Wembanyama leads Spurs to win in a surprising upset against the Golden State Warriors
LaMelo Ball scored 50 points in the Hornets' loss to the Bucks while the Lakers lost to the Nuggets on a drab night for LeBron James.
The San Antonio Spurs, led by the impressive Victor Wembanyama, handed the Golden State Warriors a surprising 104-94 loss on Saturday, overshadowing LaMelo Ball's 50-point performance in the Hornets' defeat to the Bucks. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets rallied from behind to deliver a painful defeat to the Lakers, who had been in control at halftime.
The Warriors arrived in San Antonio as the sole leaders of the Western Conference after beating the Pelicans and as the only team already qualified for the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. However, Golden State's fabulous run at the start of the season - only bettered by the unbeatable Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference - was derailed by the Spurs, who are still in contention for playoff positions.
Wembanyama continues to shine
The French sensation, Victor Wembanyama, often hailed as the future of the NBA, delivered a dominant performance against the Golden State Warriors, showcasing his all-around skills. He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, four three-pointers and three blocks.
Wenbanyama was followed by two former Warriors players, point guard Chris Paul (nine points and seven assists) and forward Harrison Barnes (22 points and eight rebounds) came back from an early 17-point disadvantage.
Stephen Curry scored 14 points. Canadian forward Andrew Wiggins, who was coming off a 30-point game against the Pelicans, was again his franchise's leading scorer, albeit with 10 points less than the previous night (20).
With 12 wins and four losses, the Warriors now share the lead in the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder while the Spurs (9-8) are eleventh in the division.
Bucks spoil LaMelo Ball's big night
In Milwaukee, the Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 125-119 overcoming a spectacular performance by young LaMelo Ball, who scored 50 points and made 10 assists.
The talented 23-year-old point guard beat his own scoring record and became the fifth player to reach the 50 point mark this season, joining Wembanyama (50), Paolo Banchero (50), Giannis Antetokounmpo (59) and De'Aaron Fox (60).
Antetokounmpo finished Saturday with 32 points and secured the Bucks' win alongside teammate Damian Lillard, who scored 31.
Painful losses for the Lakers and Knicks
In the final game of the night, the Denver Nuggets crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 127-102 on the road with 34 points and 13 rebounds from Nikola Jokic. LeBron James (18 points) and Anthony Davis (14) had a gray performance for the hosts, who went into halftime ahead.
Another of Saturday's surprises was the New York Knicks' 121-106 loss to the Utah Jazz. Dominican-American player Karl-Anthony Towns scored 16 points and made 16 rebounds for the Knicks but with a poor 6-19 stat line. He missed eight of his nine three-point attempts. Lauri Markkanen, with 34 points, was the offensive leader for the Jazz.
Another European player who shined on Saturday was German forward Franz Wagner, who finished the night with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the Orlando Magic's 111-100 win against the Detroit Pistons.
All the results
Utah Jazz - NY Knicks 121-106
Orlando Magic - Detroit Pistons 111-100
Chicago Bulls - Memphis Grizzlies 131-142
Houston Rockets - Portland Trail Blazers 98-104
Milwaukee Bucks - Charlotte Hornets 125-119
San Antonio Spurs - Golden State Warriors 104-94
LA Lakers - Denver Nuggets 102-127