The San Antonio Spurs made a significant breakthrough at the start of the Western Conference Finals, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime game, earning the nickname "classic."

The hero of the victory was Viktor Vembanjama. The French center finished the game with 41 points and 24 rebounds, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to achieve a 40/20 performance in the playoffs (22 years and 134 days). He shattered the record previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, set in 1970.

Despite playing without their star player Dejounte Murray (ankle injury), the Spurs found heroes in crucial moments. When it seemed the Thunder had momentum, Vembanjama hit a miraculous three-pointer in the first overtime to tie the game and force the second overtime. He then secured the victory with two powerful layups in the final minute.

Dylan Harper provided significant support with 24 points and a record seven steals, while Stefon Dosum added 17 points. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each contributed 13 points.

For the Thunder, the night started with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving his second consecutive MVP trophy, but he struggled offensively, finishing with 24 points and 12 assists but shooting only 7-for-23. Aleks Karuzo was the most efficient player for the Thunder with 31 points, and Jalen Williams returned from injury with 26 points. However, these efforts were not enough to extend the Thunder's nine-game playoff winning streak.

San Antonio Spurs' coach, Mike Johnson, said, "This was a battle of wills. The mental toughness of both teams was incredible, and we needed every second from every player who stepped on the court."

This was only the sixth time in NBA history that a first game of a playoff series went to double overtime, with the last occurrence in 2013 when the Spurs also faced the Warriors.

The second game will be played on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will aim to level the series before it moves to Texas.