Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili scores 34 in 19 minutes, celebrates with Flavor Flav
Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili scores 34 in 19 minutes, celebrates with Flavor Flav
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Gordon Hayward understands fans criticizing current state of NBA play
Gordon Hayward talks about the current state of the NBA and the increased amount of three-point attempts being taken across the league.
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The San Antonio Spurs haven't had much to cheer about this season, with the loss of superstar Victor Wembanyama, sidelined for the rest of the season with a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, and longtime coach Gregg Popovich sitting out the year while recovering from a mild stroke.
But during Wednesday night's game against the New York Knicks, Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili made NBA history by scoring a career-high 34 points in just 19 minutes of play in the 120-105 victory. It's the first time a player has scored that many points while playing fewer than 20 minutes.
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," Mamukelashvili, who also had nine rebounds and three assists, said after the game. "I just can't explain how I feel right now. I feel like I'm in a dream. I manifested and prayed for it. I just waited for this day. I really had an out of body experience for a little bit there. I was like, 'Is this really happening?'"
Mamukelashvili, a 26-year-old who played his college ball at Seton Hall, entered the game averaging less than nine minutes per game. He checked in with 11 minutes left in the second quarter, and finished with 13 points at halftime.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is going OFF ‼️
A career-high 34 PTS on 13-14 shooting and 7-7 from three... in only 19 minutes played 🤯 pic.twitter.com/5tPN0LQrU5 — NBA (@NBA) March 20, 2025
Rapper Flavor Flav, in attendance, was so hyped for Mamukelashvili's performance, he ran onto the court to join him during his postgame television interview.
This entire Mamu-Flavor Flav sequence is the best thing that's happened in the NBA all season 🩶 pic.twitter.com/NjpyvDUiAy — WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) March 20, 2025
Mamukelashvili didn't play in the third quarter, but in the final 12 minutes, he couldn't be stopped, hitting all eight of his shots, including four from 3-point range, to finish with 21 points in the quarter.
"I'm trying to get better. I'm trying to establish myself," Mamukelashvili said. "I'm trying to show everybody that I belong. I'll just keep taking strides towards that. I'm just so happy I have a support team behind me: my girl, my friends, my teammates, my family. Once it sinks in, you're kind of like. 'OK, I really worked for this and it's happening.' It was an unbelievable feeling."
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