Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 9 shots in just 25 minutes as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns 122-96 on Monday night at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The win was the ninth straight for San Antonio, which improved to 9-2 on the season and moved into second place in the Western Conference. Wembanyama shot 15 of 19 from the field, made 2 of 3 shots from three point range and hit 8 of 10 free throws. He added 3 assists and finished with only 1 turnover and a plus 30 rating. It was his third 40 point game of the season, and all three have come in his last six outings.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday, November 9, 2026 |
| Venue | Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix |
| Final score | San Antonio Spurs 122, Phoenix Suns 96 |
| Wembanyama stat line | 40 points, 11 rebounds, 9 blocks, 3 assists |
| Minutes played | 25 minutes 21 seconds |
| Shooting | 15 of 19 field goals, 2 of 3 threes, 8 of 10 free throws |
| Spurs record | 9-2, second in the Western Conference |
| Winning streak | 9 straight wins after a 0-2 start |
| Suns record | 3-6 |
| Next game | Spurs at Chicago Bulls, Wednesday, November 11 |
A Night of Remarkable Efficiency in Phoenix
Some big scoring nights come from a player taking shot after shot for 40 minutes. This one was different. Wembanyama needed only 25 minutes and 21 seconds on the court to reach 40 points, and he did it while missing just four shots all night. He scored 14 points in the first quarter and had 22 by halftime. The Spurs led 61-46 at the break and stretched the lead to 93-68 after the third quarter, so the fourth quarter became a chance for San Antonio to rest its star and let the bench finish the job.
The pace of the performance is what makes it stand out. According to Stathead, Wembanyama is only the second player since the 1951-52 season to score at least 40 points in under 26 minutes, joining Sleepy Floyd, who did it in 1991. That is a span of more than seven decades of NBA basketball, and only two names sit on that list.
The shooting numbers tell the same story. He made 15 of his 19 field goal attempts, which means nearly eight out of every ten shots he took went in. He made 2 of his 3 attempts from three point range and 8 of his 10 free throws. When a 7 foot 4 inch player shoots that well from every part of the floor, the defense has no good answer. Step out to guard the three and he drives past. Stay back and he shoots over the top. Double team him and he finds an open teammate.
A Stat Line That Stands Alone
The points were only part of the night. Wembanyama also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 9 shots, which gave him a double double with defense that changed the game on the other end of the floor. Nine blocks in 25 minutes means he was turning away a Phoenix shot roughly every three minutes he played. For a Suns team trying to find a rhythm at home, that kind of rim protection is demoralizing. Every drive to the basket carried the risk of being sent back.
The combination of numbers has its own place in history. Wembanyama became the first player to record 40 points, 11 rebounds and at least 8 blocks at the Mortgage Matchup Center. The only other player to post that kind of line in a game featuring the Suns was Elvin Hayes, who had 40 points, 18 rebounds and 13 blocks back in 1968. Nearly six decades separate those two performances, and the company says plenty about how rare this night was.
He committed only 1 turnover in the game, and he finished with a plus 30 rating, which means San Antonio outscored Phoenix by 30 points during his time on the floor.
Six Games That Changed the Season
This was not a one night flash. It was the third 40 point game of the season for Wembanyama, and all three have come in his last six outings. He scored 43 points against Minnesota on October 31, and only five days before the Phoenix game he set career highs with 52 points and 24 rebounds plus 8 blocks in a 112-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Taken together, the last six games have turned a promising young star into the most talked about player in the league.
The numbers across the season now match the noise. After the game in Phoenix, Wembanyama was averaging 30.1 points per game, with 331 points in 11 games, along with 12 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. A player averaging 30 points and 12 rebounds while blocking nearly four shots a night is doing things that very few players in league history have done over a full season, and he is doing it at the start of his career.
The timing matters too. San Antonio opened the season 0-2, and there were fair questions about whether the young roster was ready to take a real step forward. Nine straight wins later, those questions have been answered in the loudest possible way.
How the Spurs Took Control
Wembanyama was the headline, but the win was a team effort. Dylan Harper scored 17 points and De’Aaron Fox added 15 for San Antonio, giving the Spurs a second and third scoring option that kept Phoenix from loading up entirely on Wembanyama. When the star draws that much attention, the rest of the roster has to make the defense pay, and on Monday night they did.
The rebounding told the story of the game as clearly as the score did. San Antonio won the rebounding battle 55-35, a 20 rebound gap that gave the Spurs extra possessions and limited Phoenix to one shot on most trips down the floor. Wembanyama led the way with 11 boards, but the team wide effort on the glass kept the Suns from building any momentum.
Phoenix, now 3-6 on the season, never found an answer. Devin Booker and the Suns offense could not keep pace with a Spurs team that scored from inside and out, and the defensive end offered no relief either. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the game was decided.
What the Streak Means for San Antonio
Nine straight wins change how a team is viewed around the league. The Spurs are no longer a young team with potential. They are a team with the second best record in the Western Conference, and they are winning with a style that travels. Defense, rebounding and a superstar who can take over a game in 25 minutes will work in any building.
The streak also changes the pressure. Every team San Antonio faces now knows it is playing one of the hottest teams in the league, and every opponent will bring its best effort. That is a new challenge for a young roster, and how the Spurs handle it over the next few weeks will say a lot about whether this start is real or just a hot stretch.
The next test comes quickly. The Spurs visit the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, November 11, and the question will be whether the streak reaches double figures. On current form, few people would bet against it.
Around the league, other young stars are making headlines of their own this week. You can read about Cooper Flagg scoring 43 points against the Pacers, the Lakers beating the Pistons 121-116 behind Austin Reaves, and Puka Nacua going on injured reserve. The Wembanyama show, though, is the one setting the pace right now.
FAQs
How many points did Victor Wembanyama score against the Suns?
Wembanyama scored 40 points against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, November 9, 2026. He added 11 rebounds and 9 blocks in just 25 minutes and 21 seconds of playing time.
How long did Wembanyama play in the game?
He played only 25 minutes and 21 seconds. He is only the second player since the 1951-52 season to score at least 40 points in under 26 minutes, joining Sleepy Floyd from 1991.
What is the Spurs record after beating Phoenix?
The Spurs improved to 9-2 with the 122-96 win over the Suns. It was their ninth straight win after starting the season 0-2, and they sit second in the Western Conference.
When do the Spurs play next?
San Antonio visits the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, November 11. The Spurs will try to extend their winning streak to ten games.
SOURCES
Final Thoughts
Some games are remembered for a final score. This one will be remembered for how little time it took to produce a historic line. Forty points, 11 rebounds and 9 blocks in 25 minutes is the kind of performance that stops a season in its tracks and makes everyone pay attention. Wembanyama is not just putting up big numbers. He is putting them up with an efficiency that has almost no precedent in the modern game, and he is doing it while his team keeps winning.
The Spurs are 9-2, second in the West, and riding a nine game winning streak. The young star at the center of it all is averaging 30.1 points, 12 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. If he keeps playing like this, the question will not be whether San Antonio is a real contender. It will be how far this team can go.
