Victor Wembanyama put up one of the greatest quarters and halves a San Antonio Spurs player has ever enjoyed. In finishing with 40 points in a 136-108 blowout at the Los Angeles Lakers, he scored 25 in the opening period and 37 before the intermission.
“These kind of games, you've got to have greed,” Wemby responded when asked if would've liked to have played more than eight minutes in the second half.
“In every game, you have to have this greed to want more every time because at all times, it doesn't matter who's on the court, there's somebody who's going to want to stop you from doing what you do out there. So, you've got be greedy,” the generational star continued.
While declarative, Wembanyama was also nuanced in answering that same question.
“I don't mind both ways. Of course, I'm ready to go back on the court. I was also pushing to go back, but they made the right choice by keeping me on the bench. We've got to think long term.”
In responding to a question about whether he wanted to end the night with 60 points given his first half, the 7-foot-5 center responded affirmatively before elaborating.
“I know it, but I also know we've got to be fresh for tomorrow. We got to make another statement tomorrow, so it's a team game at the end of the day. What the real stat that matters is the W or the L.”
Victor Wembanyama's huge night in context
According to Stathead, in playing 26:06 at the Lakers, the 2023 first overall draft pick became only the third player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in less than 27 minutes since 1976-1977, joining New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing and Sleepy Floyd.
The victory in Los Angeles marked the sixth time in his young career that he's scored at least 40. That already passes the greatest Spur ever on the list of most 40+ games in franchise history. Tim Duncan did it five times over his legendary career. Related, fellow Spurs icon Manu Ginobili enjoyed six 40+ point games, which is now tied with Wemby for sixth on that San Antonio list, though the French native now has more 30-point games (33) than did Ginobili.
Off the heels of Stephon Castle's 40 points in their previous game, Wembanyama's 40-piece meant Spurs players hit that number in back to back contests for the first time since 1984 when Mike Mitchell put up 43 two nights after George Gervin scored 42.
“It feels right,” Wemby said about a night like the one he enjoyed at the Lakers.
His 25-point performance in the first quarter is not only a personal high for a period, but also the most by any Spur in any single quarter in the play-by-play era since 1996 and ranks as the third highest scoring quarter in franchise history. Only Gervin with 33 and David Robinson with 28, both Hall-of-Famers, have put up more in a period as members of the Silver and Black.
“What got me going is, honestly, proving myself on point, proving my team on point,” the Spurs leading scorer concluded about a night that registered historically. And not just for his franchise. Wemby's 37 points in the first half are the most in 18 or fewer minutes since Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker matched the same numbers in a first half in January of 2024.
In the end, though, despite the scorching start, it wasn't a career night for Wembanyama. Blame his lack of greed.
