After a mixed first against the Mavericks, Victor Wembanyama therefore responded in style, with the victory against the Rockets, a performance worthy of a future Rookie Of The Year, and certain brilliant actions set the Spurs room on fire, like this double counter on Jabari Smith Jr . or this basket, in force, to snatch extension. Enough to forget this 7 out of 19 on shots and this 0 out of 6 from 3-point range.
“It’s just a victory but it’s a day I will remember. I really, really like winning. This is what I love most in life, and it’s a great feeling.” he explained at a press conference. “Back in the locker room, Pop pointed out to me that it was my first ever NBA win, and that just made me proud. But it’s only one victory, and there are still many matches to play. »
A rise in power over the quarters
The Spurs trailed by 2 points with 32 seconds left when “Wemby” grabbed the defensive rebound, then called for the ball in the low post. He turned around to face the circle, and overtook his defender to score in force. It was his 8th and 9th points of the quarter, and he will drive the point home in overtime with this fadeaway on Dillon Brooks, one of the best defenders in the NBA.
He even takes the opportunity to point the finger at the Canadian, a great specialist in “trash talking”. While it’s not necessarily his strong point, he locked in the rebound in five extra minutes to snatch this victory.
“I’m proud of what we did tonight” he continues. “We see where we can improve. A victory is still a victory, but it shows that we still have a long way to go collectively. »
On an individual level, his 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 interceptions and 3 blocks, and especially the victory, make us forget his 2 out of 10 shots in the first half and his 0 out of 6 3-pointers. For the record, he is the first Spurs player to accumulate 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in a game since Tim Duncan.
Coach Pop’ yells at Wemby
“He’s obviously a competitor! He will be decisive and will do his best to win. But they’re all like that.” tempers Gregg Popovich. “We showed composure, and sometimes less. It’s a work in progress, and the good thing is that they stuck with it. »
A Pop’ who did not hesitate to “yell at” Wembanyama in “money time”. He wanted training the hard way, he will also discover coaching the hard way.
“It’s my fault, I forgot a system. It’s a small mistake, but he was 100% right to yell at me. I am sorry for that “ concludes “Wemby”, whose next outing is scheduled for Sunday evening on the Clippers floor.
