TORONTO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had his second triple-double of 27 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high 10 blocks, Devin Vassell added 25 points and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Toronto Raptors 12–2 to snap a seven-game losing streak. broke. -99 Monday night.
Wembanyama made 10 of 14 attempts and had five assists and two steals in 29 minutes as the Spurs won for the first time since January 27 against Minnesota.
“I felt very good today,” Vembanyama said. “Great rhythm, strong start to the game. I guess it’s just the NBA, you know. We have had ups and downs in terms of shape and today was a good day.”
Wembanyama’s previous career high for blocks was eight, set against Memphis on November 18. He leads the NBA in that category.
“He did a little bit of everything,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Obviously he is an all-round, talented player. “He has a great feel for the game and it shows in a lot of ways, whether it’s passing, decision making, blocking shots.”
It was the first triple-double with a block since Clint Capela had 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks for Atlanta against Minnesota on January 22, 2021. This was also the last time anyone in the NBA blocked 10 shots in a game.
“I think the scouting report doesn’t say he can block a shot,” Vassell said of Vembanyama. “I guess they’ll learn one of these days.”
Wembanyama is only the fourth rookie since 1973–74 when blocks were tracked and the first since David Robinson in 1990 to record a triple-double with 10 blocks. He is the first player since Hakeem Olajuwon on April 13, 1996, to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 blocks and five assists in a game.
Jeremy Sochan scored 16 points and Keldon Johnson added 12 points as San Antonio led wire-to-wire and snapped a four-game losing streak.
Tre Jones had 10 assists for the Spurs. San Antonio finished with 37, one short of matching its season high.
Grady Dick had 18 points, Kelly Olynyk had 17 and RJ Barrett had 13 points for the Raptors, who had won the last six meetings with San Antonio. Toronto has lost 14 of 18.
Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes, who recorded his third triple-double of the season in Saturday’s home loss to Cleveland, had nine rebounds and nine assists against the Spurs, but made 3 of 15 shots and scored seven points .
“It wasn’t the standard we expected,” Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said.
Barnes drew the ire of his coach by leaving the bench in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
“This is not the competitive spirit we want,” Rajkovic said.
Wembanyama blocked Toronto’s opening shot of the game, followed with a 3-pointer, then added an alley-oop dunk as the Spurs opened with a 10–0 run and led 34–28 after one quarter. Went. The rookie had nine points, four rebounds and three blocks in the first.
“I thought we were fed up with Vick in the beginning,” Vassell said. “He really got us going in that first quarter.”
Vassell scored 13 points in the second and Wembanyama added 10 points, as San Antonio increased its lead to 67–50 at halftime.
Wembanyama scored 7 of 8 in the first half. He made both of his 3-point attempts as San Antonio was 7 of 13 from distance in the first two quarters.
Wembanyama blocked six shots in the third and the Spurs outscored Toronto 36–25 to take a 103–75 lead into the fourth.
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Spurs: Visit Dallas on Wednesday.
Raptors: Host Indiana on Wednesday.
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