Spurs Hold Off Thunder in Game 7 to Book NBA Finals Place
6/1/20263 min read
The San Antonio Spurs are heading to the NBA Finals after a composed 111-103 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
In a series decider played at Paycom Center, the Spurs delivered the kind of balanced, disciplined performance that travels well in the play-offs. Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 22 points, seven rebounds and three made threes, while Julian Champagnie added a huge 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep.
For UK fans waking up to the result, this was more than just another late-night NBA score. It was a statement win from a Spurs team that has grown up quickly, blending Wembanyama’s generational talent with enough shooting, pace and late-game control to take down one of the league’s toughest home sides.
Oklahoma City, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, did not go quietly. SGA finished with 35 points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals, keeping the Thunder within striking distance throughout. Cason Wallace also gave OKC a major lift with 17 points, including five made threes, while Jaylin Williams posted 11 points and 10 rebounds from the bench.
But San Antonio had answers all night.
The Spurs opened strongly, taking the first quarter 32-25 and setting the tone with confidence from the perimeter. Oklahoma City responded in the second, edging the quarter 28-24, but San Antonio still went into half-time ahead and never allowed the game to fully swing away from them.
The difference was not one spectacular run. It was the steady accumulation of good possessions. San Antonio shot 17-of-40 from three-point range, compared with Oklahoma City’s 12-of-35. They also turned Thunder mistakes into 19 points off turnovers and outscored OKC 19-7 in fast-break points.
Those margins matter in Game 7s.
Wembanyama’s 22 points will take the headline, but the Spurs’ supporting cast made this win feel sustainable rather than miraculous. Champagnie’s six threes were vital. De’Aaron Fox added 15 points, five assists and three steals, giving San Antonio another creator and defender at the point of attack. Stephon Castle contributed 16 points, six rebounds and six assists, even on a night where he had to play through some pressure and turnovers.
Keldon Johnson’s 11 points off the bench also gave the Spurs a boost, helping them survive stretches when Oklahoma City threatened to turn the game into an SGA-led comeback.
The Thunder cut into the deficit late, with Wallace making a driving lay-up inside the final minute to bring OKC within six at 109-103. But San Antonio held firm. After a couple of empty Thunder possessions, Devin Vassell’s running dunk with 4.1 seconds remaining sealed the result and sent the Spurs through with a 4-3 series win.
For Oklahoma City, it will feel like a painful missed opportunity. The Thunder finished the regular season with a 64-18 record and had home-court advantage for the decider. Gilgeous-Alexander produced the numbers expected of a superstar, but OKC could not find enough efficient scoring around him when the game tightened.
Chet Holmgren was held to just four points on 1-of-2 shooting, while Alex Caruso battled to 12 points but shot 3-of-14 from the field. In a game decided by eight points, those cold spells proved costly.
For the Spurs, this result is another sign that their rebuild has moved from promise to serious contention. Wembanyama is already a match-up problem at the deepest stage of the season, but San Antonio’s route past Oklahoma City showed this is not a one-man story. They had shooting, transition scoring, defensive activity and enough late-game poise to win a Game 7 away from home.
That is the kind of formula that gives a team a genuine chance in the Finals.
From a British basketball perspective, it also gives UK NBA fans a compelling Finals storyline: the league’s most unique young star, a resurgent Spurs organisation, and a team that looks capable of shaping the next era of the NBA.
The late nights may be brutal, but if the Spurs keep playing like this, they might be worth every alarm clock.