Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to a decisive 116-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday, scoring a career-high 34 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
The 7-foot-4 center dominated on both ends, making 13 of his 22 field goals, including six three-pointers, to break the Spurs’ four-game losing streak against Sacramento.
San Antonio, now 5-6, took full advantage of their home court with efficient three-point shooting. The Spurs drained a season-high 22 three-pointers on 47.8% shooting, effectively keeping Sacramento’s defense off balance.
Wembanyama received critical support from veteran Chris Paul, who contributed 12 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds, stabilizing the Spurs’ offensive rhythm.
De’Aaron Fox, who led the Kings (6-5) with 24 points, and Domantas Sabonis, who posted 23 points and 12 rebounds, could not keep pace with the Spurs’ high-energy performance.
The Spurs’ bench provided essential contributions, including a 13-point performance from Julian Champagnie. His three triples moved him to a franchise record of 159 made three-pointers in his first 100 games, surpassing Gary Neal’s previous record of 153.
Harrison Barnes, playing his first game against his former team since being traded to San Antonio, added 10 points and five rebounds.
A pivotal moment came late in the third quarter, with San Antonio holding a slim lead. Devin Vassell hit back-to-back three-pointers, snapping a 3.5-minute scoreless stretch and putting the Spurs up by 15.
Vassell’s timely shots sparked San Antonio’s momentum and extended the lead to 82-67, setting the stage for a dominant fourth quarter.
The Kings struggled to regain ground, hindered by inconsistent three-point shooting and turnovers in the critical moments. Sacramento shot just 26.3% from beyond the arc, with key players like Kevin Huerter and Keegan Murray combining for only seven points.
Despite Fox’s aggressive drives and Sabonis’ presence in the paint, the Kings could not counter the Spurs’ long-range efficiency and Wembanyama’s all-around performance. Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan, with 21 points, provided another scoring option but fell short of closing the gap.
