NBA Game Notes (May 22, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 22, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 26 points (tied with Victor Wembanyama) as the Oklahoma City Thunder climbed out of an early 15-0 hole to beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, giving Oklahoma City a 2-1 series lead. Gilgeous-Alexander shot just 6-17 from the field (2-4 on threes), but sank all 12 of his free throw attempts. He also dished out a game-high 12 assists and blocked one shot in 36 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Victor Wembanyama matched Gilgeous-Alexander’s game-high 26 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Spurs’ loss to the Thunder. Wembanyama went 8-15 from the floor (2-5 on threes) and 8-10 from the charity stripe. He added four rebounds, three assists, a game-high two blocks (tied with Stephon Castle), and one steal in 39 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Jaylin Williams came off the bench to score a playoff career-high 18 points as the Thunder downed the Spurs. Williams shot 5-7 from the field, with all of his makes coming from 3-point range. He also grabbed five rebounds and swiped two steals in 22 turnover-free minutes.
Milestones
The Oklahoma City Thunder bench accounted for 76 points, the most ever in a conference finals game (the NBA introduced conference play in 1970-71). The previous mark of 69 bench points was set by the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the 1985 Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder’s bench outscored the Spurs’ reserves by 53 points (76-23), the largest such difference in a game in conference finals history. The previous mark of 46 points (51-5) was set by the Spurs in Game 6 of the 2014 Western Conference Finals versus the — wait for it — Thunder.
Three Thunder reserves scored at least 15 points: Jared McCain (24), Jaylin Williams (18), and Alex Caruso (15). That ties the record held by nine other teams for the most such players in a playoff game since the NBA began tracking starters in 1970-71.
Streaking
The Thunder’s Alex Caruso came off the bench to score 15 points, going 4-7 from the field with three 3-pointers made. It’s the third straight game in which he’s scored at least 15 points with an effective field goal percentage of 75%. The only other reserve in conference finals history to produce three such games in a row is the Miami Heat’s Caleb Martin in 2023 versus the Boston Celtics.
The Thunder went 17-38 (44.7%) from beyond the arc, the 12th consecutive playoff game in which they’ve made 10 or more 3-pointers. It’s the longest such streak in franchise history by three games.
Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama shared nightly scoring honors with 26 points apiece. They were followed by the Thunder’s Jared McCain (24 points), the Spurs’ Devin Vassell (20), and Jaylin Williams (18).
Isaiah Hartenstein was the night’s top board man with eight rebounds. The Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox and Vassell were runners-up with seven boards each.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the leading playmaker last night with 12 assists. Next in line were the Spurs’ Stephon Castle with seven dimes and Fox with six.