Victor Wembanyama admitted he was close to passing out during the San Antonio Spurs' intense matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, calling it one of the hardest games of his life.
Credit: AP/Scanpix nuotr.
Victor Wembanyama did not hide how demanding the game against the Los Angeles Clippers was after the San Antonio Spurs pulled off a dramatic comeback victory.
"I was about to pass out for the first quarter from exhaustion," he said per ESPN. "That's close to being the hardest game of my life. I know it might not look like it, but we played a hell of a game against the most physical team in the league."
Wembanyama's comments came after the Spurs erased a 25-point deficit and defeated the Clippers 117-112. The star center led the charge with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, playing a key role on both ends of the floor.
The game did not start well for San Antonio. The Clippers controlled the pace early and built a 66-46 lead at halftime, marking the Spurs' largest halftime deficit of the season.
The momentum changed in the second half. After trailing 75-50 in the third quarter, San Antonio began to chip away at the lead. The Spurs opened the fourth quarter with an 18-5 run, eventually taking their first lead since the opening minutes.
Wembanyama delivered one of the most important plays of the night late in the game. After contesting a missed three-point attempt by Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs center ran the floor and finished an uncontested dunk to give San Antonio a 113-112 lead with 16 seconds remaining.
San Antonio also received strong performances from Julian Champagnie, who recorded 20 points and nine rebounds, and De'Aaron Fox, who added 19 points and nine rebounds.
For Los Angeles, Leonard finished with 30 points and nine rebounds, while Brook Lopez scored 26 points.
The victory pushed the Spurs to 46-17 on the season.
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