PHOENIX (AP) — Victor Wembanyama wrapped up another jaw-dropping performance on Monday night early in the fourth quarter, casually bringing the ball up the court before crossing over Khaman Maluach a few times, dribbling between his legs and then behind his back before gliding past him for an easy layup.
It was a ridiculous moment for the 7-foot-4 center.
And — honestly — it was maybe the fourth or fifth most impressive thing he did in another night full of superlatives.
Wembanyama finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Phoenix Suns 122-96 for their ninth straight win. The performance comes just five days after he set career highs with 52 points and 24 rebounds in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“It feels like where I want to be,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama played like an MVP from the moment he stepped on the court Monday, pouring in 14 points in the first quarter and 22 by halftime. He scored on an array of 3-pointers, jumpers and dunks, all while swatting away shots on the defensive end with ease.
Suns coach Jordan Ott had a defensive plan for Wembanyama before the game. It didn't work.
“He just does it from all three levels right now and then anytime he has a switch, they just literally throw the ball to the top of the backboard (for a dunk),” Ott said. “When that starts, it's so deflating and it's tough to overcome. But he does it to everyone.”
Suns' five-time All-Star Devin Booker finished with a team-high 32 points, but it wasn't enough to match Wemby.
“It’s something like we’ve never seen before," Booker said. "He can handle the ball but his instincts for the game are off the charts, too. If he’s not blocking shots, he’s altering them so it’s a tough matchup.”
The 22-year-old Wembanyama has been a physical outlier since the moment he stepped on an NBA court in 2023, doing things that almost no one else in the league can do. Now he's becoming elite at the mental side of the game as well, making the right decisions over and over and over again.
“I should keep the physically amazing things for the amazingly difficult situations, not the day to day,” Wembanyama said, grinning. “Opponents can't really put me in a situation where I can't answer, so now all I have to do is not beat myself.”
The Spurs (9-2) aren't just a one-man show. Dylan Harper scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter while De'Aaron Fox, Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes also had nice contributions.
But there's little doubt the Spurs revolve around Wemby and now he's in the midst of the best stretch of his career. It's no surprise that San Antonio is winning lots of games because of that development.
“There’s a lot of good going on, I think he’s allowing the game to unfold naturally," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "He’s doing a great job of putting himself in positions to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of him and his teammates do a good job as well of utilizing him when appropriate.”
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