The Western Conference Finals opened with chaos, clutch moments, and a historic performance from Victor Wembanyama as the San Antonio Spurs survived the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in double overtime at Paycom Center.
The matchup immediately delivered on the hype surrounding two of the NBA’s brightest young contenders. San Antonio controlled much of the first half and carried a 51-44 advantage into the break while limiting league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to only four points before halftime.
Oklahoma City regrouped after intermission and slowly clawed back behind stronger defensive pressure, eventually wiping away a double-digit Spurs lead in the fourth quarter. The final minutes of regulation became a showcase of star power.
Wembanyama put San Antonio ahead late with a spinning floater in traffic, but Gilgeous-Alexander answered moments later with a driving layup that tied the score at 101-101. The Thunder then forced overtime when Chet Holmgren rejected Wembanyama’s last-second attempt at the rim.
The drama continued in the first extra session. Wembanyama buried a deep three-pointer with 26.3 seconds remaining to even the game again at 108-108, extending the battle into a second overtime period. From there, the Spurs finally pulled away behind key defensive stops and emphatic finishes from their franchise centerpiece.
Wembanyama delivered one of the most dominant playoff debuts in conference finals history, finishing with 41 points, 24 rebounds, and three blocks while playing a career-high 49 minutes. The performance placed him alongside Wilt Chamberlain as the only players ever to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a Conference Finals debut.
With De’Aaron Fox sidelined, rookie Dylan Harper stepped into a major role for San Antonio and responded with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and seven steals, setting a Spurs playoff record for steals in the process.
Oklahoma City received a massive spark from Alex Caruso, who erupted for 31 points off the bench while connecting on eight three-pointers. Jalen Williams also made a strong return from a hamstring injury, scoring 26 points after missing six games.
Gilgeous-Alexander ended the night with 24 points and 12 assists, though San Antonio’s defensive pressure forced him into a difficult 7-of-23 shooting performance.