Victor Wembanyama dominates with 29 points and 9 blocks (!) in Spurs victory

Victor Wembanyama continues to shine in this early NBA season. Two days after his 40-point opening game against Dallas, the French prodigy delivered another remarkable performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. With 29 points on 13/23 shooting, 11 rebounds and 9 blocks in 32 minutes, Wembanyama nearly achieved a triple-double with blocks, a rare stat in the league.

Victor WEMBANYAMA

29

PTS

11

REB

2

AST

NOP

116120

SAS

The highly anticipated duel between former number 1 draft picks, Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson (27 points, 10 rebounds), lived up to expectations. From the first possessions, Williamson attempted a poster on the French giant, who immediately responded with two consecutive blocks. This individual battle set the tone for a spectacular and balanced game.

Iron defense makes the difference

Wembanyama particularly impressed on defense tonight. With his 9 blocks, including 4 on Zion Williamson in the first half, the Olympic silver medalist became a true wall against the Pelicans’ attacks. Missing four of their five regular big men (DeAndre Jordan, Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic and Kevon Looney), the Pelicans struggled against « Wemby’s » defensive deterrence.

Offensively, Wembanyama posted a good percentage at 13/23 shooting for his 29 points, even though he missed all 3 of his three-point attempts. Less efficient than the opening game, but more than enough to impact the match. Moreover, he still hasn’t turned the ball over once.

Spurs win in overtime without their star

The most striking episode of the evening occurred at the start of overtime. After opening the extra period with a spectacular dunk, Wembanyama picked up his sixth foul, meaning automatic ejection. A tough blow that could have cost the Spurs dearly.

But that’s when San Antonio showed its new collective maturity. Devin Vassell (23 points), Stephon Castle (16 points) and Luke Kornet (14 points, 12 rebounds) took over to secure the 120-116 victory. Harrison Barnes sealed the win from the free-throw line with 1.9 seconds left, under the applause of Wembanyama who came to congratulate him.

This ability to win without their superstar, unthinkable last season, bodes well for the Spurs’ future. With two wins in two games and a Wembanyama who already seems above his level from the first two seasons, San Antonio could well play a leading role in the West this year. Next game Sunday at home against Brooklyn for the first game of the season in Texas.