Victor Wembanyama Finds His Offensive Touch As San Antonio Spurs Get First Road Win

Victor Wembanyama has a sterling evening in Salt Lake City as the Spurs win their second game of the young season.

Oct 31, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and forward Harrison Barnes (40) block the shot of Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during the first quarter at Delta Center. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No need to file a missing persons report. The real Victor Wembanyama has shown up.

The San Antonio Spurs have found Wembanyama and his complete game prowess as they come back to defeat the Utah Jazz 106-88. Wembanyama had his second 5x5 game of his career.

Wembanyama led the Spurs with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and five blocks. It was a complete domination on the offensive and defensive sides for Wembanyama, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year.

Victor Wembanyama tonight:

25 PTS
9 REB
7 AST
5 STL
5 BLK
45.1 FG%
100.0 FT%
31 MINS

Second 5x5 game of his career pic.twitter.com/AQIQig7wqC

— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) November 1, 2024

"He's more of a perimeter player than he is a post player," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the game. "We wanted to be able to do everything, isolate, shoot, do the whole deal. We just can't do it all at once."

Chris Paul scored 19 points and had 10 assists to pace the Spurs.

This was the first game of the young season where the Spurs put together two solid halves of basketball.

FINAL: Spurs 106, Jazz 88

• FINAL: Spurs put two solid quarters together in the second half, after keeping it close in the first half to get the win 106-88. Spurs improve to 2-3 and get their first road win of the season.

SAS wins 106-88

• Q4 :46 | Wembanyama keeps hitting 3-point field goals and the Spurs get the win on the road. Chris Paul was setting up Wembanyama and vice-versa. It was a very good fourth quarter for the Spurs who have had a tough time putting two solid halves together this season.

SAS lead 103-86

• Q4 5:04 | Spurs have 16 steals so far in the game. Jazz also have 25 turnovers. What a great defensive performance by the Spurs. Wembanyama so far has 22 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks. He is also shooting 42.1 percent from the field.

SAS lead 97-81

• Q4 7:19 | Chris Paul takes over the fourth quarter with steals and two big 3-point shots. He has 14 points so far. The Spurs are running around making everything on second chance opportunities.

SAS lead 92-73

END Q3: Spurs 77, Jazz 67

• END Q3 | The Spurs need to bottle their second half games as for the second night in a row they come out firing on all cylinders. The Spurs are passing the ball well, but not necessarily putting the ball in the basket as often as Gregg Popovich would like. They are missing short jumpers and points in the paint. Regardless, the Spurs have a 10-point lead heading into the fourth.

SAS lead 77-67

• Q3 4:25 Spurs 12-2 run evaporates as Jazz start hitting from the outside. Wembanyama with 22 points so far. The Jazz with five turnovers in the first five minutes of the quarter. 23-8 third quarter so far for the Spurs.

SAS lead 71-61

• Q3 7:51 | Spurs come out shooting and actually make a few. They make an 8-2 run look bad as Sochan and Champagnie miss runners in the lane. Spurs are tied at 55. Wembanyama has attempted a career high 10 three-point field goals.

SAS 55, Jazz 55

HALFTIME: Jazz, 53, Spurs 47

• HALFTIME: | Really good half for the Jazz as they clogged up the lane and stopped the Spurs from scoring in the paint and around the arc. If it were not for Wembanyama's 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2, steals and 2 blocks, the game would be out of hand. The Jazz bench is absolutely destroying the Spurs as Mills leads the way off the bench with 9 points. The Jazz are also getting to the line more as they have connected on 14 of 15 free throws while the Spurs are only 6 of 8.

UTAH leads 53-47

• Q2 1:51 | Keldon Johnson with a long three pointer. Wembanyama misses two consecutive 3's.

UTAH 49-43

• Q2 2:46 | Spurs cannot buy a basket as they are missing layups and shots in the paint. Utah gets some additional points at the foul line. Wembanyama hits a step-back three from the right side of the arc, right after Chris Paul hits one from the left side of the arc.

UTAH 49-40

• Q2 6:37 | Jazz go on 9-2 run. Utah bench outscoring Spurs bench 28-5. Mills leads the way with nine for the bench crew.

UTAH 41-34

• Q2 9:52 | Spurs go on 7-0 run as Wembanyama has 12 points, three rebounds and two blocks in the first fifteen minutes.

UTAH 30-26

END Q1: Jazz 30, Spurs 19

• END Q1 | Former Spurs player Patty Mills connects on three 3-point field goals as the Jazz go on a 13-0 run. Utah only had three turnovers in the first quarter. Jazz finish with 12 points in the paint. Spurs miss the last seven shots of the quarter.

UTAH 30-19

• Q1 3:00 | Jazz climb back on a pair of runners in the lane to tie the score at 17. Jeremy Sochan with five points so far for the Spurs.

TIED 17-17

• Q1 5:05 | Victor Wembanyama scores on a two-handed jam to give the Spurs a 15-11 lead. He had previously gotten stuffed by the rim on a right-handed slam.

SAS lead 15-11

• Q1 7:48 | Jazz start on a 9-0 run before Victor Wembanyama strikes back two 3-point field goals. The Spurs then went on an 8-0 run to get back early. Kyle Filipowski scored five consecutive points.

UTAH leads 9-8

Pregame:

• Spurs opt for the same starting lineup as their previous three games: Chris Paul, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan and Victor Wembanyama.

• For Utah, rookie Kyle Filipowski gets his first start for the Jazz as Lauri Markkanen is out with an injury. He starts with Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, Cody Williams and Walker Kessler.