3 takeaways as Spurs win ninth straight behind Wemby's 40 points, nine blocks

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama goes in for a dunk against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA basketball game in Phoenix, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press) PHOENIX - Victor Wembanyama's sensational, long-striding finger-roll layup late in the third quarter of the Spurs' 122-96 win over the Suns on Monday night conjured images of franchise great George Gervin.Like the Iceman of yore, the 7-foot-4 center is scoring with ease lately.Wembanyama finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high nine blocks in just 25 minutes, Dylan Harper had 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter, and the Spurs (9-2) won their ninth game in a row."When you sit the fourth quarter or most of the fourth quarter, that's a great sign," said Wembanyama, who scored eight points on 4 of 4 from the field in the first 2:47 of the final frame before leaving the game for good.Wemby on his latest masterpiece: https://t.co/Fb5mNF90Pa- Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) November 10, 2026Wembanyama hit 15 of 19 from the field, 2 of 3 from 3-point range and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line for his third game this season of 40 or more points. In doing so, he became just the second player in NBA history to have multiple games with 40-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and nine-plus blocks in a single season after Wilt Chamberlain did it in 1959-60 and 1960-61."He's playing at a high level," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "He's in a very good rhythm right now and his teammates are as well."Wembanyama's latest masterpiece also marked just the second time in the last 45 years that a players has had 40 or more points in 25 minutes. Sleepy Floyd did it in 1991 when he scored 40 in just 24 minutes for the Houston Rockets against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 26, 1991.Wembanyama finished the first half with 22 points. He has scored 20-plus points in a single half seven times this season after a totaling 14 halves with 20-plus in 65 games last season. He is also the first player with multiple halves with 20 points and five blocks in a season since Alonzo Mourning in 1999-00, per ESPN."It's mostly decision making really because I'm not doing anything that I was not able to do, physically able to do, 12 months ago," Wembanyama said of his dominant play. De'Aaron Fox scored 15 points for the Spurs, who snapped a four-game losing streak in Phoenix with their first win at Mortgage Matchup Center since Nov. 2, 2023 in Wembanyama's rookie season.The Spurs, who will complete their four-game road trip at Chicago on Wednesday night, played without Devin Vassell (left adductor tightness). He was replaced in the starting lineup by Julian Champagnie, who had 11 points.Devin Booker led the Suns (3-6) with 32 points. Phoenix Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea, right, dunks against San Antonio Spurs forwards Harrison Barnes (40) and Carter Bryant (11) during an NBA basketball game in Phoenix, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press) Here are three takeaways from the first of three meetings between the teams this season:1. When will players learn not to challenge Wemby?Wembanyama came into the game averaging a league-best and career-high 4.5 blocks per game, but that didn't stop the Suns from challenging him inside.And they paid the price for it. Wembanyama recorded five of his season-high nine blocks in the first half, including rejecting Oso Ighodaro's dunk attempt and Dillon Brooks' 5-foot jumper on the same possession, a swat fest that harkened back to the Spurs' 112-111 victory over Dallas last Wednesday when he collected three blocks on one possession.Mitch Johnson on Wemby's latest big night bs the Suns and the Spurs playing so hard in this streak https://t.co/aXeBHoYLJz- Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) November 10, 2026It was the second time this season Wembanyama has notched five rejections by the half. The rest of the league has zero, and only five players have five blocks in an entire game.Before Wembanyama had two blocks in the 124-109 win at Sacramento on Friday night, Kings coach Doug Christie was asked about the wisdom of challenging the 7-foot-4 center at the rim."Ultimately, you must engage him. If you do not engage him, then he just absolutely dominates the game," Christie said.Christie has a point, but as Ighodaro and Brooks found out, more often than not, it's a mistake.2. Johnson pushed the right buttons to get Harper going.With the second-year guard taking just two shots and scoring only three points in the first half, the Spurs coach decided to give him a kick in the pants during a timeout early in the third."He was not up to (his) standard at the start of the third quarter, and so there was a timeout and we discussed that and I thought he came out and had a great response to it," Johnson said. Having been held accountable by his coach, Harper delivered a decisive response."It was definitely received," Harper said. "Just playing my standard. He didn't like the way I came out at the start the third quarter. I respected it. I listened to it and the message got received."3. Red-hot team showing no signs of complacencyThe Spurs led by 17 points late in the first half when Keldon Johnson dove into the courtside seats in search of a loose ball.It was a hustle play that exemplified how just how intense the team has been during the NBA's longest winning streak of the season."I would expect nothing less in terms of the competitiveness and the way that we're trying to attack games," Mitch Johnson said. "They're doing a great job of it. They've shown some maturity these last few games in terms of just the disposition they're playing with."SubscribeThere’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at 3 takeaways as Spurs win ninth straight behind Wemby's 40 points, nine blocks.