The San Antonio Spurs knew that Game 3 would be a slugfest, but they came out swinging. The Spurs jumped out to a 15-0 lead to kick off the game, and held Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoreless in the first quarter.

However, the Thunder got red hot down the stretch, and the Spurs couldn't keep up, falling 123-108, and dropping to 1-2 in the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs knew that they might have to enforce order in the game, and in the fourth quarter, Devin Vassell's number was called. Two plays in a row, Stephon Castle was fouled hard while heading to the basket. The first one might have just been a physical play, but the second one was borderline dirty.

The Spurs, despite losing, weren't going to let the Thunder get away with one.

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Castle, Vassell, Ajay Mitchell, and Chet Holmgren had to be separated in Game 3, and technical fouls were assessed to both Vassell and Mitchell.

While Castle did get a whistle, frustration was boiling over, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets calls for any little bump, whereas the Spurs (especially Castle) need to get hit hard to earn a trip to the line.

Vassell relished the chance to be an enforcer.

"Just have my teammates back," he summed up. "That's my brother, and the first play is a basketball play. You try to make a play, but I mean two times in a row, he's about to go up for a dunk, and it just looked like he pushed him. That could be a dangerous play. So I just want to have my teammates' backs."

Vassell finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and four fouls. It was one of his better games this postseason, and he was by far the steadiest hand for the Spurs on both ends of the floor.

"All that just builds up, so it's a little bit of animosity building up, and I'm cool with that," he added.

Vassell is not known as one of the league's top "enforcers," but as he takes a step back on the offense as Castle and Victor Wembanyama develop, he's slotted in well as a supporting rather than starring player. He knows that doing the dirty work comes with that.

Fans should expect the Spurs to send a physical message early in Game 4, telling the Thunder that if they want to hunt fouls, the Spurs will make them count.