“This is Game 5. There are no more X’s and O’s. This is about who’s turn it is to take a punch.”– Carmelo Anthony
“He’s looking at Wembanyama and shying away from competing against him…You can make things tough for him by utilizing your length and your size.” – Tracy McGrady on Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren
“The Spurs’ defense figured something out in the regular season that’s carried over by being aggressive and forcing Shai to get off the ball and have someone else take a tough shot.”– Vince Carter on San Antonio’s defensive strategy against NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 26, 2026 – The NBA Western Conference Finals continued on NBC and Peacock tonight, beginning with NBC Sports’ live on-site studio program NBA Showtime, leading into coverage of Game 5 between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion and Western Conference No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder and Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs.
Tonight’s on-site edition of NBA Showtime from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City featured host Maria Taylor alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.
Pre-game coverage included the NBA Showtime team announcing the winner of the 2026 NBA Coach of the Year award, Zora Stephenson’s pre-game interview with Thunder forward Lu Dort, Ashley ShahAhmadi’s pre-game interview with Spurs point guard Stephon Castle, and a feature on the Spurs’ Game 4 victory narrated by Maria Taylor.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller and three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (analysts), and Zora Stephenson and Ashley ShahAhmadi (courtside reporters) are calling Spurs-Thunder.
***
Following are highlights from tonight’s NBA Showtime ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock:
ON WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Carmelo Anthony: “This is Game 5. There are no more X’s and O’s. This is about who’s turn it is to take a punch.”
Tracy McGrady on each team’s identity in this series: “Wembanyama dominated Games 1 and 4. He showed that he is a generational talent with a bunch of young stars around him. OKC has dominated with precision and depth and the two-time MVP maneuvering the defense, and that’s how they won Games 2 and 3.”
ON SPURS
Spurs point guard Stephon Castle to Ashley ShahAhmadi on the Spurs’ defense: “We have the best shot blocker and all-around defender on our team in Vic (Wembanyama). I’m just trying to do my part on the perimeter and help my teammates the best I can.”
Castle to ShahAhmadi on the rest of the series: “At this point, it’s a chess match. There are going to little adjustments here and there. We need to keep doing the things that work for us and get away from the things that aren’t.”
McGrady on Castle: “He’s the one guy on this roster who can make things tough for Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) due to his size and strength. An example for myself would be playing against Ron Artest – going downhill against him is going to wear you out. It’s the same with Castle. Going up against him in a seven-game series is a tall task.”
Vince Carter on the Spurs’ defensive strategy against Gilgeous-Alexander: “The Spurs’ defense figured something out in the regular season that’s carried over. Not fouling but being aggressive and forcing Shai to get off the ball and have someone else take a tough shot.”
ON THUNDER
McGrady on Chet Holmgren: “In wins, he’s been phenomenal because he’s been aggressive. But in losses, he’s a player that’s not confident.”
McGrady on Holmgren: “Don’t worry about scoring. Just worry about competing. I think he’s looking at Wemby and shying away from competing against him…You can make things tough for him by utilizing your length and your size.”
Carter on Jared McCain: “When we’ve seen McCain at his best, he knocks down open threes and opens the paint and gets shots for others. That’s someone Shai needs to take some pressure off of him and loosen up that double team.”
Anthony on Lu Dort: “He’s the best defender on OKC. He cannot only play 16-18 minutes. You need his intensity and tenacity and to put a body on Wembanyama and Castle, and you need him to make open shots.”
ON CELTICS
Carter on 2026 NBA Coach of the Year Joe Mazzulla: “He took a team that, we felt, was going through a gap year, and implemented his system. Jaylen Brown had a phenomenal year under this coach.”
Mazzulla to the NBA Showtime team on winning the award: “The long nights, the game plans, the video guys, and assistants – there is so much that goes into winning one game. It starts with the players, but it goes through our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here but forever indebted to the guys that we have who give up the time with their families and give us a chance to win every day.”
Mazzulla: “Regardless of what happens in the offseason, the process for the championship is our number one goal…It’s a credit to the entire organization.”
ON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Carter reminiscing on winning the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year award: “I came in as the No. 5 pick…(Toronto Raptors head coach) Butch Carter came in the second day of practice and said, ‘We’re going to show the world you belong here.’ From that day on, I felt confident.”
--NBA SHOWTIME--
