Player Grades From OKC Thunder Lopsided Game 6 Loss vs. Spurs

It was a crime scene at the Frost Bank Center as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder like they stole something, 118-91. The second time in this series that the Spurs have embarrassed the defending NBA champions south of the Red River. This time, the young Spurs did it while staring down the barrel of elimination for the first time as a collective group after dropping Game 5 to a short-handed Thunder team inside the Paycom Center and they didn't blink.

In fact, the Spurs looked like the aggressors, like the battle-tested team who understood what Game 6 was all about and the flat-out better squad on Thursday night.

San Antonio used a red-hot shooting night, going for 11 made triples in the first half on over 40% shooting from distance to pad a seven-point lead at intermission before enjoying a 20-0 scoring run to obliterate this Thunder team.

Everything was in front of Oklahoma City. A chance to right their Game 6 wrongs from the past, a chance to advance back to the NBA Finals for the second straight year and instead they came out flat.

This sets up a win-or-go-home Game 7 for all the marbles and the right to advance to the NBA Finals to take on the New York Knicks. Let's dive into player grades from this Game 6 blowout loss for Oklahoma City.

OKC Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Western Conference Final — May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) in the second half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

OKC Thunder Player Grades From Game 6 Blowout Loss

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Grade: F

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Gilgeous-Alexander flat out struggle in this series. Game 6 was no different. In Game 5's Thunder win, the reigning back-to-back NBA MVP award winner secured a B grade due to his second and third quarter performances to help lead Oklahoma City past San Antonio. That wasn't an out-of-this-world showing from Gilgeous-Alexander, not even close by his standards. Game 2 was the only outing where you could debate if he had his A game. Simply put, that isn't good enough for a superstar in a star-driven league.

His Game 6 was especially horrid, going for 15 points on 33% shooting from the floor while dishing out just four assists against two turnovers and hauling in a rebound in 29 minutes while only getting to the line three times.

It is true that the Spurs got away with a few fouls and have throughout the series, but that doesn't negate the fact that San Antonio deserves credit for having the ability to play physical with Gilgeous-Alexander minute-by-minute, with Castle holding up more than strong at the point-of-attack to allow the Spurs to delay when they send a second body or never fully committing to double teams down the stretch of this series and instead just gapping Gilgeous-Alexander on drives to deter him from getting below the elbow and forcing him into difficult shots. All while the best rim protector in the sport, and one of the best we have ever seen, Victor Wembanyama looms at the rim - allowing the Spurs to shut down the two areas of the floor where the NBA MVP does his damage.

Gilgeous-Alexander needs a bounce back contest in Game 7 to lift the Thunder back to the NBA Playoffs but this is the biggest challenge he has faced to date. One thing is for certain, for the Superstar and his teammates, Game 6 wasn't good enough.

Lu Dort, Grade: F

It has been a trying season for Dort from beyond the arc. Fresh off posting back-to-back 40% campaigns from distance, Dort shot just 34% from downtown in the 2025-26 season. That lack of success has translated to the postseason where the defensive ace is converting at just a 30% from 3-point land on over four attempts per night while averaging five points, nearly three rebounds, an assist and shy of a stock (steals + blocks) For the defending champions in the startling lineup, this simply can't be all you get from Dort.

Not only is the undrafted guard due for a hot shooting night –– with Game 7 being now-or-never –– the inconsistent impact on the defensive end is also worrisome for Dort. He shouldn't have started in the second half after Wallace was red-hot but the game quickly reached garbage time where now the attention turns to whether the Thunder should start Dort in Game 7.

Jared McCain, Grade: D+

McCain has a lot of pressure on him during this first ever playoff run being one of only two players on this Oklahoma City Thunder roster who lacks anyone with on-ball juice besides Gilgeous-Alexander. Though, the offensive productiveity just wasn't there in Game 6 even admitting the fact that this is an unfair standard to McCain given the lack of Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams. He has scored 20 points twice before in this series, the Thunder need a big Game 7 from the Duke product.

Chet Holmgren, Grade: C-

Holmgren had a pair of put backs in this game, a nice feed to Cason Wallace cutting to the rim and finishing the game with 10 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, a steal and two blocks while shooting 50% from the floor in 25 minutes. Compared to his teammates he had a fine outing but he especially needs to clean up around the rim far too often being out classed at the cup by guards on both ends of the floor.

Isaiah Hartenstein, Grade: C

Hartenstein has been the glue that has kept Oklahoma City in this series and arriving at a Game 7 with somehow a chance to win this series. That is shocking due to his Game 1 outing leaving many wondering if he could even play in this series. The big man got into foul trouble on top of the blowout loss which led to just 16 minutes and five seconds of action. When he was on the floor he competed with Victor Wembanyama, despite the massive statline from Wembanyama Hartenstein contested some shots that you just have to tip your cap to. That is what makes the Spurs big man a superstar.

Hartenstein logged 10 points, five rebounds, and dished out three assists in a fine Game 6.

Cason Wallace, Grade: A

Wallace was the only reason this game was competitive at halftime, going 3-for-3 from distance and literally ripping the ball away from the San Antonio Spurs to have this at a seven point contest at intermission. Despite being hot, Mark Daigneault elected not to start Wallace after halftime a move he made in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Wallace finished with 11 points, three rebounds, an assist and three steals.

Alex Caruso, Grade: C-

Caruso has been arguably the best player for Oklahoma City in this series getting it done on both ends of the floor. This team goes as the defensive ace does especially from beyond the arc with this new look messy offense without two of its top three creators available. In this game, Caruso went 1-for-3 from distance and tallied one steal en route to seven points.

Jaylin Williams, Grade: C-

Williams had good effort and brought juice to this team that looked far too sluggish in this contest. He dribbled into a mid-range jumper after being ran off the line. The Thunder big man went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, hauling in nine rebounds, dishing out two assists and scoring four points. Relative to expectation, this is a fine game for the Arkansas product.

Jalen Williams, Grade: A+

Williams went 0-for-1 off the bench in this game to tally one point, one assist and two turnovers in this contest. He didn't look like his old self nor had an impact in this contest. Though the Santa Clara product continues to put his body on the line for Oklahoma City to compete for championships.

A year ago, the All-NBA swingman played an entire playoff run with torn ligaments in his wrist without saying a word to the media or letting it leak out even after some tough showings most notably in Denver in Game 6. He kept playing, through the pain, and was a key fixture in the team's ability to win its first-ever championship, knowing surgery was awaiting him. That alone is impressive.

This season, after two procedures on his wrist and four hamstring injuries, most recently leaving Game 2 of this Western Conference Finals series after the first quarter, he gutted it out to give it a go in Game 6 when no one would have blamed Williams for shutting it down this season after all the adversity he has been through. That level of grit and resolve does deserve credit regardless of production.

Mop Up Crew: Kenrich Williams, Nikola Topic, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins played out the string of this blowout loss with class.

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