Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs on both ends in Game 4 rout of Thunder

After the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 3 loss, Victor Wembanyama took much of the blame on his own shoulders, saying he wasn’t doing enough to help his teammates. In Sunday’s Game 4, Wembanyama took control early and didn’t let go until the game was in hand, helping the Spurs to a 103-82 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder to even the Western Conference finals at two games apiece. “We just responded,” Wembanyama said.

We just did what we needed to do.” Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. He set the tone early, hitting a three-pointer on the game’s first possession, then blocked Chet Holmgren’s dunk attempt on the Thunder’s second possession. “Our competitive response all year has been pretty good. He’s been at the forefront of that more than not,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama. “I think tonight he felt, not speaking for him but from my perspective, an obligation to set a tone for us in a variety of ways.“ The Spurs built a 15-point lead, just like they did in Game 3. “They punched us in our face early,” Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. But in Friday’s game, San Antonio quickly let the lead slip away and ultimately lost by 15 points. Sunday, the lead dwindled much more slowly after jumping up 23-8. Oklahoma City cut the deficit to five with just more than a minute remaining in the second quarter. Then Wembanyama and the Spurs punched back in a big way. San Antonio’s Devin Vassell scored four quick points, and then after the Spurs grabbed the rebound on Cason Wallace’s missed three-pointer, Wembanyama nailed a shot from near midcourt to send his team into half-time with a 12-point lead. “I was just thinking shoot to score,” Wembanyama said.

Key points

• We just did what we needed to do.” Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals.
• He set the tone early, hitting a three-pointer on the game’s first possession, then blocked Chet Holmgren’s dunk attempt on the Thunder’s second possession.
• “Our competitive response all year has been pretty good.
• He’s been at the forefront of that more than not,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama.
• “I think tonight he felt, not speaking for him but from my perspective, an obligation to set a tone for us in a variety of ways.“ The Spurs built a 15-point lead, just like they did in Game 3.