Victor Wembanyama Sets Career-Highs In Video Game-Like Performance Against Mavericks

Victor Wembanyama earned the MVP chants that he received from fans at the Frost Bank Center after his video game-like performance against the Dallas Mavericks. Wembanyama finished with a career-high of 52 points and 24 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ 112-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

“It’s just figuring things out,” Wembanyama said. “Sometimes, you’re one step ahead. Also, I haven’t been feeling great lately. I’m sick. I felt like I got my legs back. So, it should be more like this more often.” 

Wembanyama started the night hot, scoring 10 of San Antonio’s first 12 points and finishing with 29 points in 17 minutes in the first half. This was the second-highest-scoring half in his career, behind his 37-point first half in February against the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was efficient at the free-throw line, nailing all 15 of his free throws to tie James Harden in 2019 for the most without a miss in the first half since the play-by-play era.

Wembanyama grabbed 15 rebounds and five blocks in the first half, he became the first player in history to score at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a half.

He finished the game with eight blocks, the most in a 50-plus-point performance since blocks became an official stat in 1973-74.

“Twenty-[four] rebounds, nine offensive rebounds,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “Excluding the 3s, he was 15-for-20 from the field, which means he was all over the basket area and around the paint. He was a man tonight, and his teammates rewarded him quite a bit. He got rewarded in a variety of ways by just dominating both ends.” 

The performance put Wembanyama within elite company, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players to score at least 50 points and 20 rebounds in a single game. He is now the fifth player in NBA history to have multiple 50-point games at age 22 or younger.

Spurs guard Dylan Harper was not surprised when told that Wembanyama’s performance was compared to Chamberlain’s in the past.

“He’s basically Wilt,” Harper said. “The other team tries to do everything [to stop Wembanyama]. They throw out any adjustment, every adjustment. It’s hard to keep big fella out of the paint. He’s so dominant when he screens and rolls. He knows how to get to his spots. He’s great at the free throw line. So, for us, it’s just: how do we get him the ball, and how do we get the low man away from him?” 

During a sequence of the game, Wembanyama made it look like a video game, blocking three shots from Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford in the same possession.

“If I got blocked three times in a row, I feel like I’d be pretty upset,” Harper said. “But that’s Vic. He takes pride on the defensive side and things like that are just natural to him.” 

Wembanyama’s presence on defense was immense as Dallas shot 2-of-13 in the first half when contested by Wembanyama.

In the fourth quarter, the Spurs got a scare when Wembanyama rolled his right ankle with the score at 94-87. The Mavericks would cut the lead down to one point (100-99) with 6:05 left; Wembanyama returned to close out the game, scoring 10 points.

“He’s Superman,” Harper said. “He rolls his ankle and pops right up and acts as if nothing happened. I’ve never seen [something] like that, but that’s a testament to how he takes care of his body.” 

Wembanyama said he was “feeling fine” when asked about his right ankle. He called the play “the moment that stands out” because “both teams were really fighting at this moment, and they stepped up their physicality and forced us to step up ours.”

This could be the game that, months down the line, solidifies his MVP case; no player has produced more points, rebounds, or blocks in a game this season than Wembanyama. He is tied with, or sets, NBA highs in all three categories against the Mavericks.