Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs rally from 25 points down to beat the Clippers 117-112

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks as the San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 25-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 117-112 on Friday night.

Kawhi Leonard had 30 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

San Antonio (46-17) has won 14 of 15 and is second in the Western Conference.

After defending a missed 3-pointer by Leonard, Wembanyama broke free for an uncontested dunk that gave the Spurs a 113-112 lead with 16 seconds left. Clippers forward Nicolas Batum turned the ball over on the ensuing possession when his foot crossed the boundary while inbounding the ball. Stephon Castle closed out the win by rebounding his own missed free throw and converting a layup with 1 second remaining.

After trailing 75-50 in the third quarter, the Spurs opened the fourth with an 18-5 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes.

Wembanyama blocked Kris Dunn's reverse layup, creating a fast break that ended with an alley-oop dunk by Carter Bryant. Devin Vassell followed with a 3-pointer for a 99-97 lead.

Julian Champagnie finished with 20 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, and De'Aaron Fox had 19 points and nine rebounds.

Brook Lopez had 26 points for the Clippers.

Lopez had nine points in the first quarter on a series of floaters, fadeaways and step-back jumpers.

The Clippers took a 56-39 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half. The lead stretched to 22 points over the next four minutes.

San Antonio shot 38% from the field and 30% on 3-pointers in the first half to trail 66-46 at the break, its biggest halftime deficit of the season. The Spurs have led at the half in 42 of their 63 games.

Clippers: At Memphis on Saturday.

Spurs: Host Houston on Sunday.

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

San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet and Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) fight for possession during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) goes to the basket against San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives against Los Angeles Clippers' Derrick Jones Jr., second from right, and Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, center, dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, March 6, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs players Victor Wembanyama, center, De'Aaron Fox (4) and Keldon Johnson celebrate their win after an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, March 6, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

HOUSTON (AP) — Manny Ramirez hit plenty of home runs in his 19-year major league career — 555, to be exact.

On Friday night at Daikin Park, the 12-time All-Star relished watching someone else go yard when his son Lucas Ramirez hit two homers for Brazil against the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

Lucas Ramirez hit a leadoff homer, then added another solo shot in the eighth inning.

Like father, like son.

The 20-year-old sent Logan Webb’s second pitch into the seats in right field to cut the Americans' lead to 2-1 after Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot in the top of the inning. Ramirez's blast in the eighth off Gabe Speier got Brazil within 8-5.

“I was looking forward for him to do something special,” Manny Ramirez told The Associated Press after his son's first homer. “So, he’s been working so hard all year round and I’m proud of him.”

Lucas Ramirez is playing for Brazil because his mother, Juliana Ramirez, was born and raised in Sao Paulo. She was at the ballpark Friday night and beamed after the leadoff homer.

“This is the best day ever of my life, to be honest,” Lucas Ramirez said. “My mom doesn’t really make it to all of the games because she is back home with my brother. My dad is at most of the games. I’m just really thankful that my family is here was to watch me play.”

The younger Ramirez was a 17th-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels in the 2024 amateur draft and he spent last season playing in class A, batting .266 with three homers, 30 RBIs and six stolen bases.

He also played for Brazil in the 2026 WBC qualifiers and went 5 for 13.

He said he'd been visualizing hitting a home run on his first at-bat in the WBC since the qualifiers.

“It is crazy it actually happened,” he said. “For five months, every time before I go to bed, after I pray, I visualized it. And it happened. That’s why, I don’t know if you saw me running the bases, I said: ‘I told you,’ because I visualized it and it happened.”

Lucas Ramirez said he uses visualization a lot to deal with the pressure of having a famous father.

“Having Manny Ramirez as my father, it's obviously a good thing and a bad thing,” he said. “It’s a little harder, everybody expects so much. That’s why maybe I visualize and ... say things because I've got to paint my own picture. I've got to be Lucas Ramirez and I've got my own path.”

Manny Ramirez, a two-time World Series champion and the 2004 World Series MVP, would have been thrilled to see his son homer against any team, but it made it more special for him to do it against one of the top teams in the tournament.

“Oh yeah, they’re No. 1,” he said.

And he thinks the big night will give his son a boost for the upcoming season.

“It’s going to be more special for him because that’s going to give him — he’s going to be ready for the season,” Ramirez said. “I hope he’s going to do good.”

Lucas Ramirez is wearing the No. 24 his father donned for most of his career. And Manny Ramirez was thrilled to see his son succeed.

“I’m proud of him,” he said. “Thank God for this opportunity that he has.”

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

Former professional baseball player Manny Ramirez, second from right, greets a fan during the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between the United States and Brazil, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Brazil's Lucas Ramirez, right, celebrates with Osvaldo Carvalho after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against the United States, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Brazil's Lucas Ramirez, right, celebrates with Osvaldo Carvalho after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against the United States, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Brazil's Lucas Ramirez runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)