Home BASKETBALL NBA Wembanyama Drops 41 as Spurs Stun Thunder in Double-Overtime Game 1

Wembanyama Drops 41 as Spurs Stun Thunder in Double-Overtime Game 1

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Thunder Vs Spurs
Wembanyama’s 41-point night gives Spurs early edge over Thunder  

Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds to lead San Antonio past Oklahoma City 122-115 in a double-overtime thriller to open the Western Conference finals.


Wembanyama scores 41 as Spurs edge Thunder in double-overtime thriller...


Victor Wembanyama outplayed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to guide the San Antonio Spurs to a 122-115 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday. The game went to two overtimes.


Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds. He sent the game to a second overtime with a clutch three-pointer, then scored nine of San Antonio’s 14 points in the final period. The win gave the Spurs the first loss of these playoffs for the defending champion Thunder.


“It was, like, sheer willpower,” 22-year-old Wembanyama told NBC.


The French star played 49 minutes and made his mark on both ends. He threw down two dunks and came up with a key block late in the second overtime to close out the win.


The victory at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center means San Antonio has taken homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven series. The winner will advance to the NBA Finals.


Wembanyama admitted that seeing Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receive his second straight MVP trophy before the game made things personal “for sure.”


He won Defensive Player of the Year but came third in the MVP voting that was announced on Sunday.


Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said seeing Gilgeous-Alexander lift the MVP award was “100%” a motivator for his star.  


“He's competitive,” Johnson said. “If you're a competitor and you see another competitor get rewarded with what you want...”


But 'Wemby' said the main message of the night was that the young Spurs “are ready to go in any environment, in any place, against anybody."l”


Rookie Dylan Harper started for the injured De'Aaron Fox and put up 24 points with seven steals for San Antonio. Stephon Castle chipped in 17 points and 11 assists as the Spurs continued their strong run against the Thunder this season.


Oklahoma City is chasing back-to-back titles for the first time since Golden State did it in 2017 and 2018. The Thunder posted a league-best 64 wins in the regular season, but lost four of five games to the Spurs. San Antonio won 62 games in the regular season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2019.


Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points after a slow start. He helped lead the Thunder’s push to come back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.


Alex Caruso led Oklahoma City with 31 points. Jalen Williams returned after missing six games with injury and added 26 points.


“And even though we've still got a lot to learn, our effort should be over anybody else's and tonight we were relentless.”


Oklahoma City was down 10 in the fourth quarter but fought back to tie it at 99-99 with 33.2 seconds left. Wembanyama then spun to the basket and scored to put San Antonio up 101-99.


Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a layup to tie the game again. Chet Holmgren blocked Wembanyama’s potential game-winner at the buzzer to send it to overtime.


Trading blows down the stretch
 
Gilgeous-Alexander’s dunk gave the Thunder a 108-105 lead with 57.6 seconds remaining in the first overtime.  


Wembanyama answered with a transition three-pointer to tie it, forcing a second overtime.


“I know what my teammates are capable of, what we're capable of as a team when we bring it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.


“It's just unfortunate I wasn't able to bring my best game tonight.


“But that's how it goes sometimes ... you've got to roll with the punches, don't get discouraged and stay true to who you are.”


The Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James’s Los Angeles Lakers in the first two rounds. They will look to respond in Game 2 on Wednesday at home before the series moves to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday.


The team that wins this series will meet either the New York Knicks or the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.




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