Shaquille O'Neal makes bold Victor Wembanyama claim
Newsweek
Last updated: May 26, 2026
The Western Conference Finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder is tied 2-2. The Spurs' victories in the series have been directly correlated with star player Victor Wembanyama scoring 30 or more points. In contrast, the Spurs have lost games where he did not reach this scoring threshold.
- The Spurs and Thunder are heading into Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals with the series deadlocked at two wins apiece. San Antonio's success in the series has been heavily reliant on the performance of Victor Wembanyama, with both of their wins occurring when he scored at least 30 points. Conversely, in the two games the Spurs lost, Wembanyama did not reach this scoring milestone. For instance, he scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in the Spurs' Game 1 double-overtime victory. In their Game 4 win, he contributed 33 points, along with eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals. His scoring in the other two games was 21 points in Game 2 and 26 points in Game 3. Shaquille O'Neal emphasized Wembanyama's dominance, stating that the Thunder would have no chance if he consistently scores 30-40 points, suggesting that Chet Holmgren would be unable to counter such a performance. Wembanyama is currently averaging 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and three blocks per game in the series. The Spurs will continue to depend on him for a strong showing in the crucial Game 5. Wembanyama himself acknowledged the team's response to their first playoff series deficit and stressed that the series is far from over, requiring six more wins to advance. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
