NBA roundup: Wembanyama sets another record as Spurs beat Bulls, Shai rescues Thunder

[p]Another dominant all-round offensive performance saw the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]Spurs[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/chicago-bulls-bPjc49q0/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=hnH5N7qf"]pull away decisively[/a] after outscoring [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-bulls/bPjc49q0/"]Chicago[/a] 35-19 in the second quarter, after only one point separated the two sides after the first period.[/p][p]French star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Wembanyama[/a] was once again the pivotal figure for San Antonio, who have emerged as genuine NBA title contenders since the mid-season All-Star Break with 19 wins and only two losses.[/p][p]Wembanyama finished Monday's game with 41 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal in a performance which underscored his status as one of the front-runners for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award.[/p][p]Wembanyama's double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds arrived just eight minutes and 31 seconds after he stepped on court, a new NBA record.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/castle-stephon/Kzd3IGeT/"]Stephon Castle[/a] backed Wembanyama with 21 points while four other Spurs players finished in double figures.[/p][p][b]"Today wasn't perfect as a team and personally," [/b]Wembanyama said. [b]"I wish I was better, but it's still satisfying.[/b][/p][p]"The most fun part is that we've got a healthy locker room and we're just happy as a whole because we get on together well on and off the court. We're just loving the experience."[/p][embed guid="1c52beb3-c217-483f-bbd5-3e822bf3b708" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2038811451511456171" social-type="twitter" /][p]San Antonio's victory left them on 57-18 in the Western Conference, firmly on the shoulder of leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a], who improved to 60-16 with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=lY08sTzQ"]114-110 overtime victory[/a] against Eastern Conference leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a].[/p][h2]'Never-die mentality'[/h2][p]Wembanyama's rival and reigning MVP [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a], scored 47 points as the Thunder escaped with a win against a short-handed Detroit.[/p][p]The Pistons went into the clash with their top-five leading scorers including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunningham-cade/0YleT8PG/"]Cade Cunningham[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harris-tobias/A7GXRiFJ/"]Tobias Harris[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Jalen Duren[/a], all on the injured list.[/p][p]However a determined Pistons line-up led by seven points with three minutes remaining before Gilgeous-Alexander spearheaded a late rally that included 13 fourth-quarter points and eight more in overtime to shepherd the Thunder to the win.[/p][p][b]"We have a never-die mentality,"[/b] Gilgeous-Alexander said afterwards.[/p][p]"Seven points down with three minutes left is nothing to us. We knew that if we could get stops, we would give ourselves a chance. We just had to go out there and make players and we did a good job of that."[/p][embed guid="49a82cb4-d76e-4608-822e-df81e30b31a4" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2038853544590123102" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] remain in third place in the Western Conference on 49-26 after easing past the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Washington Wizards[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/washington-wizards-W6vGWPsn/?mid=6ksux7bm"]120-101[/a].[/p][p]With Lakers star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a] missing through suspension, it was left to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a] to lead the scoring with 21 points.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a] boosted their playoff hopes with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/?mid=GnPXsxV8"]112-102[/a] defeat of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] in their Eastern Conference clash.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a] led the scoring with 29 points for a depleted Celtics line-up missing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tatum-jayson/t4Y4e7r0/"]Jayson Tatum[/a], but Atlanta's balanced offense, with 20 points apiece from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-jalen/St5Wx0bR/"]Jalen Johnson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okongwu-onyeka/rBz3ExiD/"]Onyeka Okongwu[/a], carried the Hawks to victory.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a] saw seven players finish in double figures in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/dallas-mavericks-YouS3mEC/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/?mid=0CKDLoE6"]124-94[/a] rout of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dallas-mavericks/YouS3mEC/"]Dallas Mavericks[/a].[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix Suns[/a] were similarly emphatic winners in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/memphis-grizzlies-U1I5YSDa/phoenix-suns-M1Gy2pra/?mid=nZo5PTEs"]131-105 romp[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/memphis-grizzlies/U1I5YSDa/"]Memphis Grizzlies[/a].[/p]