Winners, losers from NBA playoffs: MVP outplays Victor Wembanyama in pivotal Game 5 win

With Jalen Williams hampered by a left hamstring strain and Ajay Mitchell out with a right calf injury, it was paramount that Gilgeous-Alexander put his team on his back and delivered another MVP-level performance in a pivotal Game 5.

That is exactly what the Thunder got to retake control of the series.

Thunder role players

For the second time in the last three games, Jared McCain was key to Oklahoma City's success following a 24-point outing in Game 3. He had 20 points (7-of-19 FG) and hit three of the 14 triples in the game, including this one to extend the lead to 15 with 3:42 to play.

Furthermore, Isaiah Hartenstein shut Wembanyama down with 12 points and 15 rebounds, logging the second-best plus/minus of anyone on the team (+24). Alex Caruso, meanwhile, continued his run with 22 points (4-of-8 3PT), contributing to a 40-point outing from the Thunder bench.

This team goes where Gilgeous-Alexander can take them, but as they continue to prove, their depth is just as important, and it showed again on Tuesday.

Thunder's scoring runs

The Spurs did their best to keep the game close for most of the night, but a pair of scoring runs from the Thunder halted any momentum they had established.

This three from Jaylin Williams capped a 15-3 run and put the Thunder up nine early in the second quarter.

The Spurs went on a 9-0 run to respond, but the Thunder wanted no part of that with a 20-8 run of their own following this physical attack to the basket from Chet Holmgren.

In a game as crucial as this one, those runs proved to be even more important as the Thunder answered everything the Spurs threw at them and put them on the ropes heading to Game 6.

Losers

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama proved in Game 1 how much of a force he can be with 41 points and 24 rebounds, but he still has things he needs to work on if the Spurs are going to keep this series going.

He still had 20 points (4-of-15 FG), but he struggled from the floor and only had six rebounds. Even against a banged-up Thunder squad, that is not going to be enough for the Spurs to take control and have a shot.

Spurs' perimeter defense

For a Spurs team that shot just 12-of-41 (29%) from deep, it needed help from its defense if it was going to overcome that. The Thunder shot 14-of-32 (44%) and had several good looks from behind the arc throughout the game.

This was also the third time in as many wins for the Thunder in this series in which they scored at least 120 points. That is not a recipe for success for the Spurs, and it showed once again in Game 5.