Sandro Mamukelashvili averaged 5.6 points going into Wednesday night’s game and plays 9.1 minutes per game for the San Antonio Spurs. Therefore, going into the game against the New York Knicks, not many people had their eyes on him. But the 6’11” lefty got off to a historic start, scoring 34 points in just 19 minutes of play to set an NBA record.
It’s the highest total of any player getting less than 20 minutes of floor time since 1951-52 when minutes became an official stat. It’s sort of funny to think that they didn’t use to keep track of minutes but then again the concept of load management was just a glimmer in someone’s eye 73 years ago.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” Mamukelashvili 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?'”
To sweeten the deal, Mamukelashvili happened to have the game of his life with his good friend Flava Flav sitting courtside. It’s unclear how looking at the rapper’s enormous timepiece helped the Spurs big man maximize his efficiency but one has to think it played some small role.
The postgame scenes were great as Mamukelashvili was mobbed by his teammates and seemed genuinely thrilled by the unexpected night.
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