Wembanyama makes tying basket in regulation, then earns his first NBA win as Spurs top Rockets in OT
SAN ANTONIO (AP) San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama was unstoppable with his first NBA victory within reach of his 8-foot wingspan.
Wembanyama made the tying basket with 20 seconds left in regulation, the opening basket in overtime and finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 126-122 on Friday night.
“I really, really love winning,” Wembanyama said. “It’s what I love most in life. So, of course, it felt great. Coming back in the locker room, (coach Gregg Popovich) acknowledged that it was my first-ever NBA win. It just made me proud for a moment, proud of myself. Of course, it’s just one win and we’ve got a whole lot more to come and a whole lot more tough games to come.”
Wembanyama had 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks - two on Jabari Smith Jr. on one late possession - in the second half and overtime. He had four rebounds in overtime to help San Antonio seal the victory.
“That was big time,” Spurs center Zach Collins said. “He was dominant. Great moves. Got his body in him all night.”
Devin Vassell scored 25 points and Keldon Johnson added 20 for the Spurs, who lost to Dallas on Wednesday in Wembanyama’s highly anticipated debut and trailed late in this one before the No. 1 pick helped them pull it out.
Wembanyama’s layup while defended by Smith made it 111-all and his jumper sent San Antonio to a 6-0 run to begin OT.
“It’s tough,” Smith said. “He’s tall, athletic. Just try to do what you can, stay in front, try not to foul.”
Houston center Alperen Sengun scored 25 points, Fred VanVleet added 24 and Jalen Green had 22. The Rockets have dropped their first two games of the season.
The teams tied for the worst record in the Western Conference last season at 22-60, sharing the best lottery odds along with Detroit. The Spurs won it to get the No. 1 pick and Wembanyama, with the Rockets selecting Amen Thompson fourth.
Wembanyama was 7 for 19 from the field, including three resounding dunks. He also had back-to-back blocks on the same possession with two minutes remaining and Houston leading 107-104. Wembanyama met Smith at the rim to block an attempted dunk and then rushed back on the court to block Smith’s floater.
The Spurs bridged the third and fourth quarters on an 8-0 run after falling behind by 10 points. San Antonio committed seven turnovers in the third quarter and was outscored 31-24 in the period.
“We showed some composure and some not so composed,” Popovich said. “That’s a work in progress. The best thing about it was they were persistent. We got better and better as we adjusted to their physicality. The ball moved better, our defense improved a little bit, but we were pretty ordinary for about 2 1/2 to three quarters.”
Wembanyama had five points in the opening three minutes after a slow start in his NBA debut.
Wembanyama made his first field goal attempt, an 11-foot fadeaway jumper over Dillon Brooks on the game’s opening possession. After initially missing the 7-foot-3 forward running behind the defense, Johnson lobbed the ball into a crowd and Wembanyama grabbed it and threw it down.
Wembanyama would score only one more point in the first half as he went 2 for 10 from the field.
While Wembanyama finished with a flourish, it did not stop him from earning his first in-game tirade from Popovich in the fourth quarter.
“I forgot a play,” Wembanyama said, laughing. “Forgot one play that we added today, actually. It’s a rookie mistake. It was 100% legitimate for him to yell at me. I apologized after the game.”
UP NEXT
Rockets: At Golden State on Sunday.
Spurs: At L.A. Clippers on Sunday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Alperen Sengun vs. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs gains possession) | |||
11:36 | +2 | Victor Wembanyama makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 0-2 | |
11:11 | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point floating jump shot (Fred VanVleet assists) | 2-2 | |
10:58 | Zach Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
10:54 | Jalen Green defensive rebound | |||
10:46 | Jalen Green misses two point finger roll layup | |||
10:44 | Alperen Sengun offensive rebound | |||
10:39 | Keldon Johnson blocks Dillon Brooks's two point layup | |||
10:39 | Rockets offensive rebound | |||
10:38 | Jalen Green turnover (traveling) | |||
10:20 | Devin Vassell misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
10:14 | Victor Wembanyama offensive rebound | |||
10:14 | Victor Wembanyama misses two point tip layup | |||
10:14 | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | |||
10:12 | Dillon Brooks turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | |||
9:55 | Victor Wembanyama misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
9:52 | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | |||
9:48 | Alperen Sengun turnover (bad pass) (Jeremy Sochan steals) | |||
9:42 | +2 | Victor Wembanyama makes two point alley-oop dunk (Keldon Johnson assists) | 2-4 | |
9:41 | Rockets 60 second timeout | |||
9:30 | Jabari Smith Jr. misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
9:28 | Jeremy Sochan defensive rebound | |||
9:24 | Victor Wembanyama misses three point running pullup jump shot | |||
9:21 | Dillon Brooks defensive rebound | |||
9:12 | +2 | Dillon Brooks makes two point pullup jump shot (Fred VanVleet assists) | 4-4 | |
8:53 | Jeremy Sochan misses three point jump shot | |||
8:51 | Jalen Green defensive rebound | |||
8:43 | Dillon Brooks misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
8:39 | Zach Collins defensive rebound | |||
8:30 | Victor Wembanyama misses three point jump shot | |||
8:27 | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | |||
8:23 | Dillon Brooks misses two point running layup | |||
8:21 | Keldon Johnson defensive rebound | |||
8:12 | Dillon Brooks shooting foul (Victor Wembanyama draws the foul) | |||
8:12 | +1 | Victor Wembanyama makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 4-5 | |
8:12 | Victor Wembanyama misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:09 | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | |||
8:03 | Jeremy Sochan personal foul (Fred VanVleet draws the foul) | |||
7:52 | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point pullup jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists) | 6-5 | |
7:40 | Keldon Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
7:37 | Victor Wembanyama offensive rebound | |||
7:35 | Victor Wembanyama misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
7:32 | Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
7:22 | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point turnaround hook shot (Fred VanVleet assists) | 8-5 | |
7:05 | Devin Vassell misses three point jump shot | |||
7:02 | Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
6:54 | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point pullup jump shot | 10-5 | |
6:53 | Spurs 60 second timeout | |||
6:44 | Keldon Johnson offensive foul (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | |||
6:44 | Keldon Johnson turnover (offensive foul) | |||
6:26 | Jabari Smith Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
6:22 | Zach Collins defensive rebound | |||
6:15 | +2 | Jeremy Sochan makes two point driving dunk (Cedi Osman assists) | 10-7 | |
6:06 | Fred VanVleet offensive foul (Keldon Johnson draws the foul) | |||
6:06 | Fred VanVleet turnover (offensive foul) | |||
5:46 | +2 | Zach Collins makes two point bank jump shot | 10-9 | |
5:26 | Dillon Brooks misses three point jump shot | |||
5:23 | Alperen Sengun offensive rebound | |||
5:20 | +2 | Jabari Smith Jr. makes two point cutting layup (Alperen Sengun assists) | 12-9 | |
5:06 | +2 | Devin Vassell makes two point cutting dunk (Zach Collins assists) | 12-11 | |
4:48 | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point stepback jump shot | 15-11 | |
4:37 | Zach Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
4:34 | Fred VanVleet defensive rebound | |||
4:26 | Jabari Smith Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
4:25 | Spurs defensive rebound | |||
4:08 | Dillon Brooks kicked ball violation | |||
4:00 | +3 | Cedi Osman makes three point jump shot (Zach Collins assists) | 15-14 | |
3:44 | Alperen Sengun misses three point jump shot | |||
3:42 | Malaki Branham defensive rebound | |||
3:35 | +2 | Jeremy Sochan makes two point turnaround hook shot (Malaki Branham assists) | 15-16 | |
3:22 | +3 | Fred VanVleet makes three point pullup jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists) | 18-16 | |
3:08 | +2 | Jeremy Sochan makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 18-18 | |
2:38 | Jae'Sean Tate misses three point jump shot | |||
2:37 | Jabari Smith Jr. offensive rebound | |||
2:37 | Jabari Smith Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Zach Collins steals) | |||
2:28 | Zach Collins turnover (lost ball) (Jabari Smith Jr. steals) | |||
2:21 | Jeremy Sochan shooting foul (Fred VanVleet draws the foul) | |||
2:21 | +1 | Fred VanVleet makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-18 | |
2:21 | +1 | Fred VanVleet makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-18 | |
2:08 | +2 | Malaki Branham makes two point pullup jump shot | 20-20 | |
1:52 | Amen Thompson misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
1:52 | Malaki Branham defensive rebound | |||
1:36 | Cedi Osman turnover (lost ball) (Jae'Sean Tate steals) | |||
1:32 | Jae'Sean Tate turnover (lost ball) (Victor Wembanyama steals) | |||
1:22 | +2 | Tre Jones makes two point floating jump shot | 20-22 | |
1:10 | Amen Thompson offensive foul (Tre Jones draws the foul) | |||
1:10 | Amen Thompson turnover (offensive foul) | |||
0:58 | Malaki Branham misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
0:55 | Amen Thompson defensive rebound | |||
0:39 | Jalen Green misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
0:36 | Charles Bassey defensive rebound | |||
0:21 | +3 | Malaki Branham makes three point jump shot (Tre Jones assists) | 20-25 | |
0:09 | Charles Bassey personal foul (Boban Marjanovic draws the foul) | |||
0:01 | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point pullup bank jump shot | 23-25 | |
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:43 | +2 | Boban Marjanovic makes two point pullup jump shot (Fred VanVleet assists) | 25-25 | |
11:28 | Malaki Branham misses two point floating jump shot | |||
11:27 | Rockets defensive rebound | |||
11:10 | +2 | Dillon Brooks makes two point driving finger roll layup (Fred VanVleet assists) | 27-25 | |
10:51 | Victor Wembanyama misses three point jump shot | |||
10:50 | Spurs offensive rebound | |||
10:35 | Victor Wembanyama misses three point jump shot | |||
10:33 | Fred VanVleet defensive rebound | |||
10:24 | Fred VanVleet turnover (lost ball) (Tre Jones steals) | |||
10:18 | Tre Jones misses three point running jump shot | |||
10:15 | Reggie Bullock Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:09 | Keldon Johnson shooting foul (Jeff Green draws the foul) | |||
10:09 | +1 | Jeff Green makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-25 | |
10:09 | +1 | Jeff Green makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-25 | |
9:54 | +3 | Devin Vassell makes three point jump shot (Keldon Johnson assists) | 29-28 | |
9:54 | Dillon Brooks shooting foul (Devin Vassell draws the foul) | |||
9:54 | +1 | Devin Vassell makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 29-29 | |
9:40 | Fred VanVleet misses three point jump shot | |||
9:36 | Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound | |||
9:27 | +2 | Devin Vassell makes two point driving layup | 29-31 | |
9:13 | Reggie Bullock Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
9:12 | Rockets offensive rebound | |||
9:06 | +2 | Dillon Brooks makes two point cutting layup (Jeff Green assists) | 31-31 | |
8:53 | Victor Wembanyama misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
8:52 | Rockets defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | Victor Wembanyama shooting foul (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | |||
8:39 | +1 | Alperen Sengun makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-31 | |
8:39 | Alperen Sengun misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:37 | Spurs defensive rebound | |||
8:28 | +2 | Keldon Johnson makes two point finger roll layup (Jeremy Sochan assists) | 32-33 | |
8:10 | Alperen Sengun misses three point jump shot | |||
8:06 | Devin Vassell defensive rebound | |||
7:50 | Zach Collins misses two point turnaround hook shot | |||
7:48 | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | |||
7:41 | +2 | Fred VanVleet makes two point pullup jump shot | 34-33 | |
7:29 | Doug McDermott misses three point jump shot | |||
7:26 | Fred VanVleet defensive rebound | |||
7:23 | +2 | Fred VanVleet makes two point running pullup jump shot | 36-33 | |
7:09 | +2 | Devin Vassell makes two point pullup jump shot (Zach Collins assists) | 36-35 | |
6:48 | +2 | Fred VanVleet makes two point pullup jump shot | 38-35 | |
6:34 | Jeremy Sochan misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
6:31 | Reggie Bullock Jr. defensive rebound | |||
6:22 | Fred VanVleet turnover (bad pass) (Zach Collins steals) | |||
6:15 | Jeremy Sochan turnover (traveling) | |||
6:15 | Spurs 60 second timeout | |||
6:01 | +2 | Jeff Green makes two point hook shot (Dillon Brooks assists) | 40-35 | |
5:50 | Devin Vassell turnover (traveling) | |||
5:37 | Jalen Green misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
5:36 | Spurs defensive rebound | |||
5:25 | Jae'Sean Tate personal foul (Zach Collins draws the foul) | |||
5:17 | Rockets technical foul (Defensive three second) | |||
5:17 | +1 | Devin Vassell makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 40-36 | |
5:17 | Jeff Green personal foul (Zach Collins draws the foul) | |||
5:05 | Zach Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
5:02 | Jalen Green defensive rebound | |||
4:45 | Jalen Green misses two point driving layup | |||
4:43 | Zach Collins defensive rebound | |||
4:39 | Devin Vassell misses three point running jump shot | |||
4:39 | Jeff Green defensive rebound | |||
4:32 | Zach Collins shooting foul (Amen Thompson draws the foul) | |||
4:32 | Amen Thompson misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
4:32 | Rockets offensive rebound | |||
4:32 | Amen Thompson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
4:28 | Devin Vassell defensive rebound | |||
4:14 | Keldon Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:11 | Tre Jones offensive rebound | |||
4:02 | +3 | Keldon Johnson makes three point jump shot (Tre Jones assists) | 40-39 | |
3:39 | +2 | Jeff Green makes two point driving finger roll layup (Amen Thompson assists) | 42-39 | |
3:24 | Zach Collins turnover (out of bounds step) | |||
3:14 | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point driving dunk | 44-39 | |
3:01 | +3 | Keldon Johnson makes three point pullup jump shot | 44-42 | |
2:53 | +2 | Jae'Sean Tate makes two point driving layup (Amen Thompson assists) | 46-42 | |
2:53 | Zach Collins shooting foul (Jae'Sean Tate draws the foul) | |||
2:53 | Spurs 60 second timeout | |||
2:53 | +1 | Jae'Sean Tate makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 47-42 | |
2:33 | Malaki Branham misses two point cutting layup | |||
2:31 | Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:28 | Jabari Smith Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
2:28 | Rockets offensive rebound | |||
2:27 | Keldon Johnson personal foul (Loose ball) (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | |||
2:27 | Alperen Sengun misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
2:27 | Rockets offensive rebound | |||
2:27 | Alperen Sengun misses regular free throw 2 of 2 |