The San Antonio Spurs opened their preseason in style on Monday night, storming past the Guangzhou Loong-Lions 119-88 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The return of Victor Wembanyama was the highlight of the evening, as the 21-year-old French star delivered an all-around performance in limited minutes.
After an eight-month layoff following a blood clot scare, Wembanyama looked every bit the game-changer Spurs fans have been waiting for. In just 16 minutes, he scored 9 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks while going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field. His trademark tip dunks and rim protection set the tone early as San Antonio raced to a 34-22 first-quarter lead and never looked back.
The Spurs’ balanced attack kept rolling from there, piling up 40 points in the second quarter to take a 74-45 lead at halftime. Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie of San Antonio scored 16 points each, while new signing Luke Kornet added 16 more on a 6-for-6 shooting. Rookie Carter Bryant scored 15 points, including three three-pointers, to help the hosts dominate from start to finish.
San Antonio controlled the game inside, outscoring Guangzhou 54-20 in the paint and 20-5 on fast breaks. The Spurs also displayed crisp ball movement with 31 assists and tallied 14 steals off 20 Guangzhou turnovers.
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Former NBA players Frank Kaminsky and Victor Oladipo led the Loong-Lions with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Oladipo added five steals, while Chen Guohao provided 14 points off the bench. Despite their effort, the CBA side couldn’t contain San Antonio’s pace and depth.
San Antonio continues its preseason schedule later this week before the 2025-26 NBA regular season begins later this month.
