Wembanyama Takes Over Late As Spurs Rally Past Bulls
The 7-foot-3 rookie scored 18 in the fourth quarter, leading San Antonio to a 121–117 win — and giving the United Center a glimpse of the NBA’s future.
CHICAGO – Victor Wembanyama didn’t just take over the game in Chicago on Monday night — he swallowed it whole.
The 7-foot-5 forward scored 18 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter, turning a 13-point deficit into a 121-117 San Antonio Spurs victory that silenced the United Center crowd and reminded everyone why he’s already reshaping the future of the franchise.
For three quarters, San Antonio looked like a team stuck in neutral. The offense sputtered, the defense gave up too many second chances, and the Bulls’ backcourt of Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter kept them chasing. But when the fourth quarter arrived, so did Wembanyama.
He strung together a personal 10-0 run that cut Chicago’s 104–91 lead to single digits. A step-back three. A driving layup through contact. A fadeaway from the baseline. It was the kind of takeover that felt inevitable — a glimpse of what’s to come for San Antonio’s towering star.
"We got caught chasing our tail a little bit, and they (Bulls) did a great job of pushing the pace and getting us on our heels, and then we looked a little indecisive on both ends of the floor," Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said.
Wembanyama finished with 38 points on 11-of-19 shooting, hitting six 3-pointers to go with 12 rebounds and five blocks.
While Wembanyama drew the spotlight, San Antonio’s supporting cast quietly delivered. Stephon Castle had 19 points and 11 assists, controlling the tempo down the stretch. De’Aaron Fox, in just his second game back from injury, added 21 points and steadied the offense when the Bulls tried to trap late.
Wembanyama’s final act came with under a minute to play — a deep, high-arcing three over Nikola Vučević to give the Spurs a 117-114 lead.
"I wish we'd won every single game, but in the long run, we are not going to go 82-0 for sure. And what I like is that we keep each other accountable. The coaching staff keeps us accountable," Wembanyama said.
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The Spurs are now 8-2 on the season and will return to the court on Wednesday night when they welcome Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors to the Frost Bank Center at 7 p.m.
