San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals to lead his team past the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime thriller. Wembanyama confirmed Monday that watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accept his second consecutive MVP award before the game served as personal motivation.
Wembanyama, who had openly made his case for the MVP award earlier in the season, did not shy away from the question. When asked directly if the ceremony affected his mindset, he said yes. The Spurs’ 22-year-old superstar avoided a clippable moment but left no doubt about the emotional weight behind his performance.
Spurs guard Stephon Castle spoke candidly about the team’s mindset going into the game. “We felt like that was his trophy,” Castle said. “I’m sure he felt the same way.”
Mitch Johnson, a key reserve for the Spurs, echoed Castle’s sentiment. “One-hundred percent,” Johnson said. “To see another competitor with the trophy that he deserves, SGA was voted the winner. But if you’re a competitor and you see another competitor get rewarded with what you want, I don’t think it had any effect on the game that didn’t make him play harder than anyone else, but that’s motivational.”
Gilgeous-Alexander received the trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver at Paycom Center, in front of a roaring Oklahoma City crowd. Wembanyama sat on the Spurs’ bench, eyes locked on the action, before delivering one of the most dominant playoff performances in league history.
The 41-point, 24-rebound game was Wembanyama’s first playoff double-double and came in just 52 minutes played. His 41 points marked a career playoff high and helped San Antonio take an early 1-0 lead in the series. The Spurs shot 56.3% from the field and outscored the Thunder 34-22 in the paint.
With the win, San Antonio improves to 12-3 in the playoffs and has now won three straight games by double digits or more. The Thunder, meanwhile, see their season-high five-game winning streak come to an end.
Game 2 of the Western Conference finals tips off Thursday night in Oklahoma City. The series is tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven format.
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