Wembanyama Drops 40 in Spurs Blowout
Victor Wembanyama dominated the short-handed Lakers with 40 points and 12 rebounds in just 26 minutes as the Spurs crushed Los Angeles 136-108 on February 11. The 7'4" sophomore scored 37 points in the first half alone, showcasing his offensive evolution in his second NBA season.
- The Lakers were without their entire starting lineup, as LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart all sat out due to injuries or health management. - Wembanyama's 37-point first half was the highest-scoring half by any NBA player in the 2025-26 season up to that point and the most by a Spurs player in the 21st century. - The dominant performance was part of an early-season surge for the Spurs, marking their fifth consecutive victory and improving their record to 37-16, placing them second in the Western Conference. - He became just the third player in the last 50 NBA seasons to score 40 or more points while playing 27 minutes or fewer. - The scoring outburst came in Wembanyama's first season under new head coach Mitch Johnson, who took over after Gregg Popovich stepped down following 29 seasons at the helm. - In his unanimous Rookie of the Year campaign the prior season, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and a league-best 3.6 blocks per game. - Wembanyama set the tone immediately, scoring 17 points in the first 4 minutes and 15 seconds of the game on perfect 5-for-5 shooting. - For the Lakers, the loss dropped their season record to 32-21; Luke Kennard and Drew Timme led the team in scoring with 14 points each.
