Victor Wembanyama delivered another dominant performance Saturday night, posting 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
The win marked an emphatic return for Wembanyama after he missed one game with a sore right calf. The second-year star wasted little time reasserting his impact on both ends of the floor, showcasing the all-around skill set that has helped transform San Antonio into one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams this season.
Wembanyama controlled the game in multiple ways, attacking the rim for powerful dunks, facilitating offense for teammates and protecting the paint with his length and timing. At times he made opposing players look overmatched, swatting shots and finishing above the rim in highlight-reel fashion.
Wemby was everywhere
His influence was immediate. By halftime, Wembanyama had already recorded 18 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals, setting the tone for the Spurs. One sequence early in the second quarter captured his persistence: after losing control of an alley-oop pass and striking the rim on his first dunk attempt, he recovered the ball and slammed home a follow-up that pushed San Antonio‘s lead to nine.
The 7-foot-4 star finished the game shooting 13 of 24 from the field and 5 of 10 from three-point range. His outside shooting has become another weapon during the Spurs‘ recent surge. Over his last five games, Wembanyama is shooting 46.9 percent from beyond the arc, converting 23 of his 49 attempts.
San Antonio‘s strong play has translated directly into wins. The Spurs have now won 17 of their last 19 games, tightening their grip on second place in the Western Conference. At 49-18, San Antonio sits 7 games ahead of the Houston Rockets for the No. 3 spot and trails the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder by three games.
A major comeback for Wemby
The victory also capped the Spurs‘ longest homestand of the season with a 5-1 record. Their only defeat during that stretch came Thursday in a 136-131 loss to the Denver Nuggets, a game Wembanyama missed while recovering from the calf injury.
Charlotte entered the contest with momentum, having won two straight and eight of its previous 10 games. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 22 points, while rookie Kon Knueppel added 20. LaMelo Ball finished with 17 points, including four three-pointers.
Ball briefly gave Charlotte its only lead of the night when he hit a 27-foot runner to make it 13-10 midway through the first quarter. Moments later, Julian Champagnie tied the game with a three-pointer for San Antonio, and the Spurs never trailed again.
Read the full article here
