Wembanyama scores career-high 52 as Spurs edge Mavericks 112-111

Victor Wembanyama scored a career-best 52 points and made the decisive free throw as the San Antonio Spurs edged the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 on Wednesday, BBC Sport reported. The Frenchman added 24 rebounds and eight blocks in a performance that helped San Antonio improve to 6-2 despite a Dallas fightback.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGQUu-4g8pk

The 22-year-old surpassed his previous scoring high of 50 points, set in 2024. According to BBC Sport, he became the first player in 52 years to record at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in one game. He also joined a group of just five players to have reached 50 points and 20 rebounds since 1982.

Wembanyama had already accumulated 29 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and two steals by half-time. Dallas rallied after the break, with Kyrie Irving finishing on 29 points, but San Antonio held on for a one-point victory. Wembanyama's winning free throw completed both the result and his personal scoring record.

Afterwards, Wembanyama said he had been unwell for a while and had not felt at his best recently. He described feeling that his legs had returned during the game and expressed the hope that he could produce this kind of performance more often. His account offered some context for the display without specifying the nature of the illness.

Elsewhere in Wednesday's NBA action, Philadelphia beat Detroit 112-106 in a meeting of the Eastern Conference's leading teams. Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Joel Embiid added 26, while all five 76ers starters finished in double figures. LeBron James contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds as Philadelphia moved to a league-best 8-1 following the off-season arrivals of Brown and James.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated Sacramento 116-103 behind 40 points from Luka Doncic. That took his total to 308 points through eight games. BBC Sport reported that he was the first player to exceed 300 points across his opening eight games of a season since Michael Jordan scored 303 in 1988-89.

New York also won, beating Chicago 135-105 for the reigning champions' largest victory of the season. OG Anunoby scored 18 points as the Knicks moved to 4-4.