LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pulled the Oklahoma City Thunder level with San Antonio on Wednesday, as the defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champions won their second heavyweight Western Conference finals clash, 122-113.

Having been largely kept in check in Monday’s Game 1 loss to the Spurs, the league’s back-to-back Most Valuable Player scored 30 points and provided nine assists.

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.

“The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

“We brought the energy from the jump.”

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.

Following a tied first quarter, the Thunder roared ahead for an 11-point half-time lead.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who had endured a sluggish start in the previous game, led the charge from tip-off, regularly scoring from mid-range.

His team hustled for 13 turnovers worth 16 points in the first half alone.

The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama —