Victor Wembanyama made a powerful statement in his return to the court Tuesday night, shaking off an ejection that cut short his previous game.
The San Antonio Spurs star, who was tossed in the second quarter of Game 4 for elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid, came out firing in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. He poured in 18 points in the first quarter alone and finished the half with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks, helping the Spurs build a 59-47 lead over the Timberwolves.
The NBA decided not to suspend Wembanyama, considering his absence for the final 33-plus minutes of Game 4 as sufficient punishment. With that reprieve, the rookie sensation made it clear he had no intention of playing cautiously in a series now tied 2-2.
He scored nine of San Antonio’s first 17 points, highlighted by a driving slam that electrified the Frost Bank Center crowd. Wembanyama shot 6-of-8 from the field in the first quarter, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and grabbed six rebounds. According to Stathead, he became just the third player in the last 30 years to record 18 points and six rebounds in the first quarter of a playoff game, joining LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.
The Spurs carried that momentum into the second quarter, opening with an 11-3 run to push their lead to 18.