SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama delivered an unprecedented performance Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 52 points, grabbing 24 rebounds and blocking eight shots to carry the San Antonio Spurs past the Dallas Mavericks 112-111.
The towering center achieved totals never before combined in a single game since the NBA started tracking blocks as an official statistic in the 1973-74 season, according to ESPN. The victory marked San Antonio’s sixth consecutive win, lifting its record to 6-2 on the season, while Dallas dropped to 4-4.
A Dominant First Half and a Tense Finish
San Antonio took control early behind Wembanyama, who produced 10 of the team’s opening 12 points. By halftime, he had racked up 29 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks, ABC News reported. That made him the first player in the league’s play-by-play era, which began in 1996, to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a single half.
During one first-half sequence, Wembanyama swatted three shots in 13 seconds on a single possession, turning away attempts by Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington. The Spurs led by 17 at intermission and expanded the margin to 19 points during the third quarter.
Dallas mounted a sustained second-half comeback sparked by Flagg and Naji Marshall. The Mavericks briefly grabbed a fourth-quarter lead while Wembanyama spent time on the bench after rolling his ankle. Wembanyama returned to steady San Antonio down the stretch, converting two key putbacks in the closing three minutes and making a late free throw to give the Spurs a one-point edge.
Dallas had a final opportunity to win the game, but Kyrie Irving missed a contested, 15-foot turnaround jumper just before the final buzzer, leaving Washington open along the perimeter, Yahoo Sports reported.
“I haven’t been feeling great lately. I’ve been sick. Today felt like I was getting my legs back. It should be more like this more often.”
— Victor Wembanyama, postgame comments reported by Yahoo Sports
Historic Milestones Across the Box Score
The statistical disparity between Wembanyama’s playing time and his bench minutes underscored his value. San Antonio outscored Dallas by 23 points in the 34 minutes Wembanyama played, but the Spurs were outscored by 22 points across the 14 minutes he rested, according to ABC News.
The 22-year-old French star also joined rare historical company:
- He became only the second player since 1973 to record at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in a game, matching Hall of Fame center Bob McAdoo from 1974, ESPN reported.
- His 24 rebounds are the most in an NBA 50-point game since Chris Webber gathered 26 in 2001.
- He matched Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players to post at least 50 points and 20 rebounds in a one-point victory, according to ESPN.
- He became the third player in Spurs franchise history to log multiple 50-point games, joining George Gervin and David Robinson.
Support for San Antonio came from Dylan Harper, who scored 21 points, and Stephon Castle, who contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds. For Dallas, Irving paced the offense with 29 points, Marshall scored 22, Washington added 21, and Flagg recorded 19 points.
Self-Critique and Looking Ahead
Despite his historic numbers, Wembanyama expressed frustration with his late-game execution, specifically mentioning missed free throws after starting the night 18 for 18 from the foul line before finishing 1 of 4 in the final minutes. “I wish I set better screens towards the end and made more free throws,” Wembanyama told ESPN.
Regarding his twisted ankle, Wembanyama noted after the game that he was feeling fine but said, “We’ll see tomorrow.” Both teams return to the court Friday night, with the Spurs visiting the Sacramento Kings and Dallas hosting the Utah Jazz.
