Wemby’s monster night exposes exactly who the Mavericks are missing

Victor Wembanyama may have scored the most fantasy basketball points we'll see all season Wednesday against the Mavericks.

Sometimes you look at a Victor Wembanyama stat line and you have to do a double take.

After doing just that while observing Wednesday's astonishing 52-point, 24-rebound performance in a win over the Dallas Mavericks, we had to rub our eyes and make sure it was all real.

The San Antonio Spurs' All-Star not only dropped 52 points and 24 rebounds, but also added two assists, two steals and EIGHT blocks for good measure.

He scored 110 points in Yahoo High Score fantasy basketball, while putting up even more in points leagues (112.8).

The 110 points in High Score is tied for the most in the format ever, matching Bam Adebayo's 83-point game from last season against the Wizards.

At the time, we thought we'd be talking about Bam's performance likely for the rest of time.

Well, guess we need to add Wemby's box score from last night into that category.

And the cherry on top of the fantasy basketball sundae might be that Wembanyama iced the game with a free throw to give the Spurs a 112-111 lead, which would help them hold on for the win.

The 52 points vaulted the big man's season average up to 29 points per game, which now ranks fourth in the NBA entering play Thursday.

San Antonio has now won six games in a row after dropping the first two contests of the season.

Wemby will look to continue his massive fantasy week with matchups against the Kings and Trail Blazers.

For High Score formats, it'll be tough (actually nearly impossible) for Wemby to top that score for managers this week, but those in points and 9-category leagues will welcome the chance at additional production.

WHAT THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY MEAN

The stat line — 52 points, 24 rebounds, eight blocks — is the first of its kind in the NBA since Bob McAdoo in 1974.

Before that, only Wilt Chamberlain had reached those thresholds in a single game, doing so in 1961.

Wembanyama shot 16-of-28 from the field and 19-of-23 from the free-throw line, including the game-winning free throw.

He committed just one turnover in 37 minutes of play.

Even his teammate Dylan Harper noticed something special.

“He basically Wilt,” Harper said after the win that pushed the Spurs to a 6-2 record.

The comparison to Chamberlain is not hyperbole in this case — it's a statistical fact.

THE COOPER FLAGG SUBPLOT

The game also featured Cooper Flagg, the 19-year-old phenom whom many project to challenge Wembanyama one day as the league's future face.

Flagg ended the night with 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and just one turnover.

But he shot a rough 7-of-19 from the field and 0-of-3 from deep after starting the game 1-of-11.

Wembanyama blocked Flagg twice and scored an and-1 right over him in crucial moments, showing that right now he holds a few years of experience over the younger star.

THE BIGGER PICTURE FOR DALLAS

The Mavericks are not considered contenders this season, but this game exposed exactly who they are missing.

Dallas had no answer for Wembanyama's length and versatility on either end of the floor.

His eight blocks came from a mix of help-side rotations and one-on-one challenges, with Wembanyama showing a new technique of hanging on an opponent's hip and waiting for them to rise for their shot before he ever jumps.

This ensures the shooter's attempt isn't altered early, and Wembanyama knows he can easily match them at the point of release because of his length.

It's a defensive approach that makes him nearly impossible to score over, especially for a team missing its primary rim protector.

A NIGHT OF HISTORIC PERFORMANCES