Victor Wembanyama Makes NBA History in Thrilling Game 1 Win Over Thunder

The San Antonio Spurs secured a thrilling 122-115 double-overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.

Leading the charge from start to finish for San Antonio was Victor Wembanyama, who recorded a staggering 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.

Wembanyama also dominated defensively, holding Chet Holmgren to just eight points and eight rebounds, while largely taking Isaiah Hartenstein out of the game as he played only 12 minutes because of the difficult matchup dynamics on the floor.

According to The Sporting News, Wembanyama became the youngest player ever to record 40-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game.

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Wembanyama also joined Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Moses Malone as the only players in NBA history to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a conference finals game.

He added to the historic night with a game-sealing block on Jalen Williams, scored nine points in double overtime, and knocked down the game-tying three-pointer at the end of the first overtime to force a second extra period.

This marked the Spurs' fifth win over the Thunder in six matchups this season, including the regular season, and San Antonio did it Monday night without starting point guard De’Aaron Fox.

That should sound the alarm bells for Oklahoma City heading into Game 2 because if the Thunder fall into a 2-0 series hole against Wembanyama and the Spurs before the series shifts to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4, there's a real chance the Western Conference could have a new representative in the NBA Finals this season.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 9:29 AM.