The NBA could not have started off the slate of Christmas Day games better, with the clash between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks turning into an epic bout of individualism and suspence.
Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old superstar who won Rookie Of the Year last season, scored 42 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, dished four assists, and swatted four shots in his Christmas Day debut.
The performance underscored just how good an idea it was to place the Spurs as part of the first game on the schedule, giving European viewers a chance to catch the 7-foot-4 center utterly dominate the opposition.