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| Victor Wembanyama / Photo: GettyImages |
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu] Victor Wembanyama, the generational phenom for the San Antonio Spurs, carried his team to a win with a dominant performance.
The Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 on May 19 (KST) in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The victory gave San Antonio early momentum and a strong start to the series. The Thunder, who fell in double overtime, left disappointed as they turn their attention to Game 2.
Wembanyama led the Spurs with a dazzling 41 points and 24 rebounds to secure the win.
The Thunder’s star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, finished with 24 points and 12 assists, but he couldn’t match Wembanyama’s impact — a gap that proved decisive.
The teams battled from the opening quarter. The Spurs opened with a 7-0 run and looked set to seize control, but the Thunder responded quickly and the quarter ended tied at 27-27.
Wembanyama took over in the second quarter. He harassed the Thunder on both ends and, by controlling the paint, put San Antonio in front. The Thunder tried to rally, but the Spurs took a 51-44 lead into halftime.
San Antonio maintained its momentum in the third, carrying an 80-73 lead into the fourth, but Oklahoma City mounted a comeback.
At the heart of that surge was Alex Caruso. His consecutive three-pointers shifted the momentum, and a late push of aggressive rim attacks from Gilgeous-Alexander — who had been off earlier — tied the game at 101 and forced overtime.
In the first overtime, the Thunder appeared to seize control. They got a stop and converted a fast-break score to take the edge, but with 27 seconds left Victor Wembanyama drained a three to force a second overtime.
Wembanyama closed it out in the second overtime. By dominating the paint, he overwhelmed the Thunder’s energy and sealed the victory.
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu sports@stoo.com]
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