Wembanyama explodes for 41 as Spurs stun Thunder in Game 1 - ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY — Victor Wembanyama had 41 points and 24 rebounds, Dylan Harper finished with 24 points and a team playoff-record seven steals, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime classic to open the Western Conference finals Monday night.

Wembanyama sealed it with a pair of dunks in the final minute, one of them leading to a three-point play as the Spurs stole home-court advantage and beat the Thunder for the fifth time in six meetings this season.

Stephon Castle had 17 points, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 13, and Julian Champagnie added 11 for the Spurs, who were without De'Aaron Fox because of right ankle stiffness.

There is optimism that Fox will be back for Game 2, sources told ESPN Andscape's Marc J. Spears.

«A great effort — from everybody,» said Wembanyama, who, at 22 years, 134 days, became the youngest player with at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 22 years, 343 days when he had a 40/20 game in the 1970 NBA Finals.

Harper also made history with his stat line, joining Magic Johnson as the only rookies in NBA playoff history to have a game with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Alex Caruso scored 31 points, the second-highest scoring game of his career, off the bench for the Thunder, whose nine-game playoff winning streak dating to Game 7 of last season's Finals was snapped.

Jalen Williams returned from a six-game absence caused by a left hamstring strain and scored 26 points for the Thunder, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — on the night he got his second straight Most Valuable Player trophy — had 24 points and 12 assists but shot 7 for 23.

It was the sixth Game 1 in NBA playoff