The Dallas Mavericks may have given them a run for their money, but the San Antonio Spurs held strong, thanks in large part to a monster outing from Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama finished with a bonkers stat line of 52 points (a career-high), 24 rebounds, and eight blocks, leading the way for the Spurs in a 112-111 victory over the Mavericks to move to 6-2 on the season.
It looked like the Spurs were on their way to a convincing victory after leading by double digits heading into the second half. But the Mavericks clawed their way back, and the Spurs' mettle was tested. After all, this was a team that blew multiple fourth-quarter leads in the 2026 NBA Finals and choked away a title because of it.
And it looks like Wembanyama's perspective of his game was shaped by that past experience. The Spurs star expressed some regrets over his performance, particularly with some of his plays late in the game, despite his dominance amid his team's victory.
“I wish I set better screens towards the end and made more free throws,” Wembanyama told ESPN's Katie George in his postgame interview.
Article Continues Below"I wish I set better screens towards the end and made more free throws."
Victor Wembanyama after his CAREER NIGHT 😅
(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/4pSTW6cpJK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2026
Wembanyama did start off the game by making his first 18 attempts at the charity stripe. He would just make on his last five attempts, which kept the door open for the Mavericks to steal the game in the end.
Perhaps the Spurs star was simply tired since he had been carrying the team on his back all night long. Whatever the case may be, it's clear that Wembanyama is holding himself to a higher standard than ever before, and for good reason.
But Wembanyama did everything he could, especially when his teammates could not buy a basket. Spurs players not named Wemby shot the ball at a 31.3% clip, and it's a miracle that San Antonio won that game — especially when they made just five of their 36 attempts from beyond the arc.