Wembanyama Dominates as Spurs Outlast Thunder in Double-Overtime Thriller.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Victor Wembanyama delivered one of the most memorable playoff performances in franchise history Monday night, powering the San Antonio Spurs to a 122-115 double-overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. The 22-year-old superstar erupted for 41 points and 24 rebounds, taking over late as San Antonio stole home-court advantage in a game that stretched deep into the night at Paycom Center. Wembanyama punctuated the win with back-to-back dunks in the final minute of the second overtime, including a three-point play that finally put the Thunder away. San Antonio overcame the absence of De’Aaron Fox, who sat out with ankle stiffness, by leaning on a balanced supporting cast around Wembanyama. Rookie guard Dylan Harper added 24 points and set a Spurs playoff record with seven steals, while Stephon Castle scored 17 points. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each contributed 13, and Julian Champagnie chipped in 11. The game marked the sixth Game 1 in NBA playoff history to reach double overtime and the first since the Spurs faced Golden State in 2013. Oklahoma City had opportunities to escape with a win after erasing a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Thunder battled back behind Alex Caruso, who scored 31 points off the bench in one of the best postseason performances of his career, and Jalen Williams, who returned from a hamstring injury to score 26 points.

NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points and 12 assists but struggled to find his rhythm offensively, shooting just 7-for-23 from the field. His slow start proved costly, as he managed only four first-half points and failed to make more than one field goal before halftime for the first time since October 2023. Wembanyama controlled the game early, throwing down powerful dunks over multiple defenders and collecting a double-double by halftime with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Even with his dominance, the Spurs led only 51-44 at the break. The Thunder briefly grabbed momentum in the third quarter as Gilgeous-Alexander found his touch and Oklahoma City reclaimed the lead for a short stretch. But San Antonio answered every run and carried an 80-73 advantage into the fourth. The closing minutes of regulation turned chaotic. Oklahoma City rallied to tie the game, and the teams traded leads repeatedly in the final two minutes. Wembanyama had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Chet Holmgren blocked his off-balance attempt to force overtime. In the first extra session, Wembanyama rescued the Spurs again by drilling a deep game-tying 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining, setting up the decisive second overtime. The loss snapped Oklahoma City’s nine-game playoff winning streak dating back to last season’s NBA Finals run.