Victor Wembanyama can take San Antonio to NBA Finals thanks to 1 major factor
· Yahoo Sports
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was what some say is “absolute cinema.” The two top remaining teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, were electric. The Thunder look poised to make their third straight NBA Finals appearance, something no team has done since the 2019 Warriors. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama showed dominance, scoring 41 points and 24 rebounds and missing just one free throw of 13. Wembanyama joins Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Moses Malone as the only players in NBA history to record 40+ points and 20+ rebounds in a conference final game.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama against the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesClutch Gene Is a Major Factor
The Thunder are the favorites to win this series, but in the NBA, anything is possible. Wembanyama was unguardable and even pulled up from the Thunder logo to cash a CLUTCH late three-pointer in Game 1. If the Thunder have no answer for Wemby, this series is going to be closer than people think.
Wemby was scoring in a variety of ways. Whether it was from downtown or inside the paint. The Thunder tried numerous ways to stop him, but Wemby dominated. Clutchness thrives in Wemby’s veins as he leads all NBA players with a 72.7% clutch field goal percentage. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in third with 45.5%.
May 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) smiles in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn ImagesLegitimate Shot At The Upset
The Spurs have a legitimate shot at going to the finals because they have a superstar on their team. The Thunder may have more talent, but it comes down to scoring in the clutch. Wemby is showing the NBA why he was the first overall pick in 2023 and is three wins away from getting San Antonio back to the NBA finals.
For the Thunder, this was their wake-up call. Allowing such a dominant effort doesn’t happen often. But momentum is real. The Spurs defied the odds in this game, coming in as a 6.5-point underdog. Game 1 was what the NBA wanted, which was clutchness, overtime, and two young teams going shot for shot in this thriller.
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