Down 22 in Chicago, Wembanyama and the Spurs Storm Back for a 10th Straight Win

There are nights when a winning streak is built on talent, and nights when it is built on character. Wednesday in Chicago was the second kind.

The San Antonio Spurs fell behind by 22 points in the second quarter at the United Center, then outworked the Chicago Bulls the rest of the way for a 124-119 victory, their 10th win in a row ^[1][2]. Victor Wembanyama finished with 32 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots, and Dylan Harper added 18 points, 10 assists and four steals ^[1]. The win lifted San Antonio to 10-2, kept it perfect on the road at 6-0 and closed out a 4-0 road trip ^[1].

Chicago dropped to 1-9 and 0-4 at home with its eighth straight loss ^[1].

A First Quarter the Spurs Won't Forget

For most of the first half, the Bulls looked nothing like their record. Chicago poured in 41 points in the opening quarter on 17-of-20 shooting, the most San Antonio has allowed in any quarter this season, according to The Ticket in Dallas ^[2]. The Associated Press reported that the Bulls made 10 of their first 12 three-point attempts and shot 66 percent in the first half ^[1]. Their lead reached 64-42 midway through the second quarter, Chicago's biggest of the season ^[1], and it was still 70-56 at halftime ^[2].

Jalen Smith was the spark. He scored 10 points in the first quarter and 17 by halftime on his way to 23, which tied his career high ^[1][2]. Nic Claxton added 17 off the bench ^[1].

How the Comeback Happened

The second half belonged to San Antonio. The Spurs scored the first seven points of the third quarter in less than two minutes, capped by a Stephon Castle alley-oop on a lob from Harper ^[2]. That burst grew into an 18-3 run, fueled by five Chicago turnovers, per the AP ^[1]. The Bulls committed eight turnovers in the third quarter alone after just seven in the entire first half, and they managed only 19 points in the period ^[2]. San Antonio won the quarter 34-19 ^[1].

Then the Spurs opened the fourth with an 11-2 run, with Castle scoring five points and Wembanyama four during the stretch, and the lead grew to as many as 15 ^[1][2]. Chicago chipped the margin back to five by the final horn ^[1]. All told, San Antonio outscored the Bulls 68-49 after halftime ^[2].

De'Aaron Fox did his damage early, scoring all 17 of his points in the first half, and finished with nine assists ^[1][2]. Seven Spurs scored in double figures ^[2].

Related Predators Win Sixth Straight in Anaheim as Roman Josi Reaches 800 Points and Shane Wright Scores His First for Nashville

What This Streak Says About San Antonio

Wednesday's line came just two days after Wembanyama scored 40 points in a win at Phoenix ^[1]. What stands out about this one is not the scoring. It is that the Spurs' best player kept defending, blocking five shots on a night when a lot of good teams would have let a long road trip end with a shrug.

A team that is down 22 to a one-win opponent has every excuse to fold. The Spurs did not make excuses. They tightened up, forced turnovers, shared the ball and trusted each other. Harper's 10 assists and four steals were the clearest sign of that ^[1]. The old line about running the race with endurance fits a 10-game streak better than any highlight does. Talent gets you a lead in November. Perseverance gets you back into a game you had no business winning.

A Painful Night for Chicago's Rookie

The bigger worry for the Bulls may be Caleb Wilson. The rookie had 15 points in only 15 minutes before leaving in the third quarter with a right hand injury ^[1][3]. ESPN reported that he got hurt while trying to knock the ball out of Wembanyama's hands, and that he had been listed as questionable before the game with right hip soreness ^[3]. Bleacher Report noted that the team ruled him out for the rest of the night ^[4].

The injury stings because Wilson has been one of the league's most impressive young players. The No. 4 pick in the 2026 draft out of North Carolina was averaging 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 32.4 minutes coming into the game, per ESPN ^[3]. His college career was cut short by injuries to both hands, including a fractured right thumb that required surgery and kept him out of the NCAA tournament ^[3]. No diagnosis had been reported by late Wednesday ^[3][4].

Both teams were short-handed. Bulls guard Norman Powell missed his second straight game with back spasms, and Spurs guard Devin Vassell sat out a second straight game with adductor tightness ^[1]. San Antonio was also without Tobias Harris (calf) and Jayden Quaintance (knee), according to ESPN's injury report ^[5].

What Comes Next

The Spurs, who sit atop the Southwest Division at 10-2 ^[1], return home Friday to host Golden State ^[1]. The Warriors are waiting on news about Stephen Curry, who left Wednesday's game in Houston with abdominal soreness and was ruled out the rest of the way, according to the AP ^[6]. Chicago hosts Atlanta on Friday, still looking for a way to turn a hot start into a win ^[1].