Spurs erase 25-point hole to stun Clippers 116-112
spurs-erase-25-point-hole-stun-clippers-116-112
San Antonio, Texas – Victor Wembanyama slammed home a transition dunk with 16 seconds left, capping a franchise-defining rally that lifted the San Antonio Spurs over the Los Angeles Clippers 116-112 on Friday night at Frost Bank Center.
The Spurs trailed by 25 midway through the third quarter before storming back for their second-largest comeback since play-by-play data began in 1997-98. The victory pushed San Antonio to an NBA-best 14-1 since Feb. 1, matching the club’s hottest 15-game stretch since its record 67-win season in 2015-16.
Wembanyama, Fox fuel fourth-quarter surge
Wembanyama finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in 22 minutes. His go-ahead dunk came on a full-court pass from De’Aaron Fox, who either scored or assisted on 25 of the team’s 35 fourth-quarter points. Fox closed with 19 points and nine assists.
“That was one of the best games of my career,” an exhausted Wembanyama said afterward, conceding he felt close to “passing out.” The rookie’s performance marked his 16th game with at least four three-pointers and four blocks, the most in NBA history, according to ESPN research.
Early deficit and key Clippers performances
San Antonio faced its largest halftime gap of the season after Brook Lopez poured in 17 first-half points on 7-of-11 shooting. Los Angeles stretched the margin to 75-50 with 9:23 remaining in the third period.
Kawhi Leonard, booed throughout his return, posted 30 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Derrick Jones Jr. briefly put the Clippers back in front 112-111 on a three-point play with 52.3 seconds left before the Spurs delivered the final blow.
Rookie Bryant earns praise on defense
First-year forward Carter Bryant scored five points but drew the toughest assignment down the stretch, guarding Leonard during the closing minutes. Leonard, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and Wembanyama each lauded the 20-year-old’s effort, with Wembanyama calling it “the loudest five points” of the night.
Numbers that mattered
- Deficit overcome: 25 points
- Second-half scoring: Spurs 66, Clippers 37
- Fourth-quarter lead changes: 7
- Halftime score: Clippers 62, Spurs 42
What’s next
San Antonio will take Saturday off before continuing its homestand Sunday against the Houston Rockets. Wembanyama said two nights of rest, massage and contrast therapy should have him ready: “I recover really quickly, so I’m not worried about two days from now.”
Source: ESPN
