San Antonio, Texas: Spurs Beat Kings 124-109 as Wembanyama Scores 30 in NBA Cup Opener

Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points and pulled down 14 rebounds on Friday night as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 124-109 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, opening their NBA Cup group play with a seventh straight win.

San Antonio took control in the first half and never gave it back. The Spurs led 38-29 after one quarter and 75-56 at halftime, with Wembanyama scoring 20 points before the break. Sacramento matched San Antonio 24-24 in the third quarter, but the closest the Kings got in the fourth was never close enough to threaten a lead that reached 24 points.

Wembanyama sets the tone

Wembanyama made 10 of his 18 shots, including 4 of 6 from three point range, and added two blocks in 26 minutes. He was back on the floor two nights after his career high 52 points, 24 rebounds and eight blocks carried San Antonio past the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 in San Antonio on Wednesday.

The support around him was even. Rookie Dylan Harper scored 19 points off the bench, Stephon Castle scored 19 with seven assists, and Devin Vassell scored 19 while making 5 of his 6 three point shots. Harrison Barnes added 13 points. De'Aaron Fox, facing his old team in Sacramento, scored nine points with four assists.

The free throw line decides it

The game turned on contact. San Antonio made 33 of its 42 free throws, while Sacramento made 13 of 19. The Kings were called for 27 fouls to 15 for the Spurs, and San Antonio used the steady trips to the line to answer every Sacramento run in the second half. The Spurs also outrebounded the Kings 56 to 44 and made half of their 30 three point shots.

Darius Acuff Jr. led Sacramento with 22 points and eight assists. Domantas Sabonis scored 17 points with 12 rebounds and five assists, Zach LaVine scored 14, and Malik Monk and Leaky Black scored 12 each. The Kings played without Keegan Murray, who missed his seventh straight game with a left ankle injury. San Antonio was without Tobias Harris, out with a left calf strain, and Jayden Quaintance, who is recovering from right knee surgery.

What it means

San Antonio improved to 7-2 and has won seven in a row since opening losses to Oklahoma City and Houston. The win was the second over Sacramento in ten days, after the 130-103 home win on Oct. 27 when Wembanyama scored 29 points. Sacramento fell to 1-8. The game was the Spurs' first of four group games in West Group C of the NBA Cup.