Wembanyama's Historic 52-Point Night Lifts Spurs Past Mavericks 112-111

Victor Wembanyama produced one of the great individual performances in modern NBA history on Wednesday night, pouring in a career-high 52 points with a career-high 24 rebounds and eight blocks as the San Antonio Spurs edged the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 at the Frost Bank Center. The French star was unstoppable from the start. He had 29 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks by half-time, becoming the first player in the play-by-play era, which began in 1996-97, to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a single half. By the final buzzer he had joined Bob McAdoo, who did it in 1974, as only the second player since blocks became an official statistic to post at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in a game. It was also the first 50-point, 20-rebound game in Spurs franchise history, and the most rebounds in a 50-point game since Chris Webber in 2001. Wembanyama shot 16 of 28 from the field and 19 of 23 from the free-throw line in 34 minutes, and his night ended at the stripe: after Dallas had fought back from 19 points down to tie the game at 111 on Naji Marshall's jumper with 1:41 left, Wembanyama sank the decisive free throw with 24.2 seconds remaining, and Kyrie Irving missed the final shot for the Mavericks. Irving led Dallas with 29 points, Marshall added 22 off the bench, and P.J. Washington had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while rookie Cooper Flagg posted 19 points and 10 boards. Dylan Harper added 21 for San Antonio, who won their sixth game in a row. Afterwards Wembanyama revealed he had been playing through a virus, saying he had not been feeling great lately but that on this night he finally got his legs back.