Spurs defeat Thunder in double overtime

San Antonio opened the Western Conference finals by beating Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime on May 18 at Paycom Center, stealing home-court advantage from the top-seeded Thunder. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs in a game that stretched through two extra periods and gave San Antonio a 1-0 series lead. NBA.com’s game summary listed the final score at 122-115 and set Game 2 for May 20 in Oklahoma City. NBC’s viewing guide said the series opener was played in Oklahoma City and carried by NBC and Peacock. ### How did San Antonio take Game 1 on the road? Victor Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds, according to NBA.com’s Game 1 summary and recap. NBA.com described him as the player who lifted San Antonio in an “instant classic,” and its video recap said the Spurs survived a late push by the defending champions. The Spurs also got support across the rotation. NBA.com highlighted Dylan Harper’s all-around game and Stephon Castle’s 17 points and 11 rebounds in the opener. Basketball-Reference’s box score lists San Antonio with the edge after 58 minutes, pulling away 13-6 in the second overtime. ### What did Oklahoma City get from its side? Alex Caruso scored 31 points for Oklahoma City, according to NBA.com’s Game 1 page, while Jalen Williams added 26. The Thunder forced the game deep into extra time before San Antonio separated in the second overtime. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the central figure in Oklahoma City’s response heading into the next game. CBS’s Game 2 preview framed him as the Thunder’s leading answer after the opener and described Wembanyama as the force who “willed” San Antonio to the victory. ### Why was this result such a jolt in the series? Oklahoma City entered the series as the No. 1 seed in the West, while San Antonio arrived as the No. 2 seed. ESPN’s playoff bracket shows the Thunder swept Phoenix in the first round and then beat the Lakers to reach the conference finals, while the Spurs advanced by beating Portland and Minnesota. Game 1 also flipped immediate pressure onto the Thunder. CBS said Oklahoma City needed to regroup quickly to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole before the series shifts to Texas. That framing came after San Antonio won the opener on the road and took control of home-court advantage. ### What made this opener stand out beyond the final score? NBA.com called the game an “instant classic,” and The Athletic’s live coverage described Wembanyama’s line as a 40-point, 20-rebound performance in a double-overtime thriller. NBA.com’s takeaways page said Wembanyama was “sensational” in Game 1 and pointed to the strain of playoff possessions against Oklahoma City. The matchup also landed in a rare slot on the playoff calendar. A media briefing circulated on May 20 pointed to the scarcity of double-overtime conference finals games, and NBC used the opener to promote a series built around Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama. ### What comes next in the series? Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Paycom Center, according to NBA.com and NBC. NBC said it and Peacock will exclusively carry the 2026 Western Conference finals from May 18 through May 30. The series then moves to San Antonio for Game 3 on May 22 and Game 4 on May 24, according to NBA.com’s schedule page. Oklahoma City enters the second game trying to level the series behind Gilgeous-Alexander, while San Antonio returns with a 1-0 lead after Wembanyama’s 41-point opener.