Victor Wembanyama recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs rallied from an early deficit, built a big lead, and then held off a late surge to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 119–115 on Monday night.
Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Devin Vassell added 20. The win pushed the Spurs to 50–18, marking their first 50-win season since 2016–17 and keeping them within striking distance of the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
San Antonio had to overcome a rough start, falling behind 17–3 as the Clippers came out hot, shooting 65% in the opening quarter. But the Spurs flipped the game in the second, using a 15-point run bridging the first and second quarters to spark a dominant stretch. They outscored Los Angeles 37–15 in the period to take a 66–52 halftime lead.
The Spurs extended their advantage to as many as 24 in the third quarter before the Clippers stormed back with a 16–3 run to cut the deficit to 10 entering the fourth.
Darius Garland led Los Angeles with 25 points and 10 assists, while Jordan Miller added 22 off the bench as the Clippers’ reserves outscored San Antonio’s 57–30. Playing without Kawhi Leonard (knee), the Clippers fought back late, with Garland scoring seven straight points to trim the deficit to four with 38 seconds remaining.
However, San Antonio held firm at the line, knocking down four straight free throws in the closing seconds to secure the win.
Up next: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, while the Los Angeles Clippers visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
