Special evening for Victor Wembanyama who, in Arizona, faced for the first time Kevin Durant, one of his idols and a player from whom he took great inspiration. Not a gift though, when we know that, even without Devin Booker or Bradley Beal, “KD” and the Suns corrected the Jazz, while the Spurs are coming out of a spanking with the Clippers…
The start of the match is precisely to the advantage of Phoenix which, worn by Kevin Durant and Eric Gordonexploits the weakness of San Antonio in defense, especially on the inside. The Texans try to do the same on the other side, but their offensive talent is not similar and they accumulate misses as well as lost balls, like Victor Wembanyama. The gap quickly climbs to around ten points (27-18) and Frank Vogel’s men impress collectively.
Without Kevin Durant, the Suns’ role players stepped on the accelerator in the second quarter. Eric Gordon led the charge and the Spurs cracked, despite a few 3-pointers to embellish the score. Their attack is totally disordered, it’s anything but pleasant to watch and it doesn’t get better with time.
However, there was improvement at the end of the half, with a little more skill and less wasted ball in hand. Except that it remains complicated in defense and “KD” but above all Grayson Allen benefit from it (63-45).
As for Victor Wembanyama, he finally stands out with… a huge poster on Drew Eubanks to conclude this first period!!! His first basket of the game, and what a basket, even though he himself had just been “posterized” by Kevin Durant!
After the break, the gap stabilizes as Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon or Josh Okogie fuel the scoring for Phoenix. Keldon Johnson And Zach Collins are trying to reduce the gap for San Antonio, below 10 points, which forces Frank Vogel’s men to make a strong effort from the 3-point line, notably with Yuta Watanabe. This is enough to regain – a little – the lead twelve minutes from the end (95-82).
Under the leadership of Victor Wembanyama, who is struggling in attack, the Spurs come back to life and gradually reduce the gap to only be a small possession away in “money time”! Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Durant must work to repel the Texan youth, led by Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson while “Wemby” takes his place on the bench. Back, the Frenchman brings his team back into contact then, in the final seconds, Kevin Durant is fooled by Keldon Johnson, who steals the ball to give the Texans the advantage! Definitive advantage (115-114), because “KD” is in check on the final possession!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A poster to wake up Victor Wembanyama. Once again, “Wemby” was delicate with his shooting and with the ball for a good half. It was then that his terrible poster on Drew Eubanks transformed him, because he then displayed a more conquering and seductive face in the second half. To the point of concluding on an excellent note in the last act, with its welcome and saving offensive contribution to help the Spurs’ crazy “comeback”! Everything is not perfect, but he already manages to be decisive for this team when things go in his favor and he is aggressive towards the basket…
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Keldon Johnson. Author of the winning basket at the last second, snatching the ball from the hands of Kevin Durant, the winger was the offensive leader of the Spurs all evening, and all clean. At first lonely, he was able to count on the support of Zach Collins, Devin Vassell then Victor Wembanyama to see his team rob the Suns in the last quarter!
⛔️ The cracking of Phoenix. Comfortably in the lead for three quarters, the Suns completely collapsed in the fourth (33-19), before repeated attacks from Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins and Tre Jones. Failing from afar, stunned in the paint and unable to control their ball losses, Frank Vogel’s players ruined everything they had built.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
