Victor Wembanyama held to series-low 20 points, Spurs fall in Game 5 of West finals to Thunder

It's been a very simple formula for the San Antonio Spurs in these Western Conference finals. When Victor Wembanyama has been the best player on the floor, they win. When he isn't, they lose.

He wasn't the best player on the floor Tuesday night.

That was not the only reason why the Spurs fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the West finals — there were many — but it was certainly among them. Wembanyama, who has had 41-point and 33-point outings in winning efforts during the series, never seemed to get fully rolling and the Spurs lost 127-114.

Now down 3-2 in the series, they'll try to extend the matchup — and save their season — in Game 6 at San Antonio on Thursday night.

Wembanyama scored 20 points, his lowest of the series, and only a 12-for-12 effort from the foul line helped him get there in Game 5. He was 4 for 15 from the floor, missing all five of his 3-point tries, never seeming to get into any sort of rhythm.

“He’s got to take more than 15 shots, even with the free throws,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said in his postgame news conference in Oklahoma City. “He’s going to have to score more than 20 points, for sure. ... OKC did a good job. We’ve got to do a better job.”

Wembanyama did not speak with reporters after the game.

The first halves have told much of the story. In San Antonio's two wins in this series, Wembanyama has gone 7-for-15 and 6-for-11 from the field. In the three losses, his halftime shot numbers — 2-for-4, 2-for-5 and 2-for-6, the last of those what he did in the first two quarters on Tuesday.

Wembanyama offered an impassioned speech to teammates during a timeout barely two minutes into the third quarter, after the Thunder opened an 18-point lead. And it worked — to a point. Oklahoma City scored again to get the lead up to 20, but the Spurs closed within eight later in the third.

It seemed like there was hope. But the Spurs didn't get any closer. The deficit was 10 going into the fourth, the Spurs scored only two points in the first 4:02 of the final quarter, and whatever momentum that seemed like it was building after Wembanyama's timeout speech appeared to be gone.

And on a night in which the Thunder just kept throwing different bodies — Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and more — along with different looks at Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French star just didn't have enough answers.

“It's a team defense,” Thunder guard Jared McCain said. “We talked about it. We made adjustments to it. We know that when he gets going, their whole team gets going."

Obviously, the Spurs know what's coming from the Thunder on Thursday — more of the same. San Antonio has two days to figure out how to counter.

“I think they sent so many bodies towards him, it’s hard at times,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “I think he just wants to make the right play and wants to win. ... He’s our best player. We need him to be aggressive. I feel like him being aggressive opens up shots for other guys.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) makes a basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) vie for a loose ball in the first half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) moves against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) moves on the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) moves on the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

BUGGENHOUT, Belgium (AP) — A train traveling at high speed hit a minibus crossing a railway in Belgium on Tuesday, killing four people, including two children, and badly injuring five other children in what officials called one of the worst rail accidents in the country's history.

It appeared that the minibus drove through the closed crossing barrier, officials said. A security camera showed the bus, carrying nine people, was moving when the train hit it. The collision happened during morning rush hour near Buggenhout town, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of the capital, Brussels.

The bus driver and an escort were killed along with two children aged 12 and 15, said Lisa De Wilde, spokesperson for the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office. She said the injured children were hospitalized in serious condition.

De Wilde told journalists the cause of the crash hadn't been established.

“What we do know is that the barrier was closed and the red light was on,” she said.

Federal Police spokesperson An Berger said the minibus driver appeared to have plowed through the barrier. Infrabel said the crossing was working correctly.

The train had been traveling at an estimated 120 kph (75 mph) as it approached the crossing and had “no time to brake," said Frédéric Sacré, a spokesperson for Belgian rail operator Infrabel.

“The impact was extremely violent,” Sacré told the RTBF public broadcaster.

An Associated Press journalist at the scene said the bus was toppled on its side with its front section crushed. The train was relatively unscathed.

It was believed about 100 passengers were aboard the train and that none were hurt. Rail traffic in the area was halted. Local officials stood for a minute's silence after a news conference.

In a post on social media, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he was “deeply moved by the horrific accident in Buggenhout. My thoughts go out to the affected families.”

Children played basketball and rode bicycles at a school not far from the scene.

——

Cook reported from Brussels. Mike Corder contributed to this report from The Hague, Netherlands.

A hearse drives away at a level crossing where a train collided with a school van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

Emergency personnel work at a level crossing where a train collided with a school van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

Emergency personnel work at a level crossing to move a van onto a flatbed truck after it collided with a train in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

Police tape cordons off a level crossing where a train collided with a van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

Police and rescue personal work around a level crossing where a train collided with a van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

Police and rescue personal work around a level crossing where a train collided with a van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

A vehicle lays on its side next to a house after a collision between a train and a van at a level crossing in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil)

Police and residents gather around a level crossing where a train collided with a van in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Marius Burgelman)

This video grab shows rescue workers on the scene of a crash between a train and vehicle in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (VTM via AP)

Rescue workers on the scene of a crash between a train and vehicle in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Koen Baten)

Rescue workers on the scene of a crash between a train and vehicle in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Koen Baten)

Rescue workers on the scene of a crash between a train and vehicle in Buggenhout, Belgium, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Koen Baten)