For large parts of this season, many wondered if the Oklahoma City Thunder had any weaknesses. One thing the reigning champions didn’t have was Victor Wembanyama, who led the San Antonio Spurs to a Game 7 victory in the Western Conference finals.
The Spurs’ 111-103 victory on Saturday night means they will face the New York Knicks in the NBA finals, with Game 1 set for Wednesday in San Antonio.
It would be a disservice to Wembanyama’s teammates to say the result was solely down to the Frenchman though. Julian Champagnie scored 20 points, Dylan Harper looked dangerous whenever he came off the bench and Wembanyama’s backup, Luke Kornet, pulled off a brilliant block in the fourth quarter as the Thunder threatened a comeback.
“When we’ve got the best player in the world, things happen,” said Champagnie after the game.
The Thunder fought hard even as the clock ticked down but they were forced to take hopeful threes from well outside the arc and the Spurs had the final say with a breakaway dunk.
Wembanyama was named the series MVP and was in tears at the end of the game.
“Realizing that some part of a childhood dream is going to come true,” said Wembanyama when he was asked why he had been so emotional as his team clinched their place in the finals. “We’re still hungry, we want more. This feeling is so powerful, I can’t explain it”.
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