Wembanyama Scores 41 Points, Spurs Top Thunder in Thrilling Opener

Victor Wembanyama delivered a spectacular performance with 41 points and 24 rebounds, powering the San Antonio Spurs to a nail-biting 122-115 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. The game took place at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 18 (local time) and stretched into two overtimes.

Wembanyama, 22, played 49 minutes total. He forced the second overtime with a stunning three-pointer, then scored 9 of the Spurs' 14 points in the second extra session. The French star also threw down two dunks and made a key block late in the second overtime to seal the victory.

“That was, like, pure will,” Wembanyama told NBC Sports after the game.

With the win, the Spurs reclaimed home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series, where the winner advances to the NBA Finals. It was the Thunder's first loss of the playoffs this year.

Showdown with Gilgeous-Alexander and MVP Motivation

Wembanyama admitted that seeing Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receive his second consecutive Most Valuable Player (MVP) award before the game made the matchup more personal. Wembanyama won Defensive Player of the Year but finished third in the MVP voting announced Sunday.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said the sight of Gilgeous-Alexander hoisting the MVP trophy “100 percent” fueled his star. “He's a competitor. If you're a competitor and you see another competitor being rewarded for what you want,” Johnson said.

Wembanyama emphasized that the night's main message was that the young Spurs “are ready to play in any environment, any place, against anyone.” “And even though we still have a lot to learn, our effort has to be greater than anyone else's, and tonight we never stopped,” he said.

Game Action and Standout Players

Rookie Dylan Harper, starting in place of the injured De'Aaron Fox, scored 24 points and added 7 steals for San Antonio. Stephon Castle contributed 17 points and 11 assists. The Spurs extended their dominance over the Thunder this season, as Oklahoma City (64 regular-season wins) lost 4 of 5 meetings with San Antonio (62 wins) — the Spurs' first playoff appearance since 2019.

Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to 24 points after a slow start, but still helped the Thunder rally from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Alex Caruso led the Thunder with 31 points, while Jalen Williams returned from a six-game injury absence to score 26 points.

The Thunder led by 10 in the fourth quarter before the Spurs tied it 99-99. Wembanyama scored to put San Antonio up 101-99, but Gilgeous-Alexander tied it with a layup, and Chet Holmgren blocked Wembanyama's potential game-winner at the buzzer. In the first overtime, Gilgeous-Alexander's dunk put the Thunder up 108-105, but Wembanyama tied it with a three-pointer, sending the game to a second extra period.

“I know what my teammates are capable of, what we can do as a team when we bring it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Unfortunately, I wasn't able to bring my best game tonight. But sometimes that's how it goes… you have to take the punches, not get discouraged and be true to who you are.”

The Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers in the first two rounds, will look to even the series in Game 2 on Wednesday in Oklahoma City, before the series moves to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday. The winner of this series will face either the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.