The San Antonio Spurs came back from down 25 points to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, and Victor Wembanyama didn't hold back after the game.
On Friday night, the San Antonio Spurs defended their home court, beating the Los Angeles Clippers. 116-112.
The Spurs chipped away at a 25-point second-half Clippers' lead before winning the back-and-forth in the final quarter. As the final buzzer sounded and the celebration began, Victor Wembanyama looked broken, exhausted, and perhaps the happiest he's ever been.
The night before, he dominated the Detroit Pistons for 38 points in the second-most minutes he had played all season. With a quick turnaround and no off day, he recorded a 27-point double-double against the Clippers.
Spurs' Finals Odds Explode
The Spurs entered the season with hopes of making the playoffs as a fifth or sixth seed, missing out on the play-in tournament.
Instead, they have emerged as bona fide title contenders. For much of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and occasionally the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets have ranked ahead of them.
Now, it's only the Thunder, with +130 odds to win the whole thing. The Spurs are at +700, but wins over the Pistons, Thunder, and other great teams this season have them firmly in second.
While the Clippers will struggle to make the postseason, they are still a veteran team, and the Spurs' comeback win felt like a playoff victory through and through.
"That was definitely the best 30 hours of basketball, the best 30 hours of my life for sure," said Wembanyama, whose MVP odds remain roughly the same despite his two stellar games.
"Everybody that set foot on the court helped in one way or another," he added. "And the best thing that I see is that nobody gives up on anything or anybody. Everybody has everybody's back. And that's just, that's why I have blind trust in these guys. I mean, I love them so much. It's such a pleasure to play with them, to share the court, and just see them every day."
Wembanyama has long made it clear that he wants to finish his career in San Antonio, but comments like that should make fans think that his loyalty simply isn't just reiterating any PR training. The Spurs are his team, they're winnin, and it's hard to want to watch anyone else.