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Victor Wembanyama dominated, but Spurs teammate delivered the night's wildest shooting performance
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- Victor Wembanyama dominated, but Spurs teammate delivered the night's wildest shooting performance
Victor Wembanyama dominated, but Spurs teammate delivered the night's wildest shooting performance originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Victor Wembanyama continues to provide plenty of reasons for NBA fans to watch the San Antonio Spurs .
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Tuesday night, however, one of his teammates nearly stole the show.
Julian Champagnie delivered an extraordinary shooting performance as the Spurs defeated the Sacramento Kings 130-103 at Frost Bank Center. Champagnie finished with 26 points and eight three-pointers, making all eight of those shots before halftime.
It was the kind of performance that can completely change the complexion of a basketball game. And San Antonio made sure it didn't go to waste.
Eight threes before halftime is ridiculous
Champagnie connected on eight of his first 10 three-point attempts during the opening half. His shooting helped the Spurs build an 80-54 halftime lead, overwhelming a Sacramento team still searching for its first victory of the season.
San Antonio recorded 23 assists and 13 three-pointers before halftime, showing just how effectively the offense moved the basketball. The Spurs finished the game shooting 17-of-37 from beyond the arc.
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Champagnie accounted for nearly half of their made three-pointers by himself.
That kind of shooting provides a particularly dangerous complement to Wembanyama, whose size and ability to attack the basket already create difficult defensive decisions. Opponents have to account for the superstar near the rim. When another player is making outside shots at Champagnie's rate, the floor becomes even harder to defend.
Wembanyama had his own highlight show
The 7-foot-4 superstar finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds in just 27 minutes. Wembanyama made 14 of his 21 field-goal attempts and matched his career high with nine dunks. He scored 15 points in the opening quarter, helping San Antonio establish an early advantage before Champagnie's perimeter shooting turned the game into a blowout.
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The Spurs scored 39 points in the first quarter and followed with 41 in the second.
By the time halftime arrived, Sacramento had already surrendered 80 points. San Antonio also received 15 points from Stephon Castle, 14 apiece from Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson and 13 from Dylan Harper. All five starters reached double figures, demonstrating the balance that made Tuesday's performance so impressive.
MORE: Anthony Edwards scored 47 points, but another Timberwolves stat was almost impossible to believe
The Kings have a growing problem
Sacramento dropped to 0-4 despite receiving 24 points from De'Andre Hunter, 22 from Zach LaVine and 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists from Domantas Sabonis. The Kings have now allowed at least 121 points in all four losses to begin the season.
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That defensive trend is concerning, especially when opponents are finding so many different ways to score.
For San Antonio, the victory improved its record to 2-2 and delivered its first home win after earlier losses to Oklahoma City and Houston.
Wembanyama remains the franchise's biggest attraction.
But Tuesday provided a reminder that the Spurs can become especially difficult to stop when their supporting cast catches fire. Champagnie didn't need an entire game to make eight three-pointers.
He only needed one half.
