Victor Wembanyama delivered one of the defining playoff performances of his career Monday night, finishing with 41 points and 24 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 122-115 double-overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
After nearly 50 minutes on the floor, Wembanyama admitted exhaustion had already started to set in.
“Physically, I’m feeling tired, honestly, but not as much as you would expect,” Wembanyama said postgame. “It’s probably the adrenaline. It’s going to come down a little bit. I’m probably going to sleep pretty well tonight.”
The Spurs star sealed the victory with two late dunks in the second overtime, but one of the biggest moments came earlier when he buried a deep game-tying 3-pointer with 28 seconds left in the first overtime.
“For that one, I was just thinking, take my time,” Wembanyama said. “But for the rest, there are some plays I wish I were thinking more.”
The performance came on the same night Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received his second consecutive MVP trophy. Wembanyama, who finished in the top three of the voting, acknowledged the moment carried personal motivation.
“Yeah, for sure,” Wembanyama said when asked whether the MVP result fueled him. “I want to get that trophy many times in my career.”
When asked directly whether he believes he is the best player in basketball, the 22-year-old avoided making a definitive declaration.
“Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired,” Wembanyama said. “The world is 8 billion people, so it’s 8 billion opinions.”
Still, the French star made clear that San Antonio’s performance sent a statement beyond individual awards.
“The message would be that we as a team are ready to go in any environment, in any place, against anybody,” Wembanyama said. “Tonight we were relentless.”
The second-seeded Spurs repeatedly answered Oklahoma City runs and survived a game in which the lead changed hands twice in the final two minutes of regulation before stretching deep into double overtime.
Wembanyama credited the team’s mentality and physical preparation for surviving the playoff battle.
“The mental toughness, you have to have it all the time,” he said. “We will rest in July.”
He added: “A game like tonight is the best way to get experience. We played five quarters.”
San Antonio also limited Gilgeous-Alexander to 7-for-23 shooting, including just one made field goal in the first half. Wembanyama praised the Spurs’ perimeter defense and communication throughout the night.
“Everybody was very connected today,” he said. “We need to keep being connected.”
The All-Star center also highlighted rookie Dylan Harper, who scored 24 points and set a Spurs playoff record with seven steals in his first Western Conference finals game.
“What shocks me, as usual, is his maturity at his age,” Wembanyama said. “The control of his body is magnificent.”
San Antonio played without De’Aaron Fox because of ankle stiffness, but Wembanyama said the veteran guard still played a major role from the bench.
“His guidance with the young guys is just great,” Wembanyama said.
Despite the emotional win over the defending champions, Wembanyama stressed the Spurs still view themselves as a team in progress.
“We’ve still got a lot to do, a lot to learn,” he said. “But we have a chance.”
