Wemby shines late, Spurs down Celtics

Victor Wembanyama stepped it up in the second half on Saturday, drilling a go-ahead jump shot with 1:33 minutes to play and adding the final dagger in the San Antonio Spurs' 100-95 NBA victory over the Boston Celtics.

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Spurs' Victor Wembanyama goes in for a dunk over Celtics' Hugo Gonzalez during the second quarter at TD Garden. AFP

(AFP)

The French star, who again came off the bench as the Spurs ease him back into action in the wake of a knee injury, scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, adding six rebounds and three blocked shots.

"My mindset was just, I have to close out the game," Wembanyama said of his pivotal jumpers, adding that the victory showed the Spurs' character.

"It felt like they were playing better basketball than us, but we stayed in there," he said.

De'Aaron Fox scored 21 points for San Antonio and Keldon Johnson added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs kicked off a three-game road trip with victory in the clash of East and West second-placed teams.

Derrick White scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Boston.