OKC Thunder Must Dominate Minutes With Victor Wembanyama on Bench

The Thunder can't waste the limited opportunities with Wembanyama off the floor.

May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks on in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has a 7-foot-4 problem to figure out, and it may start by dominating when Victor Wembaynama is off the floor.

On Monday night, the Thunder tipped off Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals with a 122-115 double overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In an instant classic, Wembanyama took over down the stretch to hand the defending champions their first loss of the postseason.

Considering all of the problems the Thunder had against the superstar big man, much of the discussion a day later is about how Oklahoma City can be more effective against him. However, another solution could be to go all-out in the minutes he’s sitting on the bench.

For the Thunder to get wins this series, they may simply need the on-off numbers for Wembanyama to mirror those of Russell Westbrook’s 2017 series against Houston. While the Spurs are a 62-win team with plenty of talented players, Wembanyama’s impact is too large to squander the minutes when he’s sitting on the bench.

In Game 1, Wembanyama was a +16 in just under 49 minutes of action. In the roughly nine minutes he was off the court, the Thunder outscored the Spurs by nine. As well as Oklahoma City played when Wembanyama sat, that +9 with him off the floor might not be enough.

Although it might seem a bit extreme, it may be wise for Mark Daigneault to shift his rotations to slate the Thunder’s typical starting five for every second Wembanyama is off the floor. Not only would that continue to give Isaiah Hartenstein the opportunity to make an impact against Luke Kornet, but it would also give the Thunder a chance to maximize their minutes against the Spurs’ worst lineup.

Considering the only real counter for San Antonio would be to play Wembanyama every second of the game, the Thunder could dominate those minutes. Considering Jalen Williams’ attacking mindset when the Spurs superstar was off the floor, there could also be a chance for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren to feast inside and play to their strengths as well.

While it may be tricky and a bit concerning for Daigneault to hinge his rotation on Mitch Johnson’s decisions, it may also be the best bet Oklahoma City has to win. Of course, it’s also important to note that Wembanyama was actually a negative on the floor in the fourth quarter as the Thunder worked their way back into the game and forced overtime.

Outscoring San Antonio by nine points in Wembanyama’s 11 fourth-quarter minutes, the Thunder at least found some success against the giant in the middle in the final full frame. Whether the Thunder continue to find some success when he’s on the floor and find ways to truly dominate when he goes to the bench, Oklahoma City has a must-win Game 2 ahead.