Wembanyama scored 41 points and pulled down 24 rebounds, forcing the second overtime with a dazzling three-pointer and delivering nine of the Spurs’ 14 points in the second overtime as San Antonio handed the defending champions their first defeat of these playoffs.
The 22-year-old French star played 49 minutes and outshone Thunder star Gilgeous-Alexander, who received his second straight Most Valuable Player trophy before the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points, shaking off a sluggish start to key the Thunder’s bid to rally from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.
But Wembanyama and the Spurs came out on top in the slugfest between the teams with the best regular-season records in the league.
The Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers in the first two rounds, will try to bounce back when they host game two on Wednesday before the series shifts to San Antonio for games three and four on Friday and Sunday.
The winner of the series will face either the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. (AFP)