Wembanyama: ‘I need to be more of a team player’ after Spurs fall behind in West finals
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder with 26 points and 12 assists as they overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108, taking a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.
- Oklahoma City's bench dominated, outscoring San Antonio's bench 76-23, with Alex Caruso contributing 15 points, while Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26 points in 39 minutes.
- Despite Wembanyama's strong individual performance, the Spurs struggled overall, especially during the nine minutes he was off the court, when the Thunder outscored them by 19 points.
- Wembanyama acknowledged his need to improve as a team player, focusing on better facilitation, rebounding, and pushing the defense to create opportunities for teammates.
- The series has been intense and physical, marked by a record 15-0 Spurs opening run and escalating tensions in the second half, including a flagrant foul and technical fouls following a confrontation between players.