The San Antonio Spurs stole Game 1 in double overtime. Now the Oklahoma City Thunder face a must-win scenario in Game 2, and everything hinges on slowing down Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio's defensive scheme.
If the Thunder lose Game 2, they'll own just one victory in seven matchups against the Spurs this season. Oklahoma City clearly has its work cut out, needing to win four of five to advance.
SGA's Struggles in Game 1
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a quiet 23-shot performance, connecting on just seven attempts. It wasn't merely an off night—though he did miss several looks he'd typically convert—but rather a testament to Wembanyama and the Spurs' defensive commitment.
In the regular season, SGA averaged 18.8 drives per game, passing out of those drives 37.9% of the time. Those drives resulted in points—buckets or free throws—a staggering 74.8% of the time. He was nearly unstoppable.
That productivity evaporated against San Antonio's defense. Against the Spurs, his efficiency dropped from 55% overall to 50%, and his three-point shooting plummeted from 38% to just 19%.
The Spurs Built a Wall
In four regular-season games, the Spurs forced SGA to pass out of his drives 50% of the time with just a 60% scoring rate. Game 1 told a similar story: 30 drives yielded only five buckets—a 53% success rate.
The Spurs implemented a two-pronged approach:
Option 1: Kick Out to Shooters
San Antonio's perimeter defenders sank low to clog driving lanes, daring players like Alex Caruso to fire from distance. Caruso took 14 three-pointers in Game 1, converting eight. That's unsustainable, so the Spurs will happily trade open threes for limited rim access.
Option 2: Force Tough Jump Shots
When drives failed, SGA faced contested, fading jumpers against length—most memorably, the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama. Of his 23 attempts, 19 were jumpers; only four qualified as "wide open" (no defender within six feet).
Breaking Down the Defense
From the top of the possession, SGA confronted a gauntlet: Stephon Castle sized him up first, then Devin Vassell waited at the elbow, and Isaiah Hartenstein's screen to the left steered him directly into Wembanyama.
Choosing left yielded nothing. Pulling up over the human skyscraper proved impossible—Wembanyama merely needed to contain him briefly while Castle recovered, and within moments, SGA faced the same wall again.