The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the San Antonio Spurs for a pivotal Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2, with both teams vying for the inside track to the NBA Finals.
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San Antonio evened the series with a 103-82 victory on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 33 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Wembanyama's performance placed him alongside Bill Walton in 1977 as the only players since blocks became official in 1974 to record 300 points, 150 rebounds, and 50 blocks in a debut postseason, according to ESPN Research.
Oklahoma City registered its lowest scoring output in any regular season or postseason game since December 2, 2021.
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Reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting, ending a streak of nine consecutive road playoff games with at least 20 points.
Historical Context
Historical data indicates that winners of Game 5 in a 2-2 series tie advance to win the series 82% of the time, with a 198-44 record.
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The Spurs previously won a Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the semifinals before securing that series.
