SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The San Antonio Spurs dominated the Utah Jazz last night, securing a 106-88 victory which marks the Silver and Black’s first road win of the season and second victory against three losses overall.
Victor Wembanyama, after suffering a sub-par performance the night before in Oklahoma City, put on an extraordinary performance, recording 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks. By doing so, Wembanyama achieved a ‘5×5 game’ on a memorable Halloween night.
This extremely rare feat only occurs when a player records at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks, and 5 steals in a single game. It requires a player to excel in all five major statistical categories.
Wembanyama recorded his first 5×5 game on February 23, 2024, against the Los Angeles Lakers and now became the youngest player to join an exclusive group since only three players in NBA history have ever had more than one 5×5 game:
Hakeem Olajuwon – 6 (1,238 games)Andrei Kirilenko – 3 (797 games)Victor Wembanyama – 2 (76 games)
Chris Paul also contributed significantly to the win, adding 19 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds. The Jazz struggled offensively, especially in the absence of Lauri Markkanen, and were unable to keep pace with the Spurs’ dominant performance.
On the defensive end of the floor, the Spurs tied another record by swiping 9 steals in one quarter and 17 overall for the game. The record for the most steals in a quarter by a team in the NBA is 9. This record has been achieved multiple times by different teams throughout NBA history and last night, the Spurs became one of them, much to the delight of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“I’m really impressed that they’re understanding and enjoying what the defense can do for them,” said Popovich. “But what we did better was take care of the ball, and I think we shot it a little bit better than we had, and that makes a huge difference.
“But the defense at least keeps us in the mix to have a possibility to win. So, really happy for them. It’s tough to win on the road, tough to win back-to-back, and they did it.”
The Jazz struggled offensively, especially in the absence of Lauri Markkanen, and were unable to keep pace with the Spurs’ dominant performance after the second half began.
The other Spurs players who contributed significantly to the victory over the Jazz were Keldon Johnson who scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. His energy and athleticism were crucial on both sides of the floor. Jeremy Sochan also continues to distinguish himself, this time contributing 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. His versatility and defensive prowess have seemingly gone up another notch and were key factors in the Spurs’ dominance.
The Spurs play their next game at 7 p.m. on Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Frost Bank Center. They are hoping to see the return of Devin Vassell who has not seen any action thus far this season. They will need all the help they can get since the tough Timberwolves, despite being off to a 2-2 start, have the potential to make a significant impact in the Western Conference and compete for a playoff spot.