Wembanyama’s all-around performance leads Spurs to victory over Hornets.
SAN ANTONIO — Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama made his return after a one-game hiatus on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets, showcasing his comprehensive skill set in a 115-102 win that concluded a six-game homestand at Frost Bank Center.
Wembanyama narrowly missed achieving his third career 30-point triple-double, finishing with a game-high 32 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, along with four blocks and two steals. This performance marked Wembanyama’s second career game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, multiple blocks, and multiple steals, placing him alongside George Gervin for the third-most such games in franchise history, trailing only David Robinson (19) and Tim Duncan (9), as per ESPN Research.
“It’s just a progression in general,” Wembanyama remarked. “There were many aspects of the game where we dominated them, and that shows because we won three out of four quarters.”
San Antonio improved to a league-leading 17-2 since February 1, including a 5-1 record during their six-game homestand.
“It’s been really beneficial for us to go through these games and learn about other teams as well as ourselves,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated. “We’ve had to engage in various types of games, whether it’s a bit open or requiring extensive defensive coverage, matching physicality, executing late in games, and observing different defensive strategies against us. All these experiences are hopefully lessons that we can convert into knowledge and wisdom moving forward.”
Wembanyama made his first shot of the day, a 26-footer assisted by Stephon Castle, and concluded the first quarter with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He recorded a game-high 18 points by halftime.
The French player demonstrated his playmaking abilities in the third quarter, assisting center Luke Kornet with two alley-oops among his three assists in that period. In the fourth quarter, Wembanyama set up an alley-oop for Castle, who completed it with a two-handed reverse dunk.
“It’s one more weapon,” Wembanyama noted regarding his playmaking. “My playmaking usually occurs by rolling and not even touching the ball, creating opportunities for others through my positioning and gravity. But I can do that as well.”
Wembanyama missed the team’s second loss since February 1 on Thursday due to a sore right ankle after testing it during pre-game warmups. He and San Antonio’s medical team opted for caution ahead of the defeat to the Denver Nuggets, but the organization was hopeful for his return in Saturday’s game against the Hornets.
Wembanyama is allowed to miss three more regular-season games before he becomes ineligible for NBA awards.
“Victor has the longest list of goals that are probably the most significant in the history of basketball,” Johnson commented. “All of them are important to me as well. There’s a lot that goes into that, and at times we have to make difficult decisions. Because on that extensive list, there are still priorities that we place at the top. But that individual, I believe, will continue to challenge us as long as we are all here to keep fulfilling that desire to check off items on that list.”
In other injury updates, rookie Dylan Harper was absent from Saturday’s game due to a right calf contusion.
Johnson indicated that Harper is day-to-day, adding there is “no long-term concern” regarding the injury. Harper had previously missed 10 games in November due to a left calf strain.
