Flagg Answers Wemby With 33, But Spurs Win the Battle of the Future 139-120

This was supposed to be the preview of the next decade. Wembanyama vs. Flagg. It lived up to the billing — sort of.

Cooper Flagg put up 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the loss, continuing a historic rookie tear that's included a 51-point game against Orlando and back-to-back 40-point performances. The 19-year-old has been the most electrifying rookie since LeBron, and he wasn't backing down from the guy everybody calls the best player in the world.

But Wembanyama made the difference. His 40-point, 13-rebound night in just 26 minutes was a reminder that Flagg is chasing a generational talent who's already in a different stratosphere defensively. The Spurs won 139-120 and Wemby sat the entire fourth quarter. Flagg vs. Wemby is going to define the NBA for the next 15 years. Round one went to San Antonio.