Victor Wembanyama shows rust early, rallies Spurs in return - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Fresh off a three-game layoff, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama exhibited rust early, only to catch a groove late in pushing San Antonio to its second-largest comeback win of the season, a 104-94 triumph over Golden State.

«I thought he was a grown man in the fourth quarter,» Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama.

Three days after rallying from 20 down to defeat Utah, the Spurs bounced back Saturday from a 17-point deficit to shock the Warriors, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back set. San Antonio's performance marked the first time since 2017 it overcame 15-plus-point deficits in consecutive contests.

«I did find my rhythm physically,» Wembanyama said. «It was a little hard to come back in terms of conditioning in the first half. There's a switch I'm trying to flip on demand. Strong catches, quick moves, not holding the ball, but also taking my time, taking shots with confidence, good feet and good preparation for the shot.»

Wembanyama scored a game-high 25 points with 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 blocks.

One of those blocks kick-started a fourth-quarter stretch in which Wembanyama scored seven straight points — with a steal sandwiched in between — as San Antonio chopped a six-point deficit to one over a span of one minute and 40 seconds. The Spurs trailed by 17 points with 1:55 remaining in the third quarter, before embarking on a 40-13 run to close the contest.

Golden State suffered its largest blown lead of the season.

«It was a good learning lesson of capturing and maintaining momentum when you've done enough to separate yourself,» Warriors guard Stephen Curry said.

Wembanyama racked up nearly half his total scoring output (12 points) in the fourth quarter, adding five assists