Game 3 between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder got intense in the third quarter on Friday. The period started with the Spurs trailing the Thunder, and they tried to rally for a comeback.
Around 8:24 in the period, Spurs forward Devin Vassell had a steal, and it ignited a fastbreak opportunity. He pushed the ball and passed it to guard Stephon Castle, who tried to go for the layup. However, he was fouled by Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell.
Vassell did not like how his teammate was fouled and approached the Thunder player. He confronted Mitchell, and the referees had to pull them away from each other.
WE'VE GOT BEEF IN GAME 3 😱🍿 #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vS8vviQPty
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 23, 2026
Upon review, the officials issued a flagrant 1 foul on Mitchell, as well as a technical foul. The Thunder guard was assessed a double technical foul, together with Vassell, for their confrontation after the play.
Flagrant 1 on Ajay and double techs on Ajay and Vassell. https://t.co/ZOsRtfMx4p
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) May 23, 2026
In order to prevent Castle from escalating the situation further, the Spurs’ security had to intervene. Fortunately for both teams, no other players were punished by the officiating crew and no player was ejected.
The series is at 1-1, and both teams are trying to gain the upper hand in Game 3. Heading into the contest, the Spurs wanted to match the Thunder’s physicality. Forward Julian Champagnie says San Antonio is determined to counter the intensity from Oklahoma City.
Champagnie Warns The Thunder Ahead of Game 3
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Thunder is one of the best defensive teams in the league. They accomplish this by starting a violent altercation with the rival teams. The Spurs witnessed that in the first two games of the Western Conference finals.
In Game 2, many fans complained about how the Thunder players were not being called for holding and grabbingVictor Wembanyama. Ahead of Friday’s game, Champagnie told reporters that they want to retaliate against the imposed physicality from the defending champions.
“Hit back. Honestly, hit back,” Champagnie said. “The guys hit him, they pull him, they grab his jersey, they’re grabbing his arm when he’s jumping. Obviously, that’s not basketball. That’s just a physicality thing.
“I think as a team how we can help him, is hit them back…”
Ahead of Game 3 tonight, Julian Champagnie says what OKC is doing against Wemby is not basketball and that the Spurs need to hit back. pic.twitter.com/LvJyX7S8lL— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) May 22, 2026
“That’s up to the refs to deal with, not us. But I think as a team, how we can help him is we hit them back.”
With a 15-0 start in the first quarter of Game 3, fans witnessed the Spurs’ seriousness to protect their home court.
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