Victor Wembanyama did not wait for the game to settle. He detonated from the opening tip.
The 7-foot-4 phenom poured in 25 points in the first quarter alone and finished with 40 in just three quarters, steering the San Antonio Spurs to a 135-108 dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday (Philippine time). By halftime, the outcome felt inevitable. By the third quarter, it was academic.
Wembanyama authored one of the most explosive halves in franchise history, unloading 37 points before intermission — the most by a Spur in any half of a regular-season game since the 1997–98 campaign.
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He did it with ruthless efficiency, going 13-of-20 from the field, stretching the defense from deep and punishing mismatches inside. He added 12 rebounds for good measure before exiting with 4:13 left in the third after drilling a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 100-68.
The victory was San Antonio’s fifth straight, matching its season high and further signaling that this is no longer a rebuilding outfit but a team learning how to impose its will.
The Spurs set the tone in the opening minutes, racing to a 14-4 advantage in under three minutes. They closed the first quarter ahead 47-30, tying a franchise record for points in an opening period — a mark last reached in 1993.
By halftime, the scoreboard read 84-55, the second-highest scoring first half in franchise history and the most the Spurs have ever scored in a half against the Lakers.
San Antonio shot a blistering 63.8 percent from the field in the first half and finished at 56.5 percent overall, carving up a Los Angeles defense already stretched thin by absences.
The Lakers were without Luka Doncic (hamstring), LeBron James (foot), Austin Reaves (calf), Deandre Ayton (knee), and Marcus Smart (ankle). The depleted lineup struggled to contain Wembanyama’s early avalanche and never recovered.
Drew Timme and Luke Kennard scored 14 points apiece for Los Angeles, while Bronny James delivered a season-high 12 points in 25 minutes. The Lakers have now dropped consecutive games for the first time since mid-January.
San Antonio’s supporting cast complemented its star. Carter Bryant came off the bench to score 16 points, Dylan Harper added 15, and veteran Harrison Barnes chipped in 11. Stephon Castle dished out seven assists in just 12 minutes before leaving with a pelvic contusion in the second quarter and did not return.
More telling than the numbers was the control. The Spurs dictated pace, spacing, and shot quality from start to finish. They won the season series 3-1 over the Lakers, doing so with a blend of youthful audacity and increasing tactical maturity.
Wembanyama’s latest eruption was not merely a scoring display; it was a statement. In a league where star power often determines trajectory, the Spurs appear to have found their north star — and on nights like this, the rest of the NBA is left scrambling to keep up.