Victor Wembanyama drops 50 points in the Spurs' win over the Wizards

Today at 11:54 PM

The big man put together a dominant performance to log his first 50-point game and lead the surging Spurs to a win.

Victor Wembanyama had one of the best games of his young career on Wednesday, scoring 50 points to propel the Spurs past the Wizards. Washington was down big on both halves but fought hard to make it close before falling, 139-130.

The signs that it would be a high-scoring night for the Spurs and Wembanyama were there from the start, as they opened up the game with three consecutive outside shots. Victor's hot streak from beyond the arc continued and his two-way dominance was palpable early. The big man was patrolling the paint and Stephon Castle was being disruptive on the perimeter, which stunted a Wizards' offense that struggled to execute. San Antonio got a 16-point lead at one point in the opening frame, but unfortunately, the second unit couldn't keep it. The bench hit a few shots but lacked shot creation with Devin Vassell struggling and was abysmal at times on defense, letting the visitors back in the game. Jordan Poole got hot and the jumpers were falling for Washington, which only trailed by one after the opening 12 minutes.

Wembanyama continued being a monster on offense but struggled to contain Jonas Valunciunas in the second quarter. The two big men went at each other, with Wemby hitting threes and driving on the slower Valanciunas and the Lithuanian center using his weight, strength and touch to grab offensive boards and score inside. The Spurs were still in control and created some separation when Valanciunas went to the bench, putting points on the board on cuts and timely drives but, once again, the defense left a lot to be desired with Victor on the bench and the Wizards made the most of it. What had been a lopsided matchup earlier turned into a close game in which San Antonio eventually lost its small lead and had to hit a three-pointer in the last second to tie it at 67 going into the break.

The Spurs, one of the best teams in the third quarter this season, lived up to their reputation by creating massive separation in that frame, but it took a while. Wembanyama continued to dominate but Jordan Poole and the other Wizards shooters were getting good looks and not wasting them. Stops were hard to come by and when Wemby headed to the bench, San Antonio was only up six. The second unit, which struggled earlier in the game, stepped up at the right time to put together a great stretch that allowed the Silver and Black to go up by 21. The defense was responsible for the push as well, which was a pleasant surprise on a night in which both teams didn't do a good job of disrupting each other's offenses. Wembanyama had 43 points heading into the fourth and everything seemed in place for a blowout win for the Spurs.

The Wizards had other plans, alas. Wemby got his 50-point game and San Antonio was ahead by 19 when he checked out, but the comeback attempt started soon after. Poole kept getting to the rim at will and he found two other teammates who refused to give up in Valanciunas and Cory Kispert. Washington quickly got the deficit to 10, forcing Mitch Johnson to send his starters back in. They took care of business, but not without a few scares. First, Chris Paul showed signs of pain as he held his wrist after a tough fall following a drive, but it turned out to not be serious. Second, the Wizards got as close as down six points after a couple of misses from the line that kept the door open for the upset. Fortunately, the Spurs prevailed despite making the end of the game more suspenseful than it should have been.

Play of the game

The bucket that gave Wembanyama his first, but likely not his last, 50-point game.

Game notes

• Wemby's performance was sublime. The eight made threes on 14 attempts were impressive but so was his willingness to drive after establishing the threat of his jumper. He also blocked three shots and changed many others and only turned the ball over once. Superstar stuff from the big man, who looks more confident than ever.
• Devin Vassell couldn't find his three-point range (1-for-8 from outside) but still managed to score 17 points on 14 shots thanks to his six free throws. The Spurs are bringing Vassell back slowly but he's looked good so far.
• The reason why Mitch Johnson can afford to keep bringing Vassell off the bench and limiting his minutes is because Stephon Castle continues to be a solid starter. Castle couldn't keep Poole in front of him at times but was disruptive on defense and judicious on offense. The rookie is more NBA-ready than anticipated.
• The forwards, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson, didn't have great scoring nights but put a lot of effort on the boards. They combined for 18 rebounds on a night in which Wembanyama only pulled down six.
• The second unit had trouble creating good looks so it had to turn to Zach Collins' passing for a spark, and he delivered as a playmaking hub. The big man, who also pulled down seven boards in 16 minutes, dished out six assists, the second most on the team.
• Chris Paul helped tremendously in the final moments. Not only did he hit big shots but also kept the team composed and the clock running. Paul has to conserve his energy at this age, but when he's needed, he steps up and his experience is invaluable on such a young team.
• Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley had efficient scoring nights and a couple of assists each. A lot of their minutes will disappear when Tre Jones is back but both young guards have done enough to show they could still carve out a career for themselves, even through some ups and downs.

Next game: Vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Friday

The Spurs will face the Lakers in their first mid-season tournament game. It will also be an opportunity to get over .500 for the first time this season.