Julian Champagnie Hits Eight 3-Pointers in First Half as Spurs Rout Kings
The San Antonio forward matched his own franchise record from deep to propel his team to a 130-103 victory.
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie matched his own franchise record on Tuesday night, sinking eight 3-pointers in the first two quarters to spark a commanding 130-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center. Champagnie's long-range shooting display powered San Antonio to an 80-point first half, setting the tone for a decisive win that leveled the team's record at 2-2 on the season.
Champagnie did nearly all of his damage before the break, converting 8 of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc and scoring all 24 of his first-half points from long distance. He finished the contest with 26 points. His early barrage helped the Spurs outscore the Kings 41-25 in the second quarter alone, establishing an 80-54 cushion by halftime while leaving Sacramento's perimeter defense completely overwhelmed.
Asked afterward about the hoop's appearance while in the middle of his shooting spree, Champagnie shared a lighthearted perspective on his rhythm. "Sizable," Champagnie said, laughing. "My teammates did a really good job of getting me open and finding where I'm at on the court. I always give credit to them. Without them, I'm not making those shots."
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson praised the squad's crisp ball movement, as San Antonio dished out 35 assists against only 13 turnovers on the night. In the first half, the Spurs shot 60% from the field and made 13 of 22 three-point attempts. "I thought our team did a good job of recognizing where he was once he got going," Johnson said. "We've had some times in the last few years when I think we've done a poor job of that, and not intentionally. We've grown in that aspect a little bit, and [Tuesday] was an example of that."
Victor Wembanyama also delivered a dominant performance for San Antonio, scoring a game-high 29 points on 14-of-21 shooting while adding 10 rebounds and five blocks in less than 27 minutes. Wembanyama had previously averaged a career-low 20 points over the first three contests. Guard Dylan Harper contributed nine points and five rebounds by the break, while De'Aaron Fox collected eight points and five assists. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the first half, with Zach LaVine and De'Andre Hunter each chipping in eight points.
This was not the first time Champagnie has produced historic shooting numbers in a San Antonio uniform. Last season, he broke Chuck Person's prior club mark of nine triples by knocking down 11 3-pointers against the New York Knicks. Champagnie also previously outscored the entire Houston Rockets roster from beyond the arc during the first half of a game in January.
The runaway win provides momentum for San Antonio, which reached the NBA Finals last season but dropped its first two games this year against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets before recovering with a road victory against the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs now prepare to travel to Salt Lake City for a Wednesday matchup against an injury-depleted Utah Jazz roster that recently lost forward Jaren Jackson Jr. to a torn MCL alongside wrist ailments for Lauri Markkanen.