Victor Wembanyama scored 16 of his 21 points after halftime, capped by a clutch jumper in the final 20 seconds, as the San Antonio Spurs held off the Boston Celtics 100-95 on Saturday night.
De’Aaron Fox matched Wembanyama with 21 points, and Keldon Johnson added 18 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio, which won its second straight game after a brief two-game skid.
Boston, which had won nine of its previous 11, was led by Derrick White’s 29 points and Jaylen Brown’s 27, but the Celtics couldn’t close out a tight game down the stretch.
The contest was tied at 84 when Baylor Scheierman drilled a corner 3-pointer to put Boston in front with just under seven minutes remaining. White followed with a driving basket before the Spurs answered with a decisive 9-2 run, highlighted by Johnson’s go-ahead 3-pointer that gave San Antonio a 93-91 edge with 2:14 left.
Brown tied the game with a layup, but Wembanyama responded with a fadeaway jumper to restore the Spurs’ lead with 1:33 remaining. Moments later, Fox stripped Brown near midcourt, and Julian Champagnie converted a putback to make it 97-93 with 41 seconds to play. Wembanyama then buried a left-wing jumper with 19.2 seconds left to seal the win.
Playing his third straight game after missing two with a sore knee, Wembanyama was quiet early, scoring his first points on a 3-pointer midway through the second quarter. Boston focused defensively on the rookie, frequently sending double teams and quick help when he attacked the paint.
Wembanyama found his rhythm in the second half, scoring nine straight Spurs points midway through the third quarter to erase a nine-point deficit and tie the game with a three-point play.
The Spurs head to Minnesota on Sunday, while the Celtics continue their road trip Monday at Indiana.
