Wembanyama scores 40 points in 26 minutes against the Lakers, expresses desire for additional playing time.
LOS ANGELES — Victor Wembanyama commenced Tuesday night’s matchup with the intention of ensuring his San Antonio Spurs did not underestimate their rivals, who were lacking key players, a recurring issue for the Western Conference’s second-place team this season.
Wembanyama concluded the 136-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers by observing the entire fourth quarter from the sidelines, expressing a desire to continue accumulating stats after netting 40 points in just 26 minutes.
“I was also eager to return, but they made the right choice by keeping me on the bench,” Wembanyama stated. “We need to consider the long-term. But yes, in these types of games, you must possess that greed. I mean, every game requires that desire to achieve more, because you know that regardless of who is on the court, there is someone determined to prevent you from executing your game. So, you have to be greedy.”
This was only the fifth occurrence in the shot clock era (since 1954-55) where a player scored at least 40 points in 26 minutes or fewer, according to ESPN Research. Wembanyama also secured 12 rebounds, joining Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing as the only players in NBA history to achieve a 40-point double-double in such limited time.
The Lakers were without four regular starters after center Deandre Ayton was a late scratch due to knee discomfort, and stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves were ruled out earlier in the day.
Wembanyama made sure the Spurs took control right from the start, scoring 25 points on 8-of-9 shooting before exiting for the first time with 4:01 left in the first quarter. This performance marked the third highest-scoring quarter by a Spur in franchise history, surpassed only by Hall of Famers George Gervin (33) and David Robinson (28).
“What motivated me was honestly proving a point to myself and my team,” said Wembanyama, who finished 13-of-20 from the field, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line while matching his season-high scoring total. “I’m not concerned about us against strong teams, but history has shown that I need to be cautious against teams like this. So yes, we don’t just discuss what we need to do; we need to take action.”
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama had scored 37 points by halftime, with the Spurs leading by 29.
“He was extremely aggressive,” Lakers coach J.J. Redick remarked. “As aggressive at the start of a game as I’ve seen him. Both in attacking the rim and shooting without hesitation from three. He really made his mark on the game in that first half.”
Wembanyama managed to score only once during his time at the start of the third quarter, substituting out a possession after making a 3-pointer.
Wembanyama humorously pretended to start jogging to the scorer’s table at one point during the fourth quarter. He conveyed confidence that he could have significantly surpassed his career high of 50 points had he played his usual minutes instead of sitting out the final quarter.
“But I also recognize we need to be fresh for tomorrow,” said Wembanyama, whose team traveled to San Francisco after the game for the second leg of a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors. “We need to make another statement tomorrow. Ultimately, it’s a team game. The only statistic that truly matters is the W or the L.”
