Victor Wembanyama Dominates as Spurs Stun Thunder 122-115 in 2OT Thriller/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Victor Wembanyama delivered a historic 41-point, 24-rebound performance as the Spurs defeated the Thunder 122-115 in double overtime. San Antonio stole home-court advantage in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals despite missing De’Aaron Fox. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled shooting on the night he received his second straight NBA MVP trophy.

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Spurs vs Thunder Quick Looks

• Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds
• San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime
• Dylan Harper recorded seven steals, a Spurs playoff record
• The Spurs took a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference finals
• Wembanyama became the youngest player with a 40-point, 20-rebound playoff game
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points and 12 assists
• Alex Caruso scored 31 points off the Thunder bench
• Jalen Williams returned from injury with 26 points
• The Thunder’s nine-game playoff winning streak ended
• Game 2 will be played Wednesday in Oklahoma City

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Deep Look

Victor Wembanyama Delivers Historic Playoff Performance

Victor Wembanyama produced one of the greatest playoff performances in recent NBA history Monday night, powering the San Antonio Spurs to a dramatic 122-115 double-overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

The 22-year-old superstar finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds while leading San Antonio to its fifth win in six games against Oklahoma City this season.

Wembanyama sealed the game late in the second overtime period with two powerful dunks, including a three-point play that helped the Spurs steal home-court advantage from the top-seeded Thunder.

“A great effort — from everybody,” Wembanyama said after the win.

The French star also made NBA history during the game.

At 22 years and 134 days old, Wembanyama became the youngest player ever to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game, surpassing a mark previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the 1970 NBA Finals.

Spurs Overcome Absence of De’Aaron Fox

San Antonio earned the huge road victory despite playing without All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, who missed the game because of ankle stiffness.

Several Spurs players stepped up around Wembanyama throughout the marathon contest.

Dylan Harper added 24 points and set a Spurs playoff record with seven steals, while Stephon Castle contributed 17 points.

Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 13 points, and Julian Champagnie added 11.

“It was a war of wills,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.

“The levels of mental toughness exuded by both teams … we needed every second from everybody that played.”

The win continued San Antonio’s impressive postseason run and reinforced the team’s growing confidence against the defending NBA champions.

Thunder’s Playoff Winning Streak Ends

The loss snapped Oklahoma City’s nine-game playoff winning streak dating back to Game 7 of last season’s NBA Finals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who received his second consecutive NBA MVP trophy earlier in the evening, struggled offensively for much of the game.

The Thunder superstar finished with 24 points and 12 assists but shot just 7-for-23 from the field.

Gilgeous-Alexander also endured his worst first-half shooting performance in nearly three years.

He scored only four points before halftime while making just one field goal — the first time since October 2023 that he failed to make at least two first-half baskets.

Still, Oklahoma City battled back repeatedly throughout the game behind strong performances from Alex Caruso and Jalen Williams.

Caruso delivered 31 points off the bench in the second-highest scoring playoff game of his career.

Williams returned from a six-game absence caused by a hamstring injury and immediately contributed 26 points.

Double Overtime Classic Lives Up to Hype

Monday’s game instantly became one of the signature playoff battles of the 2026 NBA postseason.

It marked only the sixth Game 1 in NBA playoff history to reach double overtime and the first since a Spurs-Warriors matchup in 2013.

San Antonio appeared close to securing the win in regulation after building a 10-point lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

But the Thunder stormed back, and the closing minutes turned chaotic.

The lead changed hands twice and the game was tied three separate times during a tense two-minute stretch late in regulation.

Wembanyama had a chance to win the game at the buzzer but saw his off-balance shot blocked by Chet Holmgren.

The Spurs star responded in overtime by drilling a deep game-tying 3-pointer with 28 seconds left to force a second extra period.

Once the second overtime began, Wembanyama completely took over.

“And as the clock ticked toward midnight, Wembanyama decided enough was enough,” the AP story noted.

Spurs Continue Dominating Thunder Matchup

San Antonio’s latest victory continued an increasingly surprising trend this season: the Spurs have consistently given Oklahoma City problems.

Despite the Thunder entering the series as favorites and defending NBA champions, San Antonio has now beaten Oklahoma City five times in six meetings this year.

The Spurs’ length, athleticism, and defensive pressure repeatedly disrupted the Thunder offense throughout Game 1.

Harper’s seven steals highlighted San Antonio’s aggressive perimeter defense, while Wembanyama controlled the paint on both ends of the floor.

Even when Oklahoma City briefly reclaimed the lead during the third quarter, the Spurs remained composed.

San Antonio entered the fourth quarter leading 80-73 before the dramatic finish unfolded.

Thunder Looking for Adjustments in Game 2

After the loss, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged his team must improve quickly before Wednesday’s Game 2.

“We have to get better from this game,” Daigneault said.

Oklahoma City will likely focus on improving shot efficiency from Gilgeous-Alexander while trying to limit Wembanyama’s dominance inside.

The Thunder also face renewed pressure after immediately surrendering home-court advantage in the series opener.

Meanwhile, San Antonio heads into Game 2 with momentum, confidence, and another reminder that Wembanyama may already be one of the NBA’s most unstoppable playoff performers.

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