Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs started the Western Conference finals with a win in Oklahoma City, then ended it the same way Saturday night. The defending champions are dethroned.
Wembanyama scored 22 points as the Spurs beat the Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 on the road, bucking heavy odds to eliminate Oklahoma City and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. San Antonio will host the New York Knicks in Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Julian Champagnie provided crucial support, hitting six 3-pointers to finish with 20 points. Stephon Castle added 16 points, De'Aaron Fox had 15, and Dylan Harper contributed 12 off the bench. Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell each scored 11 for a balanced Spurs attack that overwhelmed the short-handed Thunder.
Wembanyama said after the game that the feeling was so powerful he couldn't explain it. The young star delivered when it mattered most, helping San Antonio close out a series in which they won eight of 12 meetings against Oklahoma City this season.
Kornet Block Shifts Momentum
A pivotal moment came midway through the fourth quarter when Luke Kornet blocked Isaiah Hartenstein at the rim, denying a fast-break score that would have cut the Thunder deficit to four points. Kornet played just six minutes and finished with two points, but the rejection proved to be a turning point.
The Spurs led 80-77 entering the fourth quarter after a back-and-forth contest. San Antonio had pushed ahead by as many as 14 in the first half and 11 in the third quarter, only to watch Oklahoma City claw back both times. But in the final period, the Spurs pulled away for good.
Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 Not Enough
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 35 points and added nine assists, but the Thunder couldn't overcome the absence of Jalen Williams, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Cason Wallace scored 17 points, while Jared McCain and Alex Caruso each had 12 for Oklahoma City.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said his team would need to grow from the tough experience, acknowledging the disappointment while maintaining that Oklahoma City believes it can compete with anyone. Gilgeous-Alexander noted that winning an NBA championship once is difficult enough, and repeating would only be harder.
The loss means the NBA will crown a new champion for the eighth consecutive season. The previous four games in the series had been largely decided entering the fourth quarter, but Game 7 lived up to its billing as a true winner-take-all showdown.
Return to Glory
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said his team knew back in October they had a chance to be pretty good. Now they have a chance to be championship-level great. Johnson praised his players for meeting the biggest moment after doing what they had done all season.
San Antonio's return to the Finals marks a significant milestone for a franchise that dominated the NBA for two decades but had fallen on harder times in recent years. The Spurs last reached the Finals in 2014, when they defeated the Miami Heat for their fifth championship.
Wembanyama made clear that the Spurs aren't satisfied yet. The team wants four more wins, he said, emphasizing that they're not done.
