Wembanyama leads Spurs past Thunder, forces winner-take-all Game 7 in Western Conference finals
Axios (Tổng hợp từ Al Jazeera English)
Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points as the San Antonio Spurs forced a decisive seventh game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 118-91 victory in the Western Conference finals. The winner will meet the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points as the San Antonio Spurs forced the dramatic NBA Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder to a decisive seventh game, leading throughout and earning a commanding 118-91 victory Thursday.
The Spurs played with relentless determination in the must-win contest against the defending champion Thunder. Energized by a roaring home crowd, San Antonio kept its hopes of reaching the NBA Finals alive, where the surging New York Knicks await.
Dylan Harper added 18 points off the bench as San Antonio bounced back from a disappointing loss Tuesday, leveling the best-of-seven series at 3-3.
The decisive Game 7 will be played in Oklahoma City on Saturday.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” said Wembanyama, who also contributed 10 rebounds and three blocks. “When your back is against the wall, it’s your best opportunity,” he added.
After an inefficient Game 5, Wembanyama entered the first playoff elimination game of his career with fierce resolve. The 2.24-meter French superstar — this season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year — started quickly. Following teammate Julian Champagnie’s early three-pointer, Wembanyama knocked down two precise jumpers and added a block, staking the Spurs to a 9-2 lead.
Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who scored 32 points in the previous game — appeared rattled by the Spurs’ defense. He faced constant traps and missed numerous mid-range shots.
San Antonio’s eight three-pointers in the first half were their most in any playoff half this season. Wembanyama’s and the Spurs’ energy dipped slightly in the second quarter, but the Thunder trailed by only seven at halftime.
However, the Spurs erupted for a stunning 20-0 run in the third quarter to put the game away. They were aided by Oklahoma City’s offensive collapse: the Thunder missed 13 consecutive shots, went scoreless for more than seven minutes, and managed just 13 points in the period. With six minutes remaining and the Spurs leading by 28, both teams emptied their benches to rest for the deciding game, and the home crowd began chanting “Ole.”
“Tonight was do-or-die, and a lot of fans will be happy,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. He vowed his team would be “ready for a hostile environment” against the defending champions and expects Oklahoma City to deliver its “best punch” in Game 7. “We’ll walk in with our eyes wide open and expect nothing less,” he promised.
After missing the chance to become the first team to reach consecutive NBA Finals since the Golden State Warriors in 2019, the Thunder will now try to seize the opportunity on their home court this weekend. “When you lose like tonight, there are many things we can do better, and that’s what we’ll review,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “We’ll go out and try to execute those things in Game 7 to give ourselves the best chance to win.”
The Knicks will face the winner, having had ample rest after sweeping both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers on an 11-game winning streak en route to the finals.
