Victor Wembanyama has delivered some jaw-dropping performances in his young NBA career, but what he unleashed on February 10, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles was something else entirely. The San Antonio Spurs’ 136-108 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers was not just another notch in the win column—it was a showcase of dominance, efficiency, and a little bit of history, all rolled into one electric night.
From the opening tip, Wembanyama was on a mission. The 7-foot-4 sensation wasted no time making his presence felt, scoring 17 straight points for the Spurs after Julian Champagnie opened the game with a three-pointer. In a flurry that seemed to defy belief, Wembanyama poured in 25 points in the first quarter alone, going 8-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from deep. By the time he checked out with 4:01 left in the period, the crowd was buzzing, and social media was ablaze with fans demanding coach Mitch Johnson let Wemby chase franchise records. "The only man who could stop Wembanyama on Tuesday was his own coach," as some fans quipped online.
Wembanyama’s first quarter was the third highest-scoring in Spurs franchise history, trailing only George Gervin’s 33 and David Robinson’s 28. Had he stayed in, who knows how high he might have climbed? As it was, he finished the half with 37 points on 12-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and a near-perfect 10-of-12 from the free throw line. He also grabbed nine rebounds, dished out two assists, and added a steal and a block for good measure. By halftime, San Antonio led 84-55, and the Lakers—missing stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton—looked shell-shocked.
"What got me going was just honestly proving myself a point, proving my team a point," Wembanyama told reporters after the game. "I'm not worried about us, not worried about me against good teams, but history has showed that I need to be worried about us against teams like this. So yeah, I mean, we don't just talk about what we need to do. We need to actually act."
The Spurs’ offensive onslaught didn’t stop with their superstar. As a team, San Antonio shot a blistering 56.5% from the field, connecting on 52 of 92 attempts and racking up 34 assists. They scored a whopping 72 points in the paint and 25 on fast breaks, capitalizing on the Lakers’ defensive breakdowns and 18 turnovers. De’Aaron Fox chipped in with eight points and six assists in just 17 minutes, Devin Vassell added nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, and Julian Champagnie continued to stretch the floor effectively. The Spurs’ ball movement was crisp, their tempo relentless, and their patience evident as they committed just 13 turnovers themselves.
Even as Wembanyama sat for much of the second half—coach Johnson opting for rest with a back-to-back looming—the Spurs’ bench kept the pressure on. Rookie Carter Bryant posted a career-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three-point range. Dylan Harper contributed 15 points and six assists in 27 minutes, while Harrison Barnes was efficient with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Luke Kornet added six points and five rebounds in just 10 minutes. In all, five Spurs finished in double figures, and 11 different players scored. The lead, which peaked at 41 points, never felt threatened.
Wembanyama’s final stat line: 40 points in 26 minutes, 13-of-20 from the field, 4-of-6 from three, 10-of-12 from the line, 12 rebounds, two steals, and a block. According to ESPN Research, it marked only the fifth time in the shot clock era that a player has scored at least 40 points in 26 or fewer minutes. He joined Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing as the only players in NBA history to record a 40-point double-double in such limited minutes. The performance also gave Wembanyama his sixth career 40-point game—already surpassing Tim Duncan’s career total in just three seasons.
"I was also pushing to go back, but I mean, they did the right thing by keeping me on the bench," Wembanyama admitted. "We got to think long term. But yeah, these kind of games, you got to have the greed. I mean, every game you have to have this greed to want more every time, because you know at all times it doesn't matter who's on the court, it's somebody who's going to want to stop you from doing what you do out there. So you got to be greedy."
Lakers coach JJ Redick could only tip his cap to the young Frenchman. "He was very aggressive. As aggressive to start a game as I've seen him. Both in attacking the basket and in shooting without hesitation from 3. Just really put his imprint on the game in that first half."
The Lakers, for their part, were hamstrung by injuries and load management. Luke Kennard and Drew Timme led the way with 14 points each, while Bronny James added 12 points and six assists. Jaxson Hayes chipped in 13 points. Despite shooting a respectable 48.2% from the field and 44% from three, Los Angeles was outrebounded 45-34, surrendered nine offensive boards, and never found a way to slow down the Spurs’ attack. No Laker finished with a positive plus-minus, and the starters were collectively overwhelmed.
San Antonio’s fifth straight win improved their record to 37-16, with 10 victories in their last 13 outings. The team’s cohesion, depth, and defensive tenacity—14 steals and six blocks on the night—have made them one of the Western Conference’s most dangerous squads as the playoff race heats up. The Spurs allowed just 50 points in the paint and held the Lakers to a single, brief, and insignificant lead early in the game. After the final buzzer, the Spurs quickly boarded a flight to San Francisco, where they’ll face the Golden State Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back.
For Wembanyama, the night was both a personal milestone and a statement to the rest of the league. He joked about wanting to jog back to the scorer’s table in the fourth quarter, but understood the bigger picture. "We got to make another statement tomorrow. So it's a team game at the end of the day. The real stat that matters is the W or the L."
With the Spurs firing on all cylinders and Wembanyama in this kind of form, the rest of the NBA has been put on notice. San Antonio’s latest victory wasn’t just about one player’s brilliance—it was a warning sign that this team is ready to contend, no matter who’s on the other side of the court.