Victor Wembanyama celebrated his first All-Star starting nod in style, drilling a season-high seven 3-pointers and finishing with 33 points and 10 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 123-110 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Named an All-Star starter for the first time earlier in the day, Wembanyama shot 7-for-12 from beyond the arc, finishing one 3 shy of his career high. The performance marked his second All-Star selection and made him the eighth player in franchise history to start the midseason showcase.
San Antonio extended its strong stretch, winning its third straight and fifth game in the last seven. The Spurs showcased balance with seven players scoring in double figures, led by a productive backcourt. Stephon Castle scored 18 points, Dylan Harper added 15, and De’Aaron Fox chipped in 14.
Keyonte George paced Utah with 30 points, while Jusuf Nurkic contributed 20. The Jazz, who snapped San Antonio’s eight-game winning streak in their previous meeting on Dec. 27, were unable to replicate that effort and dropped their fourth consecutive game.
Wembanyama set the tone early, knocking down three 3-pointers and scoring 13 points in the opening quarter. He had 21 by halftime as the Spurs carried a slim four-point lead into the break. San Antonio blew the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Utah 35-23 to create separation.
Castle was instrumental during that surge, scoring 11 points in the third while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Spurs turned the halftime edge into their 17th double-digit win of the season.
Wembanyama averaged 31.3 points over San Antonio’s three-game homestand sweep. Utah finished its road trip 1-4.
Up next:
The Jazz host Minnesota on Tuesday, while the Spurs travel to Houston to continue their stretch of back-to-back games.
