San Antonio Spurs at Toronto Raptors

Wembanyama has career-high 10 blocks in triple-double, Spurs beat Raptors to snap 7-game skid

Wembanyama made 10 of 14 attempts and had five assists and a pair of steals in 29 minutes as the Spurs won for the first time since Jan. 27 against Minnesota.

“I felt great today,” Wembanyama said. “Great rhythm, started the game strong. I guess it’s just the NBA, you know. We’ve got ups and downs in terms of shape, and today was an up day.”

Wembanyama’s previous career high for blocks was eight, set against Memphis on Nov. 18. He leads the NBA in that category.

“He did a little bit of everything,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Obviously he’s an all-around, talented player. He’s got a great feel for the game and it shows in a variety of ways, whether it’s passing or making decisions, blocking shots.”

It was the first triple-double with blocks since Clint Capela had 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks for Atlanta against Minnesota on Jan. 22, 2021. That had also been the last time anyone in the NBA blocked 10 shots in a game.

“I guess it’s not on the scouting report that he can block a shot,” Vassell said of Wembanyama. “I guess they’ll learn one of these days.”

Since 1973-74 when blocks were tracked, Wembanyama is just the fourth rookie and 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 as San Antonio led from wire-to-wire and snapped a four-game road losing streak.

Tre Jones had 10 assists for the Spurs. San Antonio finished with 37, one shy of matching a season high.

Gradey Dick scored 18 points, Kelly Olynyk had 17 and RJ Barrett 13 for the Raptors, who had won the past six meetings with San Antonio. Toronto has lost 14 of 18.

Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes, who registered his third triple-double of the season in Saturday’s home loss to Cleveland, had nine rebounds and nine assists against the Spurs but shot 3 for 15 and scored seven points.

“That was not the standard that we expect,” Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said.

Barnes also drew his coach’s ire by leaving the bench in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

“This is not the competitive spirit we want,” Rajakovic said.

Wembanyama blocked Toronto’s opening shot of the game, followed up with a 3-pointer, then added an alley-oop dunk as the Spurs started with a 10-0 run and led 34-28 after one quarter. The rookie had nine points, four rebounds and three blocks in the first.

“I thought we fed off of Vic in the beginning.,” Vassell said. “He was really carrying us through that first quarter.”

Vassell scored 13 points in the second and Wembanyama had 10 as San Antonio stretched its lead to 67-50 at the half.

Wembanyama shot 7 for 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 as the Spurs outscored Toronto 36-25 to take a 103-75 lead to the fourth.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Visit Dallas on Wednesday.

Raptors: Host Indiana on Wednesday.

Regular Season Series

Series tied 1-1