Spurs seventh straight win is the headline out of Sacramento, where San Antonio beat the Kings 124-109 on Friday night in each team's opening game of the NBA Cup. Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points, 20 of them before halftime, and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.
It was his seventh double-double of the season, two nights after a 52-point, 24-rebound performance in a one-point home win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs led 75-56 at the break and were never seriously threatened after it.
Wembanyama first half sets the floor
Wembanyama made seven of his nine shots before halftime and finished 4-for-6 from 3-point range, a notable line given he entered the game 12-for-50 (24.0%) from beyond the arc. He also blocked two shots.
San Antonio shot 25-for-42 (59.5%) overall and 10-for-16 (62.5%) from deep in the first half. Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell each scored 19 points.
Spurs seventh straight win turns on a five-minute close
Sacramento led 20-18 with 4:59 left in the first quarter. San Antonio scored 20 points over the remainder of the period while the Kings added nine, a 20-9 close that produced a 38-29 Spurs lead.
Castle and Harper each converted a three-point play during the run. Wembanyama scored the Spurs' final eight points of the quarter, including an alley-oop dunk in the closing seconds.
Sacramento's slide continues
Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with 22 points on 9-for-20 shooting, plus a game-high eight assists and two steals. It was the seventh 20-point game of his rookie season.
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 14, while Leaky Black and Malik Monk added 12 apiece.
Sacramento has lost eight of nine to open the season and has fallen by double digits seven times. The Kings got no closer than 12 points over the final 24 minutes, in the second game of a seven-game homestand.
NBA Cup West Group C picture
Both teams began group play in this fixture. West Group C also includes the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Analysis: the shooting line that built the cushion
Analysis: the halftime margin is better explained by shot variance than by any single matchup. San Antonio made 10 of 16 threes before the break, and Wembanyama alone hit four of six after arriving at 24.0% from deep for the season. That gap, not a structural edge, produced the 19-point halftime lead.
The original report is from gmanetwork.com.
