By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama required only 26:06 to explode for 40 points, propelling the San Antonio Spurs to a dominant 136-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. The French superstar displayed historic efficiency, racking up 25 points within the first 7:59 and reaching 37 by halftime during Tuesday’s contest.
“It feels right,” the Le Chesnay native commented on piling up 25 points in the first quarter. “What got me going is, honestly, proving myself a point, proving my team a point.”
“History has shown I need to be worried about us against teams like this. We don’t just talk about things we need to do, we need to actually act,” he added.
With the Spurs maintaining a comfortable lead, Wembanyama checked out early in the third quarter. He finished shooting 13/20 from the field, including 4/6 from beyond the arc. His 12 rebounds secured his 25th double-double of the 2025–26 NBA Regular Season, and he further stuffed the stat sheet with two steals, two assists, and one block.
“Of course, I’m ready to be back on the court. I was also pushing to go back, but they made the right choice by keeping me on the bench. We got to think long-term,” he reacted to his early exit.
After the buzzer, Wembanyama also had an emotional hug with his mother, celebrating an incredible performance.
This fifth consecutive win improved San Antonio’s season record to 37–16, while the Lakers dropped to 32–21. However, Poland’s Jeremy Sochan did not see action for the team led by coach Mitch Johnson.
“He’s one of the five best players in the world. He’s put that stamp on himself. To me, it’s more than counting stats with him, because there’s such an avoidance of him defensively,” the Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, described facing the towering big. “He’s one of one as a human, and you can see the collective belief and culture that they have established in the last few years with him.”
German Maxi Kleber had six points on perfect 2-of-2 shooting, adding three rebounds and one steal in 13:20 of play off the bench for the Lakers. Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic sat out his third straight game due to a left hamstring strain, while LeBron James remained sidelined with left foot arthritis. By missing this contest, James officially exceeded the league’s absence threshold, formally becoming ineligible for season-ending awards under the current collective bargaining rules.