Spurs Keep Season Alive, Force Winner-Take-All Game 7 vs. Thunder in West Finals

SAN ANTONIO — If Victor Wembanyama's goal was to make like ghost in the aftermath of an ugly Game 5 loss in the Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center, he failed miserably.

Wembanyama, who took an hour after the game to shower, get his usual postgame treatment, change and load a bus bound for the hotel across the street, made a conscious decision to avoid speaking with reporters, both at the podium and in the locker room postgame.

Instead, the Frenchman walked right by the congregation around his locker and made a swift exit as Isaiah Hartenstein gave his winning address to home reporters.

While it could be inferred that Wembanyama may have been too upset to speak, or rather, determined to answer for his lackluster performance with a better one in Game 6, his rookie teammate set the record straight: regardless of reason, the San Antonio Spurs back him.

"He's a competitive person," Dylan Harper said at shootaround ahead of Game 6. "We've all got emotions. I think at that point in time, he didn't want to talk."

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) takes the court before Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Spurs' 7-foot superstar kept his public silence through the off day. He didn't speak at shootaround the following morning, and entered Frost Bank Center with his season on the line dressed in Eid al-Adha garments in celebration of the Muslim holiday.

Eighty-seven seconds into Game 6, Wembanyama was silent no longer. The Thunder called its first timeout of the contest down by seven points. Wembanyama had two 3s.

"He came in with that outfit," Harper began, "everyone knew what was going to happen."

Like Game 5, the Spurs started hot from beyond the arc between Wembanyama's pair, and makes from Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper.

In the first quarter, San Antonio hit seven 3s to build a 12-point lead. The Thunder never took it back — or came within five points — as the Spurs ran up the score en route to a 118-91 Game 6 victory to force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City.

Wembanyama finished the evening with 28 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks on 10-for-21 shooting from the field. His 22 points in the first two quarters marked his fifth 20-point half this postseason, the most by a Spur since 1998.

Harper, still nursing right adductor soreness, played his third straight game since missing the second half of Game 2. Despite not feeling 100 percent, he had his most efficient outing since Game 1, tallying 18 points and six assists to flank Wembanyama.

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander logged 15 points and four assists on 6-for-18 shooting from the field. He's now logged as many games with under 20 points against the Spurs in the playoffs as games with at least 30 points. He sat the entire fourth quarter.

Despite clinging to only a seven-point lead at halftime, the Spurs held the Thunder to 13 points of offense in the third quarter — compared to their 32 — and entered the fourth quarter with a 26-point lead. With 9:20 to play, Wembanyama subbed out for the night.

"We were consistent," Wembanyama said, asked about the Spurs' strategy to secure a win. "Did what we needed to do. Trusted the game plan. Trusted the Basketball Gods.”

The Spurs won the rebounding battle by a margin of nine and held the Thunder to 37 percent shooting from the field and 25 percent shooting from 3. Now expecting a response from their visitors back on home court, their next challenge is maintaining their success.

As far as Thursday evening goes, the Spurs did their job. They gave themselves a chance.

"We'll be prepared," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "Take the next 40 hours, try to get ready, get organized ... go(ing) into a hostile environment against the defending champs ... I would expect to get their best punch. We're going to go over there with our eyes wide open.

Game 7 of the Western Confernece Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder from Paycom Center is set for Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Central on NBC.

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