Spurs win double-overtime Game 1, take 1–0 series lead over Thunder

San Antonio opened the Western Conference finals with a 122-115 double-overtime win over Oklahoma City on May 18, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 41 points and 24 rebounds, and Dylan Harper added 24 points as San Antonio won on the road at Paycom Center. The result gave the Thunder their first loss of this postseason, according to Associated Press and NBA.com. Game 2 is set for May 20 in Oklahoma City. ### How did San Antonio get out of Oklahoma City with Game 1? The Spurs survived a game that extended through two overtimes and pulled away late for the seven-point margin. NBA.com’s game summary listed the final as 122-115, with San Antonio taking the opener despite Oklahoma City’s home-court advantage and top seeding in the West bracket. (apnews.com) Associated Press reported that San Antonio’s win came behind Wembanyama’s 41-point, 24-rebound line and Harper’s 24 points. The AP account also said Harper set a Spurs playoff record with seven steals, a detail that underscored how much extra-possession pressure San Antonio created in a game decided deep into the second overtime. (nba.com) ### What made Wembanyama’s night the central fact of Game 1? Victor Wembanyama’s 41 points and 24 rebounds were the defining numbers of the opener. NBA.com described his performance as the engine of an “instant classic,” and the league’s playoff page said San Antonio took Game 1 behind a historic show from the Spurs star. (apnews.com) USA Today’s live game coverage had framed the night around Wembanyama before tipoff, and by the end the focus had narrowed even further. AP’s recap said he delivered the 40-point, 20-rebound performance that pushed San Antonio past Oklahoma City in a game that stretched into double overtime. (nba.com) ### Where did Dylan Harper fit in a game dominated by Wembanyama? Dylan Harper finished with 24 points and seven steals, giving San Antonio a second offensive source and a disruptive perimeter defender. Associated Press said the seven steals were a Spurs playoff record. Those numbers mattered because Oklahoma City had not lost in the postseason before Monday night, according to AP. (apnews.com) Harper’s production helped keep the Spurs level through regulation and overtime possessions until Wembanyama and San Antonio separated in the second extra period. ### What does the score mean for the series right now? (apnews.com) The 122-115 final put San Antonio ahead 1-0 in the Western Conference finals. NBA.com’s series page lists the matchup as Thunder versus Spurs, with the Spurs holding the early edge after one game. Oklahoma City still has Game 2 at home, but the immediate fact is that San Antonio took the opener on the road. (apnews.com) That shifted the series back to the Thunder’s court with the Spurs already owning one road win. ### When is the next game and where can readers track it? Game 2 is scheduled for May 20 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. NBA.com’s game page for the opener lists the next game for 8:30 p.m. (nba.com) ET, with coverage on Peacock and NBC. The NBA’s Western Conference finals page is tracking the series score, schedule and recaps as the matchup moves to its second game. (nba.com) San Antonio enters that game with a 1-0 lead after the May 18 double-overtime win. (nba.com)