Victor Wembanyama’s star continues to rise, and on February 10, 2026, he delivered a performance for the ages that left the basketball world buzzing. The San Antonio Spurs center put on an electrifying show at Crypto.com Arena, torching the Los Angeles Lakers with 40 points in just 26 minutes, as the Spurs steamrolled their way to a 136-108 victory. But this wasn’t just any blowout—it was a night packed with historic feats, viral moments, and a glimpse of the Spurs’ growing power in the Western Conference.
The tone for the evening was set almost immediately. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French phenom, wasted no time asserting his dominance. After Julian Champagnie opened the scoring with a three-pointer, Wembanyama erupted, pouring in 17 straight points for San Antonio. He was in a groove that few players—past or present—have ever found. In the first eight minutes alone, Wembanyama racked up 25 points, converting on eight of his first nine shots, including three from beyond the arc. According to ESPN, “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,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said after the game.
The Lakers, missing a raft of key players—LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton—simply had no answer. The absence of their stars was felt on both ends of the floor, and the Spurs wasted no time capitalizing. By halftime, San Antonio had built a commanding 84-55 lead, with Wembanyama already tallying 37 points on 12-of-17 shooting, 10-of-12 from the line, and 3-of-5 from deep. He also added nine rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block—numbers that would make for a career night for most, but for Wembanyama, it was just another half of basketball.
The first half was so lopsided that the game’s competitive balance was essentially gone before the third quarter even began. Spurs fans, both in the arena and online, clamored for Wembanyama to stay in and chase franchise and NBA records. After all, he was just eight points shy of George Gervin’s iconic 33-point quarter from 1978. But Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stuck to his plan, pulling Wembanyama with 4:01 left in the first quarter and again midway through the third. “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.”
Wembanyama’s final stat line was jaw-dropping: 40 points on 13-of-20 shooting, 4-of-6 from three, 10-of-12 from the free throw line, 12 rebounds, two steals, and a block. According to ESPN Research, he became just the fifth player in the shot clock era (since 1954-55) to score at least 40 points in 26 or fewer minutes, and only the second—alongside Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing—to post a 40-point double-double in that brief a stint. It was also his sixth career 40-point game, surpassing Tim Duncan’s total in his illustrious 19-season career with the Spurs.
But this wasn’t a one-man show. The Spurs’ offense was relentless and efficient all night, shooting 56.5% from the field and racking up 34 assists. They dominated the paint, scoring 72 points inside, and forced 18 Lakers turnovers, converting those into 14 points. De’Aaron Fox chipped in with eight points and six assists in limited minutes, while Devin Vassell was nearly perfect, scoring nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. Rookie Carter Bryant came off the bench to notch a career-high 16 points, Dylan Harper added 15 with six assists, and Harrison Barnes poured in 11 on 4-of-6 shooting. Even Luke Kornet got in on the action with six points and five rebounds in just 10 minutes. In total, 11 Spurs found their way onto the scoresheet, a testament to the team’s depth and unselfish play.
On the flip side, the Lakers’ undermanned roster struggled to keep pace. They shot a respectable 48.2% from the field and 44.0% from three-point range, but were outrebounded 45-34 and allowed the Spurs to rack up 14 steals and six blocks. Luke Kennard and Drew Timme led the way with 14 points each, while Bronny James contributed 12 points and six assists. Jaxson Hayes added 13 points, but no Laker finished with a positive plus-minus, and the team’s defensive breakdowns were glaring. The Lakers’ loss dropped them to 32-21 on the season, and they’ll look to regroup before hosting the Dallas Mavericks in their final game before the All-Star break.
Wembanyama’s performance wasn’t just about the numbers—it was about the message it sent. The Spurs, now winners of five straight and 10 of their last 13, improved to 37-16 and solidified their status as a legitimate threat in the West. Their ball movement, defensive activity, and confidence were on full display. “What got me going was just honestly proving myself a point, proving my team a point,” Wembanyama said. “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.”
While fans may have wished to see Wembanyama chase even greater heights, the Spurs’ decision to rest him in the fourth quarter was a nod to the bigger picture. San Antonio faces the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco the very next night, and keeping their superstar fresh is a priority as the playoff race heats up. Wembanyama himself acknowledged the sacrifice: “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.”
As the Spurs boarded their flight to San Francisco, the rest of the NBA was left to ponder just how far this team—and its transcendent young star—can go. If Tuesday night was any indication, the answer might be: as far as Wembanyama wants to take them.