Victor Wembanyama delivered another eye-catching performance on Friday night, coming off the bench to score 26 points in just 21 minutes as the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 126–98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Still on a minutes restriction following his recent return from injury, the French superstar nonetheless made a major impact, finishing with 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a stunning one-handed alley-oop dunk that brought the crowd to its feet.

The win helped the Spurs bounce back from disappointment earlier in the week, when they were beaten by the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup final in Las Vegas. It also lifted San Antonio to third place in the Western Conference with a 20–7 record.

Wembanyama’s defensive presence once again made history. By registering at least one block, he extended his streak to 100 consecutive games — a feat previously achieved only by Dikembe Mutombo (116 games) and Patrick Ewing (145).

The 21-year-old, who stands 7ft 4in (2.24m), had missed 12 games last month after suffering a left calf strain, but his return has already re-established him as one of the league’s most influential players.

Elsewhere in the NBA on Friday, the Knicks saw their seven-game winning streak snapped with a 116–107 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 30 points, adding nine rebounds and two assists.

In Boston, the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 129–116, with Jaylen Brown scoring 30 points for a sixth straight game and Derrick White impressing on his return to the lineup.