Wemby's poster jam, 42 points leave Spurs abuzz

SAN ANTONIO -- Finger by finger, Devin Vassell counted the "wow" moments executed by Victor Wembanyama successful his 42-point gem Thursday nighttime that carried the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime triumph complete the Atlanta Hawks.

"The walk to Jeremy [Sochan], I sat location and said, 'There is nary way.' Way," Vassell said, laughing. "Then, evidently he throws it disconnected the solid [to himself]. Are we playing successful our backyard aliases are we playing successful the NBA?"

Regardless of venue, Wembanyama's capacity proved adjacent otherworldly. He became the first subordinate successful NBA history to link connected 7 3-pointers while totaling 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks successful the aforesaid game. The 20-year aged besides joined Joel Embiid (November 2022) and Karl-Anthony Towns (December 2018) arsenic the only players this period to rack up 60 points, 10 assists and 10 blocks successful a two-game span.

Wembanyama capped the latest milestone successful melodramatic manner against the Hawks by scoring 8 of San Antonio's 13 points successful overtime, shooting 3-of-4 from the section and making some 3-point attempts. Wembanyama's 29-footer disconnected a Chris Paul assistance pinch 1:52 remaining successful overtime gave San Antonio the lead for good.

Wembanyama now finds himself tied pinch Hall of Fame constituent defender Tony Parker for the eighth-most 40-point games successful franchise history (3).

"I thought he imposed his will successful a affirmative measurement tonight," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. "You tin spot it physically conscionable because of his sheer size erstwhile he's demonstrative, playing pinch conviction, wherever he is going to get the shot to the spots he wants to get to, and nothing's going to extremity him."

Atlanta surely struggled to do truthful successful an opening half successful which Wembanyama scored 24 points connected 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, pinch 3 blocks. Thursday night's crippled marked the first clip each play each subordinate connected San Antonio's roster was patient and disposable to play.

The Spurs took advantage, inserting Vassell into the starting lineup for the first clip this play while moving rookie Stephon Castle into a reserve role. Vassell scored 23 points while going 5-of-7 from 3-point range, pinch 4 assists and 2 steals, arsenic San Antonio tied a play precocious pinch 35 points disconnected Atlanta's 23 turnovers.

"It felt for illustration a large relief," Wembanyama said of the Spurs yet playing pinch a patient roster. "Even earlier the game, I deliberation immoderate of my teammates were still questionable. So, we were like, 'Is it the day, finally?'"

Yes, it was. But it besides turned retired to beryllium Wembanyama's night.

Over a span of 3 minutes, 4 seconds successful the 4th quarter, Wembanyama served arsenic the catalyst for 11 consecutive points, scoring 9 connected his ain successful a assortment of ways -- from the mid-post, adjacent the bucket and retired to the 3-point statement -- earlier closing the detonation pinch an alley-oop to Jeremy Sochan, who laid it successful pinch his backmost turned to the basket.

One possession before, Wembanyama stumbled down the lane arsenic clip ticked disconnected the changeable timepiece pinch Clint Capela defending and teammate Julian Champagnie opinionated nether the basket. Wembanyama tossed an alley-oop to himself disconnected the backboard for a two-handed poster jam that near teammates still successful awe good aft the last buzzer.

"Sometimes, you conscionable consciousness it," Wembanyama said of the freelance quality of the play. "I deliberation the measurement we publication their sum was good, and having bully spacing to time off abstraction connected the isos [was good]. I deliberation it was a operation of things. There's not 1 answer, but the truth we've adapted to the different types of defenses [teams are playing], this is what I'm talking about."

Paul, meanwhile, vanished pinch 12 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals, scoring his first handbasket of the nighttime successful the 3rd quarter. Paul's pullup jumper early successful that framework registered arsenic his first made section extremity since the opening 4th of Friday's triumph astatine Portland.

Paul changeable 4-of-4 against Atlanta, including a 25-foot pullup jumper to put the crippled connected crystal pinch 19.5 seconds left. It was Paul's 4th profession crippled pinch 10-plus points connected 100% shooting from the field.

Still, each Paul could talk astir afterward was Wembanyama.

"That was wild," Paul said, recalling Wembanyama's aforesaid alley-oop. "We were conscionable talking astir it successful the locker room. I saw Julian [Champagnie] trim and I thought he was astir to walk it to him. When I saw him put it disconnected the backboard, I was like, 'Damn, what is Vic doing there?' I show you, conscionable astir each nighttime he does thing that you're like, 'Damn, that's why they talk astir him each the time.'"