<p>Having been largely kept in check in Monday's game one loss to the Spurs, the league's back-to-back Most Valuable Player scored 30 points and provided nine assists.</p><p>The Thunder's home win poises the series at 1-1, with the teams next headed to San Antonio for games three and four on Friday and Saturday.</p><p>"<strong>The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one,</strong>" said Gilgeous-Alexander.</p><p>"<strong>We brought the energy from the jump</strong>."</p><p>Two nights after it had taken a double-overtime classic to separate them, the two teams with the best NBA regular-season records put on another intense display.</p><p>Following a tied first quarter, the Thunder roared ahead for an 11-point half-time lead.</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander, who had endured a sluggish start in the previous game, led the charge from tip-off, regularly scoring from mid-range.</p><p>His team hustled for 13 turnovers worth 16 points in the first half alone.</p><p>The Spurs' Victor Wembanyama - having dazzled in game one, with 41 points and 24 rebounds - was stifled, frequently wrestling with Isaiah Hartenstein and double-teamed by an aggressive Thunder defense.</p><p>But his teammate Stephon Castle responded in style, leaping for a sensational dunk over the head of seven-foot-tall Hartenstein that left the crowd and players gasping.</p><p>From 13 points down, the Spurs - without starting guard De'Aaron Fox for a second consecutive contest due to a right ankle sprain - rallied to pull level midway through the third.</p><p>But San Antonio never quite managed to retake the lead, with Oklahoma City soaking up the pressure.</p><p>"<strong>The guys were ready to play, (we) didn't get discouraged by the runs they made,</strong>" said Gilgeous-Alexander, after the game.</p><p>"<strong>Obviously, they're a good team, they are gonna make runs</strong>."</p><p>On a night of intense physicality, Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams and San Antonio's Dylan Harper both left the court with injuries, and did not return.</p><p>The Thunder extended their advantage again in the final quarter.</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander sank yet another step-back jump shot before an Alex Caruso lay-up extended the lead to nine with 20 seconds remaining.</p><p>"<strong>We got a W, it's all you can ask for. Now we got to go on the road against a really good team and go get one,</strong>" said Gilgeous-Alexander.</p><p>A downcast Wembanyama said Gilgeous-Alexander had "made shots, but nothing that he hasn't made all season."</p><p>"<strong>We worked on it, we just didn't apply as much,</strong>" said the Frenchman.</p><p>Oklahoma City is trying to become the first team to repeat as champions since Golden State in 2017 and 2018.</p><p>The Thunder racked up a league-best 64 regular-season wins, and swept the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James's Los Angeles Lakers in the first two playoff rounds.</p><p>But they lost four of five regular-season contests against the Spurs, who won 62 regular-season games to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.</p><p>The winner of the series will face either the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.</p>