(VIDEO) Wembanyama Erupts for 52 Points, 24 Rebounds and 8 Blocks as Spurs Edge Mavericks

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama delivered the finest performance of his young career Wednesday night, scoring 52 points, grabbing 24 rebounds and blocking eight shots as the San Antonio Spurs held off a furious Dallas rally to beat the Mavericks 112-111.

Both the points and rebounds were career highs for the 7-foot-5 French star, whose all-around dominance carried San Antonio to its sixth consecutive victory. The Spurs improved to 6-2 after dropping their first two games of the season.

Dallas nearly stole it anyway. Despite trailing by 19 points, the Mavericks almost won, with Kyrie Irving missing a potential go-ahead shot with 2.5 seconds left.

A historic first half

Wembanyama set the tone almost immediately and had already made history by intermission. He piled up 29 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in the first half, becoming the first player since the NBA's play-by-play era began in the 1996-97 season to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a single half.

The Spurs rode that surge to a commanding halftime lead. San Antonio outscored Dallas 32-26 in the first quarter and 36-25 in the second to take a 68-51 lead into the break, and the margin later grew to as many as 19 points.

There was one early moment that went Dallas' way. Mavericks center Daniel Gafford won the opening tip against Wembanyama, which The Dallas Morning News noted was pretty much the Mavericks' lone triumph against him on the night.

Company with legends

By the final buzzer, Wembanyama's stat line had placed him alongside some of the most celebrated names in league history.

He became only the second player since blocks became an official statistic in 1973-74 to post at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in a game. The only other player to do so was Bob McAdoo in 1974.

Wembanyama also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with at least 50 points and 20 rebounds in a one-point victory.

He came agonizingly close to another milestone. Wembanyama finished one rebound shy of the first 50-point, 25-rebound, five-block game in NBA history and the first 50-25 game since Chris Webber did it in 2001.

Efficient and relentless

Wembanyama was efficient and aggressive throughout. He made 16 of 28 shots from the field, including 15 of 20 inside the arc, and went 19 of 23 at the free-throw line. Nine of his 24 rebounds came on the offensive glass, and he added two steals and two assists while committing just one turnover. San Antonio outscored Dallas by 23 points with him on the floor.

His trips to the line stood out. The Dallas Morning News noted that referees sent Wembanyama to the free-throw line 23 times.

The only cracks came late. After making his first 18 free throws, Wembanyama missed four straight in the final minutes.

After the game, Wembanyama framed the win around effort. "We wanted it more tonight," he said in his postgame interview, adding that he was trying to set an example for his teammates.

Dallas storms back

The Mavericks refused to fold after halftime. Dallas outscored San Antonio 29-22 in the third quarter and 31-22 in the fourth, turning a blowout into a nail-biter and briefly taking the lead along the way.

Naji Marshall led Dallas with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range. P.J. Washington added 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Dallas had a chance to win it at the end, but Irving's last attempt rimmed out, sealing a one-point loss for the Mavericks.

Spurs' supporting cast

Rookie Dylan Harper gave the Spurs a lift with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Stephon Castle added 17 points and 10 rebounds, and De'Aaron Fox chipped in 10 points and four assists.

San Antonio struggled badly from long range, making just 5 of 36 3-point attempts. The Spurs made up for it inside, outscoring Dallas 62-40 in the paint, and at the free-throw line, where they went 33 of 39 compared with the Mavericks' 19 of 26.

MVP conversation

The performance is likely to fuel talk of Wembanyama as an early contender for the league's top individual honor. Yardbarker noted he was widely considered the frontrunner for the MVP award before the season, though Luka Doncic's early dominance has since shifted some of that conversation.

Wednesday's game was also a reminder of how far Wembanyama has come. He missed the end of the 2024-25 season with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder before returning to the court.

Up next

Mavericks: Will try to regroup after a narrow road loss in which they erased a 19-point deficit.

Spurs: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday night before continuing a road trip at Portland on Saturday.