The San Antonio Spurs crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 on Friday night, keeping their NBA title hopes alive and forcing a decisive Game 7 in the Western Conference finals.
Led by Victor Wembanyama’s dominant two-way performance, San Antonio tied the series 3-3 and moved within one win of reaching its first NBA Finals since 2014. The New York Knicks are already waiting in the championship series.
Wembanyama finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in one of the most complete performances of his young playoff career. The 7-foot-4 star set the tone immediately, knocking down two early three-pointers and rejecting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the rim during the opening minutes.
The Spurs looked like a different team from the group that stumbled through Tuesday’s 127-114 loss in Game 5. Their energy was sharper. Their defense was relentless. Oklahoma City never found a rhythm.
“[Playing with desperation] just feels like it erases kind of all the little mistakes that we do that are human nature, whether it’s in the regular season or previous games,” said Wembanyama.
“Just got to fight that all the time and put your backs against the wall. It feels like it’s the best opportunity to be able to play.”
San Antonio’s supporting cast delivered key contributions across the floor. Rookie guard Dylan Harper scored 18 points, Stephon Castle added 17, and Devin Vassell chipped in 12 points while making his presence felt defensively with two emphatic blocks.
Castle said the Spurs approached the game with a defensive-first mentality after struggling with turnovers and second-chance points earlier in the series.
“I just think all of our focus and attention was on the defensive end. I don’t think scoring against them has been a problem for us,” said Castle.
“I think just our self-inflicted mistakes, like turnovers and allowing them to get offensive rebounds and easy buckets is what slows us down.”
The game turned completely in the third quarter. Oklahoma City went scoreless for nearly eight minutes while the Spurs unleashed a devastating 22-0 run that stretched the lead to 92-64 late in the period. The Thunder appeared stunned as San Antonio’s defense closed every driving lane and contested nearly every shot.
Defending NBA champions Oklahoma City struggled from start to finish. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 15 points but shot just 6-for-18 from the field under constant pressure from San Antonio defenders.
The series has been one-sided in each game despite being tied 3-3 overall. The average margin of victory now stands at 15.3 points, with San Antonio’s wins coming by an average of more than 18 points.
Wembanyama has become the defining figure of the series. With another 25-point, 10-rebound outing, he joined franchise legends David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the only Spurs players to record five such games in a single postseason.
“I think we were consistent and we did what we needed to do. Trusted the game, trusted the basketball gods,” said Wembanyama, who posted 11 points, five rebounds, one assist, and a block in the opening quarter alone.
The physical tension between both teams also continued to rise. Thunder center Chet Holmgren exchanged words and contact with Vassell after the Spurs forward blocked Holmgren’s dunk attempt during the second quarter.
Oklahoma City also welcomed back Jalen Williams, who returned after missing three games with a hamstring injury suffered in Game 2. His comeback had little impact, however, as he managed only one point in 10 minutes.
Now the season comes down to one final game.
Game 7 on Sunday will decide whether Wembanyama’s rising Spurs complete their stunning run to the NBA Finals or whether the defending champions survive and return for another shot at a title.
