Victor Wembanyama scores 37 of 40 in 1st half, leading Spurs to 136-108 win over short-handed Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 37 of his season high-tying 40 points in the first half of the San Antonio Spurs' fifth straight victory, 136-108 over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Wembanyama had the highest-scoring first half in the NBA this season and the highest-scoring half by a Spurs player in the 21st century while going 12 of 17 from the field with three 3-pointers against a Lakers lineup missing Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

Wembanyama played only the first eight minutes of the second half with the Spurs far ahead in their 10th win in 13 games.

The French big man became the third player in the past 50 seasons to score at least 40 points while playing 27 minutes or fewer. He also had 12 rebounds.

Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart also sat out for the Lakers on the second night of a brutal back-to-back set against the Western Conference’s top two teams. Doncic and Smart are injured, while James, Reaves and Ayton are all managing health concerns.

After winning the opening tip, Wembanyama scored 17 points in the first 4:15 on 5-for-5 shooting. He had 25 points before checking out with four minutes left in the Spurs' 47-point first quarter, and he added 12 more in the second.

Carter Bryant scored a career-high 16 points and Dylan Harper had 15 for the Spurs.

Luke Kennard and Drew Timme scored 14 points apiece for the Lakers. Bronny James had 12 points and six assists.

Spurs guard Stephon Castle had seven assists before leaving with a bruised pelvis after blocking Rui Hachimura's shot and falling hard with 4:10 left in the first half.

James missed his 18th game of his 23rd NBA season, disqualifying him from making his 22nd straight appearance on the All-NBA teams.

NBA scoring leader Doncic missed his third straight game with a hamstring strain.

Spurs: At Golden State on Wednesday night.

Lakers: Host Dallas on Thursday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) greets teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) descends after making a dunk as Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bufkin (18) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) is double-teamed by Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) and guard Luke Kennard (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

NEW YORK (AP) — The early Bird had to circle Yankee Stadium.

Jake Bird arrived at 8:15 a.m. Friday, more than five hours before the start of his first game in pinstripes. The gate where New York Yankees players usually enter wasn't yet open and he was told to enter from the other side of the ballpark, at Gate 6.

“I just walked around,” the relief pitcher said. "It was a nice foggy morning.”

Eight months after the Yankees acquired him from Colorado, Bird pitched in the Bronx for the first time Friday. He struck out two in a perfect seventh inning of an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins in New York's home opener.

Bird credited Natalie Girard for recommending he account for possibly congested streets when he called for Uber pickup at his Manhattan hotel.

“My girlfriend is really familiar with New York, so she was kind of telling me, `Hey, there might be traffic in the morning, so you should get there early,'” Bird recalled. “Also, I didn’t really know where to enter the stadium and stuff and I’ve been in that spot before where I kind of got lost, so just it didn’t hurt to get here a little early and kind of familiarize myself with the place.”

Hours later, he entered with a 5-2 lead in the seventh inning. Bird retired Otto Lopez on a flyout, threw a called third strike past Owen Caissie and struck out Connor Norby.

Bird pumped both arms and screamed.

“He had a little emotional release after getting that third out,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He was, again, really sharp, man, and went right through the middle of their order. Right, left, left was efficient.”

Bird was dealt by the Rockies for a pair of prospects last July 31, made three relief appearances on the road, the last in Texas ending with Josh Jung's three-run, walk-off homer, and was sent to Triple-A for the rest of the season.

“I know last year it didn’t really work out the way he wanted,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said, “He’s a guy that wants to be here. He wants to be great and I think after going through last year he knows the expectations now and he’s ready to go.”

Bird has allowed one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings in four games this season, striking out five and walking none.

“I’m just trying to stay closed and not fly open,” he said. “I know my slider and my breaking balls have been really good and fastball is a weak point at times, so just trying to build on the breaking balls as a strength and trying to improve the fastball, as well.”

An economics major at UCLA, Bird was taken by the Rockies on the fifth round of the 2018 amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2022. He has a 4.68 ERA with 221 strikeouts in 236 2/3 innings.

“Opening day is amazing," he said, “experience it here for the first time was really cool.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

New York Yankees' pitcher Jake Bird walks back to dugout during the sixth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)