Victor Wembanyama posted 40 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes, leading the San Antonio Spurs past the Phoenix Suns 122-96 on Monday night for their ninth straight win.
The most eye-catching moment came early in the fourth quarter. The 7-foot-4 center brought the ball up the court, crossed over Khaman Maluach several times, dribbled between his legs and behind his back, then glided past him for an easy layup. It was arguably only the fourth- or fifth-most impressive thing he did during a night full of superlatives.
The performance came just five days after Wembanyama set career highs with 52 points and 24 rebounds in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“It feels like where I want to be,” Wembanyama said.
A historic scoring night
Wembanyama became the second player since minutes were first tracked in 1951-52 to score 40 or more points in under 26 minutes. Sleepy Floyd did it on Feb. 26, 1991, when he scored 40 points in 24 minutes.
He played like an MVP from the moment he stepped on the court, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and 22 by halftime. He scored on 3-pointers, jumpers and dunks, and he swatted away shots on the defensive end with ease.
Suns coach Jordan Ott had a defensive plan for Wembanyama before the game, but it failed to slow him down.
“He just does it from all three levels right now and then anytime he has a switch, they just literally throw the ball to the top of the backboard [for a dunk],” Ott said. “When that starts, it’s so deflating and it’s tough to overcome. But he does it to everyone.”
Devin Booker, a five-time All-Star, led the Suns with a team-high 32 points, but that was not enough to match Wembanyama.
“It’s something like we’ve never seen before,” Booker said. “He can handle the ball, but his instincts for the game are off the charts, too. If he’s not blocking shots, he’s altering them so it’s a tough matchup.”
Becoming complete
The 22-year-old has been a physical outlier since he entered the NBA in 2023, doing things almost no one else in the league can do. Now he is also becoming elite at the mental side of the game, making the right decisions over and over again.
“I should keep the physically amazing things for the amazingly difficult situations, not the day-to-day,” Wembanyama said with a grin. “Opponents can’t really put me in a situation where I can’t answer, so now all I have to do is not beat myself.”
Strong supporting cast
The Spurs (9-2) are not a one-man show. Dylan Harper scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter, and De’Aaron Fox, Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes also made valuable contributions.
Still, San Antonio revolves around Wembanyama, and he is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. The Spurs’ winning streak reflects that development.
“There’s a lot of good going on. I think he’s allowing the game to unfold naturally,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s doing a great job of putting himself in positions to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of him, and his teammates do a good job as well of utilizing him when appropriate.”