On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 123-118, their seventh win in nine games, despite Victor Wembanyama’s unprecedented “5×5” statistical performance, which featured 30 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds from LeBron James.

Wembanyama played his first away game against the Lakers and finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. In addition to recording five steals and five blocked shots, the French rookie phenom became the 15th player overall and the youngest player in NBA history to record the elusive 5×5—at least five steals, rebounds, assists, blocks, and points in a single game.

James described Wembanyama as having no ceiling. “He is free to pursue any job path he chooses. He looks to be having fun with the game. From the outside looking in, it appears that he puts in a lot of labor. I said how unique he was a long time ago, and it’s truly that easy.

Wembanyama was one assist short of a five-point game in Sacramento on Thursday night, but he made up ground the next night in Los Angeles in just thirty minutes and fifty-seven seconds of play—the shortest amount of time in a five-point game in league history.

Wembanyama is one of the few players that has at least five steals and five blocks in a row, along with Michael Jordan.

Wembanyama remarked, “I wonder if (Jordan) did it in wins, not losses.” It’s secondary to me. I can’t be happy with a loss right now, but perhaps in the future we can look back and consider this as a decent performance.

Wembanyama led the Lakers to a 16-point lead after a strong first quarter. However, Anthony Davis responded to the challenge of being the companion No. 1 overall pick by playing well in the next two quarters.

In a back-to-back match, Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds before sitting out the whole fourth quarter of the opposing team’s game. When James led the Lakers to their 12th victory in 18 games, Jaxson Hayes filled in well for Wembanyama.

James persevered through both strong and difficult phases, but ultimately, when the Lakers needed him to step up and make plays, he did so, according to coach Darvin Ham. “After the All-Star break, things are a touch out of control. Though I felt James was good, the guys are still striving to get back in sync to where we were previously.

In the last three and a half minutes, San Antonio went on a 17-5 run to significantly reduce the final deficit.

Rui Hachimura scored 17 points and D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points on his 28th birthday for the Lakers, who have been playing well lately but haven’t been able to move up to ninth place in the Western Conference rankings. After the All-Star break, Los Angeles lost to Golden State on Thursday.

James participated in the All-Star Game in between his two-game absence from the Lakers due to a sorє ankle, but he returned strong.

James remarked, “I can’t tell you how we’re going to be every single day.” “We simply put forth the effort and accept the outcome. We take a correct defensive stance going into the game. We are still sharing the ball offensively…. Every night we can win if we defend, recover in transition, and clear the glass when the other team misses.

Wembanyama seized his first chance to compete behind the Lakers’ wall of championship banners by outplaying Davis in the first six minutes of the game and finishing with 13 points, three rebounds, and two fouls. By halftime, he had scored twenty points, but after the break, he was only two for six.

The Spurs, who have lost three straight and ten of eleven games, were led in scoring by Malaki Branham (17 points) and Jeremy Sochan (15 points and 13 rebounds). On their annual nine-game Rodeo Road Trip, they are 1-6.

In their December matchup, San Antonio ended a franchise-record losing run that spanned 18 games.