San Antonio, Texas – Victor WembanyamaPlayer·Victor Wembanyama etched his name into playoff history on Monday night, powering the San Antonio SpursTeam·San Antonio Spurs to a thrilling 122-115 double-overtime victory against the Oklahoma City ThunderTeam·Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference FinalsCompetition·Western Conference Finals. Wembanyama's dominant display, featuring 41 points, 24 rebounds, and three blocks, proved decisive in a contest that saw momentum swing wildly at the Paycom CenterVenue·Paycom Center.
The unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season, Wembanyama played a career-high 49 minutes, culminating in a crucial 28-foot three-pointer in transition that forced the game into a second overtime. His composure in that pivotal moment underscored his impact on the series opener.
"For that one I was thinking, just take my time."— Victor Wembanyama
The Spurs also saw a breakout performance from Dylan HarperPlayer·Dylan Harper, making his first career playoff start in place of the injured De'Aaron FoxPlayer·De'Aaron Fox. Harper contributed 24 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while setting a new Spurs playoff record with seven steals, showcasing his defensive prowess and all-around game.
For the top-seeded Thunder, Alex CarusoPlayer·Alex Caruso led the scoring effort with 31 points. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderPlayer·Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who secured his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Award this season, recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds, and five steals, despite shooting 30.4% from the floor. Jalen WilliamsPlayer·Jalen Williams added 26 points for Oklahoma City, but their collective efforts were not enough to overcome the Spurs' late surge.
This highly anticipated Western Conference FinalsCompetition·Western Conference Finals matchup pits the NBA's top two teams against each other. The Oklahoma City ThunderTeam·Oklahoma City Thunder finished the regular season with a dominant 64-18 record, securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The defending NBA champions from the 2024-25 season, the Thunder had swept both the Phoenix SunsTeam·Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles LakersTeam·Los Angeles Lakers in the preceding rounds, extending their postseason winning streak to nine games before Monday's loss.
The San Antonio SpursTeam·San Antonio Spurs, who finished the regular season as the second seed with a 62-20 record, marked their first time crossing the 60-win threshold since the 2016-17 season. They had previously upset the Thunder in the semifinals of the 2025 NBA CupCompetition·NBA Cup, ending Oklahoma City's 16-game winning streak at the time. This Game 1 victory gives the Spurs an early series lead and wrests home-court advantage from the Thunder.
The double-overtime thriller was the first Western Conference FinalsCompetition·Western Conference Finals game to extend to double overtime since Game 4 of the 1976 series between the Golden State WarriorsTeam·Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix SunsTeam·Phoenix Suns, highlighting the intensity and competitive balance of this matchup. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, with the series remaining in Oklahoma City.
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