Spurs seize home-court advantage in double-overtime thriller against Thunder

The San Antonio Spurs have secured a pivotal 122–115 victory over the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Played in double overtime at the Paycom Center, the contest saw Victor Wembanyama deliver a dominant performance with 41 points and 24 rebounds, effectively stealing home-court advantage for the series.

Wembanyama, who played 49 minutes, was instrumental in extending the game into a second extra session with a three-pointer and contributed nine of the Spurs’ 14 points in the additional time. His efforts included a crucial block late in the second overtime to seal the win, marking the first defeat for the Thunder in these playoffs. The victory marks a significant shift in momentum for San Antonio, which advanced to this stage by sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers and defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.

The match was defined by a statistical duel between Wembanyama and Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 24 points and 12 assists but struggled with shooting efficiency under defensive pressure. Wembanyama, who finished third in MVP voting, cited the sight of Gilgeous-Alexander receiving his award as a personal motivator, stating that the team’s effort was relentless and that they were ready to compete in any environment.

Rookie Dylan Harper, starting in place of the injured De’Aaron Fox, provided significant support for San Antonio with 24 points and seven steals. Stephon Castle added 17 points and 11 assists, helping the Spurs extend their dominance over the Thunder, who have lost four of five regular-season meetings. Oklahoma City, which entered the playoffs with a league-best 64 wins, has now dropped four of five contests against San Antonio this season.

For Oklahoma City, Alex Caruso led the scoring with 31 points, while Jalen Williams contributed 26 points upon returning from a six-game injury absence. Despite trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter, the Thunder rallied to tie the game at 99–99 before Wembanyama’s late basket put the Spurs ahead. The Thunder will look to bounce back when they host Game 2 on Wednesday, with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for San Antonio on Friday and Saturday. The series winner will advance to the NBA Finals to face either the New York Knicks or the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The matchup features the two youngest teams in conference finals history since 1970, with a combined weighted average player age of 25.5. This generational shift underscores the changing landscape of the league, as the Spurs return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and the Thunder attempt to become the first team to repeat as champions since Golden State in 2017 and 2018.