3 takeaways as Wembanyama and Vassell lead Spurs to overtime win at Utah

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, middle, goes to the basket against Utah Jazz center Jaxson Hayes, left and guard Darryn Peterson (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray) (Rob Gray/Associated Press) SALT LAKE CITY - Victor Wembanyama had a quick explanation when asked what keyed the Spurs' 12-0 overtime run that allowed them to escape the Delta Center with a 117-111 victory over the young, talented but shorthanded Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

>"Persistence," he said. "We stepped up defensively, all of us. I think we had had enough of our mistakes."

>Miscues, a lackluster early effort on the boards and a few other problems: The Spurs overcame it all by forcing four turnovers in overtime and limiting the Jazz to just 2-of-7 shooting to rise above .500 for the first time this season.

>Wembanyama had 36 points and 14 rebounds and Devin Vassell finished with 21 points, including a crucial tip-in dunk in OT, as the Spurs won on the second night of a back-to-back to improve to 3-2 after the Jazz opened the extra period with a 3-pointer.

Víctor Wembanyama said the Spurs "had the answer today" against the Jazz. On the 12-0 run in overtime: "We had had enough of our mistakes." https://t.co/AqKNSTXvDo

- Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) October 29, 2026The Jazz played without their stars: Jaren Jackson Jr., who is expected to miss at least six weeks after tearing the MCL in his right knee during Monday's game against Memphis, and Lauri Markkanen, who hurt his wrist in the same game.

>"It is hard to win in this league regardless of circumstances," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "That's a very good young team, a very well-coached team that is competing their butts off. We obviously put ourselves in the hole the way we started the game, but no, I give those guys in that locker room a lot of credit. They had a gut check, dug themselves out and found a way to win it."

>Said Wembanyama, "They're a hard team to play against. They get on fire easily and wins are hard to come across in this league. And these guys are playing for something. They're a respectable team."

>After regulation ended knotted at 105, Wembanyama and Vassell scored four points each in the extra frame. Vassell's dunk after Dylan Harper got his shot blocked at the rim gave the Spurs a 111-108 lead before Wembanyama pushed it to a seven-point cushion with a 13-foot jumper and a dunk set up by Vassell.

>All five starters scored in double figures for the Spurs, who overcame an 11-point deficit in the second period.

>Baylor-ex Keyonte George led the Jazz (1-4) with 31 points. Ace Bailey scored 19 and rookie Darryn Peterson had 18.

>Brice Sensabaugh and George hit consecutive shots to force OT. The Spurs' De'Aaron Fox was off target with a long jumper at the buzzer.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts after a dunk against the Utah Jazz during overtime of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray) (Rob Gray/Associated Press) Here are three takeaways from the first of three meetings between the teams in three-plus weeks:

1. Wembanyama had his best game of the season.In addition to registering his first 30-point game of the season, Wembanyama had five assists, two steals and two blocks in 39 minutes.

>When the Spurs struggled early, Wembanyama kept them afloat with 21 points before halftime.

>"Vic is a beast," Vassell said. "He's shown he's the best player in the world over and over. It was a slow start to the season for all of us, and we got to get this thing rolling, but we all follow suit with him. So when he comes out aggressive, when he comes out blocking shots and dominating the paint and playing like we know he can play, we're a very, very tough team to beat."

2. Vassell delivered when it counted mostThe seventh-year pro scored 17 of his 21 points after halftime, giving Wembanyama some much-needed support.

>In 37 minutes, Vassell also recorded five rebounds, three steals and two assists in what Johnson called an "extremely mature performance."

>"He was tremendous, especially coming down the stretch," said Keldon Johnson, who had nine points, six rebounds and two assists off the bench. "He got some nice buckets. Some big rebounds. He made some big shots, made great decisions. He did everything we needed for him to do to get the win."

Wemby on a "mature" performance from Devin Vassell against the Jazz: "He is sure in what he does, but we are also sure in what he does. We've got full trust in him." https://t.co/hy1uYyN9LF

- Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) October 29, 2026That included his dunk after Harper's miss at the rim in OT.

>"I mean, it's like elementary school stuff when they always say follow somebody's shot, right?" Vassell said. "I was the only person down there, so I knew I was going to be able to get a put back. So just follow the play. It was a crucial time in a game, and you don't give up on plays like that."

3. Tobias Harris' debut seems to be drawing nearAlthough there's no firm timetable for Tobias Harris' debut as a Spur, Mitchn Johnson indicated before the game the 15th-year veteran is getting closer to suiting up.

>Harris suffered a left calf strain during the first week of training camp that forced him to miss the preseason and so far, the first four games of the regular season.

>Asked if Harris is at the three-on-three or five-on-five stage of his recovery, Johnson said, "He's progressing on the court. I'll be honest, he did some stuff today."

>"It's a tough one," the coach said. "I understand he wants to be out there and he's getting closer, (but) it's just something that we will be unfortunately conservative with. So when he's ready to go, he'll be ready to go. Got to make sure he's in shape and when he's out there, we want him to be out there (fully healthy)."

>Many fans are understandably anxious to see Harris play after he signed a two-year, $31 million contract in the offseason, but the Spurs are wise to be super cautious. Calf injuries can lead to something worse, and the NBA has already lost way to many players to injury to start the season. That includes Minnesota's Anthony Edwards (knee), with the Timberwolves set to play at San Antonio on Saturday night.

SubscribeThere’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at 3 takeaways as Wembanyama and Vassell lead Spurs to overtime win at Utah.