Thunder drop Spurs in Game 3 as Ibaka shines in return from injury

Do not mess with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Using an aggressive approach that saw them shoot almost twice as many free throws as their opposition (31 compared to 16), the Thunder cruised to a 106-97 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, cutting the San Antonio Spurs' series lead to 2-1.

Although Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook finished as the game's two top scorers with 26 points and 25 points, respectively, Serge Ibaka played the role of comeback hero, putting in one of his best performances of the postseason in a return from a left calf injury that forced him to miss the series' first two contests.

For the Spurs, the loss was only their second of the playoffs, and it marked the first time where they truly looked outmatched from tip-off to the final buzzer. If it wasn't for Manu Ginobili's efficient first-half shooting, the night could have been significantly uglier for San Antonio.

Star Performer

Never has someone who was ruled out for the remainder of the postseason put in a performance quite like Ibaka did on Sunday night.

The power forward posted 15 points on a remarkable 6-of-7 shooting, including going 5-of-5 in the first quarter.

On the defensive end, Ibaka was equally as impressive, posting four blocks and denying the Spurs time after time of easy buckets in the paint. The #IbakaEffect was in full swing.

Ibaka's 30 minutes on the court were far more than anyone anticipated him receiving, and he also posted seven rebounds and one steal for good measure.

Turning Point

Shots were not dropping for the Thunder in the third quarter. Specifically, they only hit 4 of their 16 field goals attempts in the frame.

But there was no need to worry as Oklahoma City kicked their aggression up a notch and continually attacked the basket to draw fouls.

By the time the quarter was over, the Thunder had shot 18-of-22 from the foul line. The Spurs didn't attempt a single free throw.

Highlight Reel

It took all of 32 seconds for Ibaka to show that his calf injury was just fine.

He then proceeded to hit his next three shots in the quarter, earning the right to bust out a Michael-Jordan-like celebration.

Towards the end of the first frame, Derek Fisher took a knock to the head that required six stitches before he could return to the game.

The end of the first half was something to behold as Ginobili and Westbrook exchanged four consecutive three-pointers in the last minute, including two in the final 10 seconds. Westbrook's shot before the buzzer was drained from the Thunder's half-court logo.

Lastly, how many players can miss a fastbreak dunk and recover in time to grab an offensive rebound? Not many, but Westbrook sure can.

Quote of the Game

There's nothing like a little bit of post-game humor from Gregg Popovich, who provided a hilarious answer when asked about a knock to Ginobili.

"He'll be fine," he said. "Or he's out for the rest of the playoffs."

Series at a Glance

Game 1: SAS 122, OKC 105 (Spurs lead series 1-0)
Game 2: SAS 112, OKC 77 (Spurs lead series 2-0)
Game 3: OKC 106 SAS 97 (Spurs lead series 2-1)
Game 4: Tuesday, May 27 - 9:00 p.m. ET
Game 5: Thursday, May 29 - 9:00 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Saturday, May 31 - 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 7*: Monday, June 2 - 9:00 p.m. ET