The Oklahoma City Thunder surged to a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals after a commanding 123-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 on Friday.
While the Thunder’s deep bench – which combined for a historic 76 points – fueled the win, the game remained tense marked by persistent frustration from the San Antonio crowd.
Throughout the night, Spurs fans vocally targeted Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with “flopper” chants whenever he drew contact.
The criticism followed a trend of fans and opponents accusing the MVP of “foul-baiting.”
Addressing the defensive struggles, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson admitted his team’s culpability, stating:
“I think probably half of them were from undisciplined first off the floor. He got us out of position and took advantage of it. Those 12 free throws helped out a lot and I can remember at least a few in my head right now that were undisciplined on our end.”
Despite the hostile environment and a difficult shooting night, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists, helping the Thunder weather the pressure as the series heads toward Game 4 in San Antonio.
