. The portability of the bench players has been incredible, as the absence of Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams has allowed the likes of Jared McCain and Alex Caruso to effortlessly increase their production with more opportunities opening up.
Hartenstein’s minor defensive success over Wembanyama in Game 4 was wiped away by the French center, but the presence of a physical center like Hartenstein, who’ll attack the boards consistently, is wearing down Wembanyama. Given the noticeable difference in their physicality, Hartenstein has to be able to replicate some of the positive performances we’ve seen from him this series and put it all together in Game 5, since Chet Holmgren looks genuinely outmatched against Wembanyama at this point.
OKC’s only home loss came in double overtime against a red-hot Spurs squad, so the Thunder will hope to prove that San Antonio’s Game 1 success was an outlier. The Thunder have a 39-9 home record over the season, including the Playoffs, so this is as secure as a home-court gets in the NBA.
Why The Spurs Have The Advantage
The Spurs might have the best player in this series. While Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning two-time league MVP and Finals MVP, Wembanyama has established himself as the best player in this series so far. Wembanyama is averaging 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 blocks, while Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 24.8 points and 10.0 assists on 39.2% from the field. The Thunder are heavily relying on their excellent bench to continue overperforming and cover up for gaps in Gilgeous-Alexander’s performances as the 27-year-old has struggled against San Antonio’s aggressive perimeter defense.
The Spurs have been aggressively closing OKC’s shooters out. Their failure in succeeding at that in Games 2 and 3 cost them those wins, but Game 4 saw San Antonio hold OKC to 6-33 from three (18.2 3P%). It’s the worst shooting performance by OKC this postseason. The Spurs didn’t win by 20 because they got hot; they also shot a poor 9-33 (27.3 3P%), but nullifying the Thunder’s outside shooting completely took the sting out of their offense since they can’t attack Wembanyama’s paint reliably.
De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been super productive, but his presence has improved Castle’s on-ball composure. Castle committed just two turnovers over the last two games compared to the 20 over Games 1 and 2. Fox is also taking care of the ball with only four turnovers through his two appearances. If San Antonio’s point guards continue taking care of the ball, it eliminates another major resource for OKC’s points.
The Spurs managed to find a way to get a more favorable referee whistle in Game 5, with the Thunder shooting 18 free throws compared to San Antonio’s 32. If the referees continue calling the series in a cutthroat way by not rewarding light contact fouls, the Thunder could be in for a ride at home.
X-Factors
Jared McCain has proven himself as OKC’s biggest x-factor. McCain is averaging 1.8 points and 3.5 rebounds this series, shining in the absence of other scorers such as Williams and Mitchell. His dynamic on-ball play, which has been restricted to being deployed as a scorer, has broken San Antonio’s defense down repeatedly. If McCain goes off in Game 5, San Antonio might not be able to handle it.
Alex Caruso has been one of OKC’s most productive players this series, averaging 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. Caruso’s success depends on how often he can convert on offensive opportunities, playing off opportunities created by the double-teams thrown at Gilgeous-Alexander. If Caruso can stay hot from three, the Thunder will have a good chance of leaving Game 5 with a win.
Dylan Harper might not be the x-factor he was for San Antonio before his hamstring injury, but the rookie is still playing and being asked to be a core rotational piece. As a result, Harper can’t afford to have another anonymous game due to his injury to help the Spurs survive Game 5. While they should limit his minutes, Harper needs to find a way to be effective enough to contribute. He’s averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists so far this series.
Luka Kornet is averaging 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in this series against the Thunder, being a -46 despite playing just 46 total minutes. While he isn’t Wembanyama, Kornet needs to be far more productive to ensure such a massive drop-off compared to the starter never happens again. He needs to step up and help the Spurs stay level even when Wembanyama is off the court, and Kornet is the only one who can replicate him in the interim.
Prediction
The Thunder should be able to ride the high of their home arena to win this Game 5 against a Spurs squad that’s capable of beating them. OKC’s offensive versatility is far greater than San Antonio’s, as a quiet Wembanyama performance might be a death warrant for the Spurs. As a result, they’ll likely force Wembanyama into situations where he can’t be as useful. If this works, the Thunder should walk away with the win, unless Wembanyama has another breakout performance.
Prediction: Thunder 105, Spurs 93
