Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant performance, scoring 41 points and grabbing 24 rebounds, as the San Antonio Spurs stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime Game 1 thriller of the NBA Western Conference Finals on Monday.

The electrifying victory at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center saw the Spurs steal home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series and hand the defending champions their first playoff defeat of the season.

Wembanyama, the 22-year-old French star, forced the second overtime with a crucial three-pointer and then scored nine of his team's 14 points in the extra period. He also contributed a key block late in the second overtime to seal the win, playing 49 minutes in total.

The win is a significant statement for the young Spurs squad, indicating their readiness to compete in hostile environments against top opposition. "Our effort should be over anybody else's and tonight we were relentless," Wembanyama stated after the game, highlighting the team's determination.

Adding to the Spurs' success, rookie Dylan Harper, filling in for the injured De'Aaron Fox, scored 24 points and recorded seven steals, while Stephon Castle contributed 17 points and 11 assists. The Spurs have now won four of their five meetings against the Thunder this season.

The game was particularly personal for Wembanyama, who admitted seeing Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receive his second consecutive Most Valuable Player trophy before the game served as motivation. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson confirmed that the MVP recognition for Gilgeous-Alexander fueled his star player's competitive fire.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points, struggling with a slow start but leading the Thunder's effort to overcome a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. For the Thunder, Alex Caruso led all scorers with 31 points, and Jalen Williams returned from a six-game injury absence.

The Thunder, aiming to become back-to-back champions, had a league-best 64 regular-season wins. The Spurs, who secured 62 regular-season wins, are making their first playoff appearance since 2019, setting the stage for a compelling series.