Victor Wembanyama sank the winning free throw to finish with a career-high 52 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 on Wednesday. The French star dominated at both ends of the court to also claim 24 rebounds and eight blocks.
Record-Breaking Performance
The 22-year-old became the first player in 52 years with at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in a single game. He also joined the select group of players since 1982 to register at least 50 points and 20 rebounds, helping San Antonio improve their record to 6-2.
Wembanyama reached half-time with 29 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and two steals, before the Spurs fended off a second-half comeback attempt by Dallas, who were led by 29 points from Kyrie Irving. Speaking after the game, Wembanyama mentioned he had been feeling unwell recently but felt his legs return just in time.
Philadelphia and Los Angeles Action
Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid guided the Philadelphia 76ers to a 112-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons in an Eastern Conference clash. Brown scored 30 points and Embiid added 26, while all five Philadelphia starters reached double figures, including LeBron James who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The 76ers advanced to an NBA-best 8-1 record following off-season additions.
Addressing expectations, James stated that discussing the championship series is premature and emphasized that the team will focus on their system and maintain their strong collective effort.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings 116-103, powered by a game-high 40 points from Luka Doncic, bringing his total to 308 points for the season. The Slovenian star became the first player to surpass 300 points in his opening eight games of a season since Michael Jordan achieved 303 in the 1988-89 campaign. During the match, Doncic was involved in an incident that resulted in a spectator being ejected after throwing a ball that struck an official while she signalled a Lakers possession.
In another fixture, London-born OG Anunoby contributed 18 points for the New York Knicks as the reigning champions secured their largest victory of the season by defeating the Chicago Bulls 135-105, leveling their record at 4-4.
