San Antonio Spurs stun Clippers with historic 25-point comeback win
Victor Wembanyama inspired the San Antonio Spurs to a stunning 116-112 victory over the LA Clippers, overcoming a 25-point deficit in one of the franchise’s greatest comebacks.
Wembanyama exhausted after historic rally
The Spurs trailed significantly in the third quarter but rallied to secure their 14th win in 15 games.
It marked the club’s second-largest comeback in the play-by-play era, dating back to the 1997-98 season.
Wembanyama scored a team-high 27 points, including a decisive dunk from a De’Aaron Fox pass with just 16 seconds remaining.
“I’ve got zero left right now,” said the 21-year-old French phenomenon immediately after the game.
“That was one of the best wins. That was one of the best games, best parts of my career, my basketball life.”
‘Best 30 hours of basketball’
The victory came on the second night of a back-to-back, following a win against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
San Antonio have now improved their record to a league-best 14-1 since 1 February.
Wembanyama, who also contributed 10 rebounds and four blocks, described the sequence of victories as the “best 30 hours of basketball” of his life.
De’Aaron Fox was instrumental in the turnaround, scoring or assisting on 25 of San Antonio’s 35 fourth-quarter points.
“This one felt good,” said Fox, who finished with 19 points and nine assists. “This one felt better than yesterday.”
Spurs overcome Leonard return
Former San Antonio star Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 30 points for the Clippers but faced boos from the home crowd throughout the night.
The visitors had built a commanding lead, with Brook Lopez scoring 17 points in the first half alone.
By the third quarter, the Clippers held a 75-50 advantage before the Spurs mounted their resurgence.
San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson praised his squad’s mental toughness given the physical fatigue of the schedule.
“The competitive response and the character the guys showed to really try to band together and fight through the mental, physical, and emotional fatigue was commendable,” Johnson said.