Victor Wembanyama produced a 40-point, 20-rebound masterclass as the San Antonio Spurs stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-124 in double overtime to take Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Paycom Center on Monday night.
The 22-year-old Frenchman added seven blocks and four assists across 52 minutes, dragging San Antonio back from a 17-point third-quarter deficit and outlasting reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 38 points and 11 assists. Devin Vassell added 27 points off the bench, and Stephon Castle’s driving layup with 4.2 seconds left in the second overtime sealed the road win.
Wembanyama answers the moment
Oklahoma City had won 66 games in the regular season and dispatched Denver in five during the second round. Few outside Texas gave the fifth-seeded Spurs much chance of stealing the opener inside a building where the Thunder had lost only four times all year.
Wembanyama made sure they did. He scored 18 of his 40 points after the start of the fourth quarter, including back-to-back three-pointers with the Spurs trailing by six inside the final three minutes of regulation. His put-back with 1.4 seconds left forced the first overtime, and his block on Jalen Williams at the rim with 11 seconds remaining in the second extra period preserved a one-point lead.
The 20 rebounds were the most by a Spurs player in a playoff game since Tim Duncan grabbed 22 against Memphis in 2011. Wembanyama also became the first player in NBA history to record at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocks in a postseason game, eclipsing Hakeem Olajuwon’s 1995 line against Phoenix.
- Wembanyama: 40 pts, 20 reb, 7 blk, 4 ast, 16-29 FG
- Vassell: 27 pts, 5-9 from three
- Castle: 19 pts, 8 ast, game-winning layup
- Spurs bench outscored Thunder bench 51-22
How the Thunder lost their grip
Oklahoma City led 71-54 with 5:32 left in the third quarter and looked set to land an early blow. Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 at the break, Chet Holmgren was controlling the paint, and the Thunder were shooting 51 per cent from the floor.
Then head coach Mark Daigneault opted to rest his star guard for the final three minutes of the third. San Antonio closed the quarter on a 14-2 run, and the lead was four entering the fourth. From that point Oklahoma City scored on only nine of their next 26 possessions and were outscored 19-6 in the second overtime’s opening four minutes.
Holmgren fouled out with 2:18 left in the first overtime after picking up two quick whistles guarding Wembanyama on the perimeter, a matchup the Thunder had hoped to win on size and length. Without him, Daigneault was forced into smaller lineups that gave up 14 second-chance points across the two extra periods.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot 14 of 31, missed a contested step-back from the right wing with 18 seconds left in double overtime that would have given Oklahoma City the lead. He has now shot 39 per cent in five career playoff games decided by five points or fewer.
What it means for the series
San Antonio have not reached the NBA Finals since winning the championship in 2014, the last of the Duncan-Parker-Ginobili era. Head coach Gregg Popovich, who returned to the sideline this season after recovering from a mild stroke, is now four wins from a sixth Finals appearance.
The Spurs have stolen home-court advantage in a series in which they were the underdog for the first time since the 2003 Western Conference finals against Dallas. Teams winning Game 1 on the road in a best-of-seven NBA playoff series go on to take the series 78 per cent of the time.
Oklahoma City will need a response from Holmgren in particular. The 23-year-old centre finished with 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting and was outrebounded 20-8 by Wembanyama. Daigneault hinted afterwards that he may start Isaiah Hartenstein alongside Holmgren in Game 2 to give Oklahoma City a second body capable of bothering the Spurs star in the post.
For Wembanyama, already named Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NBA selection this season, the performance lands him squarely in a conversation that until recently belonged to Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Game 2 tips off in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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