San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points and grabbed 20 rebounds on Friday to help the Spurs withstand a stunning 61-point performance from New York’s Jalen Brunson in a 130-126 NBA overtime victory over the Knicks.
French star Wembanyama became the first rookie to record a 40-point, 20-rebound game since Shaquille O’Neal had 46 and 21 in 1993.
The 20-year-old added seven assists, two steals and a blocked shot as he and the Spurs spoiled a career night for Brunson, who finished one point shy of the Knicks’ franchise record of 62 points in a game, set by Carmelo Anthony in 2014.
Photo: Scott Wachter-USA Today
The scintillating show in San Antonio overshadowed Minnesota’s 111-98 victory over reigning champions the Denver Nuggets that vaulted the Timberwolves into a tie for the Western Conference lead, alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder, who beat the Phoenix Suns 128-103.
The Nuggets dropped from first to third, 0.5 games behind the Timberwolves and the Thunder.
Brunson notched the fifth-highest points total of this high-scoring season, but he missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left in overtime.
“He’s pretty special,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of Wembanyama, adding that the Spurs’ ability to withstand an “amazing” Brunson and the Knicks’ late charge showed how much they have developed this year.
“All teams lose leads, but how you come back from it is important and earlier in the year we would not have sustained our own execution, our own pace,” Popovich said. “You can see the maturity that they’ve developed during the season.”
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Cavaliers 117, 76ers 114
‧ Heat 142, Trail Blazers 82
‧ Hornets 97, Warriors 115
‧ Jazz 100, Rockets 101
‧ Kings 103, Mavericks 107
‧ Magic 97, Clippers 100
‧ Nets 125, Bulls 108
‧ Pacers 109, Lakers 90
‧ Wizards 87, Pistons 96
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