Wembanyama Drops 32 as Spurs Erase 14-Point Deficit to Beat Bulls 124-119

Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points with nine rebounds and five blocked shots on Wednesday night as the San Antonio Spurs erased a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 124-119 at the United Center, extending their winning streak to 10 games. The French star shot 13 of 18 from the field and took over after the break, as San Antonio outscored Chicago 68-49 in the second half.

Chicago had seized control early behind a red-hot Jalen Smith, who scored 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, including 5 of 5 from three-point range. The Bulls led 41-29 after the first quarter and by 22 points in the second, but they could not hold off a Spurs side that has made a habit of winning.

Key Points

• Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting, with nine rebounds, five blocks and two three-pointers.
• The Spurs trailed 70-56 at halftime after Chicago led by as many as 22 points, then won the third quarter 34-19 and the fourth 34-30.
• Dylan Harper added 18 points and 10 assists for San Antonio, and De'Aaron Fox contributed 17 points and nine assists.
• Jalen Smith led Chicago with 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, and Nicolas Claxton added 17 points off the bench.
• San Antonio won its 10th straight game to improve to 10-2, while the Bulls let a 14-point halftime lead slip away at home.

What Happened

Chicago could hardly have started better. The Bulls shot their way to a 41-29 lead after one quarter, with Smith burying three-pointers as the advantage grew to 22 points, 64-42, midway through the second quarter.

The comeback began before halftime and gathered pace after it. San Antonio closed the second quarter on an 11-0 run that carried into the third, then produced a 34-19 third quarter to wipe out the deficit entirely. Keldon Johnson's two-point shot with 3:36 left in the third put San Antonio ahead 83-82, and the Spurs never trailed again.

From there, Wembanyama and the Spurs' backcourt took charge. Harper ran the offence with poise, Fox attacked in transition, and Wembanyama protected the rim while finishing efficiently at the other end. San Antonio built a 120-105 lead with 2:04 remaining, and although Chicago trimmed the margin late, the result was never seriously in doubt again. The linescore told the story: Chicago won the first half 70-56, and the second half belonged entirely to San Antonio, 68-49.

Background and Context

The win continued one of the best starts in the NBA this season. San Antonio opened the campaign with two straight defeats, then reeled off nine wins in a row, including a 122-96 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Monday in which Wembanyama scored 40 points with 11 rebounds and eight blocks. Wednesday's comeback made it 10 straight victories and took the Spurs to 10-2, firmly among the Western Conference's early-season contenders.

Chicago, by contrast, arrived in poor form and left with another painful defeat. The Bulls had lost seven games in a row before Sunday's 127-121 defeat to Philadelphia, and Wednesday followed the same pattern: a fast start, a big lead, then a collapse once the opposition raised its level. Smith's shooting gave them hope and Claxton's 17 points off the bench kept them in it, but the Bulls managed only 49 points after halftime.

Wembanyama's 32 Points Power the Spurs Past the Bulls

Thirty-two points on 13-of-18 shooting is impressive on its own, but it was the timing of Wembanyama's scoring that decided this game. He was steady while Chicago built its lead, then dominant as the Spurs took the game back, scoring inside, stepping out for two three-pointers and altering shots at the rim on almost every Bulls possession in the second half. His plus-29 rating was the best on either team by a wide margin.

The five blocks mattered just as much as the points. Chicago shot well early, but Wembanyama's presence at the rim changed the game once the Spurs tightened up defensively, and the Bulls scored only 19 points in the third quarter, their worst period of the night. It was the latest in a run of statement performances from the 22-year-old: 40 against Phoenix two nights earlier, 29 in a 125-103 win at Portland a few days before that.

Reactions

No post-game player or coach quotations were carried in the wire reports checked for this article, so none are quoted here. The United Center crowd that had roared Chicago into a 22-point lead grew quieter as the Spurs' run gathered pace, and by the fourth quarter the loudest cheers were for a visiting team completing a comeback few in the building had seen coming at halftime.

Why It Matters

A 10-2 record matters because the Western Conference is unforgiving, and every road win helps build the cushion a team needs across an 82-game season. The Spurs are not just winning; they are winning in different ways, and a comeback from 22 points down on the road tells the rest of the league this start is no fluke. Wembanyama's form matters too: a 32-point, nine-rebound, five-block night shapes the conversation around the league's best players.

For Chicago, the defeat matters for the opposite reason. Letting a 22-point advantage slip away at home will deepen the questions around a side that keeps finding ways to lose. The Bulls' shooting deserted them when it mattered, and their defence could not contain a Spurs attack that scored 68 points after the break.

What Happens Next

San Antonio will look to extend the winning run in its next outing, with Wembanyama's confidence soaring after another dominant night and Harper growing into his role as the team's floor general. Chicago, meanwhile, needs a response: another defeat and another blown lead demand a reset, with more consistent scoring to support Smith and far better defence after halftime.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between the Spurs and the Bulls?
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Chicago Bulls 124-119 at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after trailing 70-56 at halftime.

How many points did Victor Wembanyama score against the Bulls?
Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting, with nine rebounds, five blocks and two three-pointers.

How big was the Spurs' halftime deficit?
San Antonio trailed by 14 points at halftime, 70-56, and had trailed by as many as 22 points in the second quarter before rallying to win.

Who led the Bulls in scoring?
Jalen Smith led Chicago with 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, including 5 of 5 from three-point range, while Nicolas Claxton added 17 points off the bench.

What are the Spurs' and Bulls' records now?
San Antonio improved to 10-2 with its 10th straight win after opening 0-2, while Chicago's losing run continued at home.

Read more: Wembanyama scores 40 as Spurs rout Suns 122-96 for ninth straight win, Spurs 125-103 Trail Blazers: Wembanyama scores 29 in eighth straight win and 76ers beat Bulls 127-121 as Brown and Maxey combine for 56.