Victor Wembanyamaâs Western Conference Finals debut was big enough to make Magic Johnson reach for a Stephen Curry comparison.
Johnson praised the San Antonio Spurs star on X after Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds in a 122-115 double-overtime Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, calling out a late 3-pointer that reminded him of Curry. The shot was only part of the larger story: San Antonio left Oklahoma City with a 1-0 series lead, home-court advantage and another reminder that Wembanyamaâs playoff ceiling is already stretching the normal boundaries of comparison.
âWhat a game! What a performance!â Johnson wrote in the post, according to the screenshot provided. Johnson added that Wembanyama âput on an incredible showâ and highlighted that he did it âfrom everywhere on the basketball court,â including what Johnson described as a Curry-like 3-pointer down the stretch.
That is the part of Wembanyamaâs night that makes the reaction more than a Hall of Famer tossing out praise. The Curry comparison was not about Wembanyama playing like a point guard or running around screens for 48 minutes. It was about the absurdity of a 7-foot-4 defensive anchor taking â and making â the kind of pressure shot normally associated with the greatest shooter in NBA history.
Victor Wembanyama Changed the Spurs-Thunder Series Immediately
Game 1 did more than give Wembanyama another viral moment. It changed the math of the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder entered the series with home-court advantage, the conferenceâs top seed and an unbeaten postseason run, but the Spurs took the opener in Oklahoma City behind Wembanyamaâs 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a career-high 49 minutes.
That workload matters. Wembanyama did not merely author a highlight package. He carried a playoff burden on both ends in a double-overtime game against the defending champion Thunder, then still had enough legs to deliver the shot Johnson singled out.
San Antonio also did it without DeâAaron Fox, who was ruled out before Game 1 because of a sprained right ankle. Fox had been listed as questionable before the Spurs made the call shortly before tipoff.
That made Wembanyamaâs offensive creation even more important. It also made Dylan Harperâs night more significant, with the rookie scoring 24 points and delivering a key go-ahead layup in the second overtime.
Magic Johnsonâs Steph Curry Line Captured Wembanyamaâs Problem for Defenses
The Thunder can live with some difficult Wembanyama attempts. They cannot live with having no clean answer for what kind of player he is supposed to be.
If Oklahoma City sends size at him, Wembanyama can still shoot over the top. If the Thunder bring help, San Antonio can punish the rotations. If defenders sag to protect the rim, the shot Johnson referenced becomes part of the problem.
That is why the Curry mention is so striking. Wembanyamaâs playoff identity is still rooted in his size, rebounding and rim protection. But when he adds deep, confident shot-making in late-game situations, defenses are forced to guard a center-sized player in places usually reserved for elite guards.
Spurs Have a Chance to Put Real Pressure on OKC in Game 2
The danger for Oklahoma City is that San Antonio won the exact kind of game the road team usually regrets letting slip away.
The Thunder got 31 points from Alex Caruso and 26 from Jalen Williams, but still could not close out a double-overtime home game. Now the pressure shifts to Game 2, scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City.
For the Spurs, the biggest question is whether Fox can return soon enough to ease the creation burden. But Game 1 showed San Antonio can survive at least one night without him when Wembanyama is playing like the best player in the series.
Johnsonâs post captured the spectacle. The standings captured the consequence. The Spurs are three wins from the NBA Finals, and Wembanyama has already forced one of the sportâs most famous playmakers to compare a 41-point, 24-rebound performance to something out of Curryâs late-game shooting catalog.
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