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Michael C. Wright, ESPN writer
SAN ANTONIO – Fresh off a three-game layoff, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama showed early rust, only to regain his rhythm late and lead San Antonio to its second-biggest comeback of the season, a 104-win. 94 over Golden State. Warriors.
“I thought he was a grown man in the fourth quarter,” Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama.
Three days after rallying from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Utah Jazz, the Spurs rallied from a 17-point deficit Saturday to upset the Warriors, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back set. San Antonio’s performance marked the first time since 2017 that it overcame deficits of more than 15 points in consecutive games.
“I found my rhythm physically,” Wembanyama said. “It was a little difficult to come back in terms of conditioning in the first half. There is a switch that I am trying to activate as needed. Strong catches, quick movements, not holding the ball, but also taking my time, taking shots with Confidence, good feet and good preparation for shooting.
Wembanyama scored a game-high 25 points with 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 blocks.
One of those blocks started a stretch of the fourth quarter in which Wembanyama scored seven points, with a steal interspersed, as San Antonio cut a deficit from six points to one in a span of 1 minute, 40 seconds.
The Spurs trailed by 17 points with 1:55 left in the third quarter before embarking on a 40-13 run to close out the game. Golden State suffered its biggest blown lead of the season.
“It was a good learning lesson in how to capture and maintain momentum when you’ve done enough to separate yourself,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said.
Wembanyama racked up nearly half of his total scoring output (12 points) in the fourth quarter, adding five assists and two blocks to lead a Spurs team that finished the game outscoring the Warriors 13-2 in fast-break points.
“Definitely enjoy the moments,” Johnson said. “I thought his fundamentals, especially tonight, were elite. When he does it, it will be scary to adjust.”
Golden State now knows it firsthand. Wembanyama began the contest hitting 3 of 9 shots for nine points with two turnovers. The 20-year-old made 3-pointers on his first five attempts of the night and didn’t connect on a 2-point field goal until 2:19 remained in the first quarter.
“Vic’s confidence never wavers, and it’s great to see,” senior guard Chris Paul said. “He’s confident. He knows the next guy is going to come in. Vic was huge, just being his first game back. The defense, the shooting. The plays he made tonight were all winning. He’s an alien. He’s so unique.”
By halftime, Wembanyama had hit six three-pointers with only two hits. He took fewer shots in the third quarter, connecting on 2 of 3 attempts.
“Stop shooting?” Wembanyama asked jokingly. “Never.”
The Frenchman’s brave approach paid off in a fourth quarter in which San Antonio entered trailing by 10 points. Wembanyama has posted eight 20-point outings this season in 14 appearances.
Saturday night marked Wembanyama’s first live action since November 15, when he suffered a right knee bruise that sidelined him for three games. The Spurs posted back-to-back wins over Oklahoma City and Utah after losing to Dallas on Nov. 16 in Wembanyama’s first game out of the lineup.
Against the Warriors, Wembanyama produced his 13th consecutive game with multiple blocks, the longest streak of any player this season.
“He was unbelievable, blocking shots, frustrating others, just being a presence in the paint,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said of Wembanyama. “It was an impressive performance by him and the whole team, defensively.”
