Playing through a bruised rib, Wembanyama delivered his fifth 40-10 game and became eligible for postseason awards.
Victor Wembanyama returned after missing one game for the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and quickly reminded everyone why he’s a front runner for multiple postseason awards. His 40-point, 13-rebound performance in the Spurs’ 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks secured his awards eligibility as he hit the 65-game threshold. It also tied a franchise record set by Hall of Famer David Robinson, all despite nursing a rib injury. Wembanyama added five assists and two blocks in 26 minutes of play, with 16 points in the first quarter alone. It set the tone early for a win that pushed San Antonio to 24-3 since the All-Star break.
Wembanyama was a late add to the lineup after sustaining a bruised left rib on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He admitted postgame that there were a few painful moments, but overall, it didn’t seem to affect his game much. And now, Wembanyama reached the critical 65-game threshold for postseason award eligibility that many stars will fail to reach this season, such as Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic, whom Wemby expressed sympathy towards in his postgame comments. He continued by challenging the threshold as a game minimum, arguing it should be a percentage of the season instead, as 75 percent would come out to about 62 games.
Here is the full story from Spurs Roundtable writer Jonah Kubicek on Wemby’s dominant night that propelled San Antonio’s victory.
There will be a continued debate over that threshold through this season and the offseason, but for now, Wembanyama made a statement in his eligibility game. With his fifth 40-point, 10-plus rebound game, he tied Robinson’s single-season franchise record amid his historic campaign. His performance had grit and toughness, and was a reminder that with him on the floor, the Spurs can look invincible.