Published28. January 2024, 07:57
Basketball: In the NBA, “Wemby” mates Rudy Godert in a 100% French duel
French prodigy Victor Wembanyama allowed the Spurs to win an intense match against Rudy Gobert’s Timberwolves on Saturday in a heated atmosphere in San Antonio (113-112).
Wolves’ Rudy Gobert (left) was beaten by fellow Spurs Frenchman Victor Wembanyama.
AFP
For their third duel at high altitude this season, the two pivots Victor Wembanyama (2.24 m, 23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) and Rudy Gobert (2.16 m, 19 points, 7 rebounds), put on the show , especially in a muscular first quarter where the two friends did not spare each other under the baskets.
Faster at the start of the game, Wembanyama, for example, faked Karl-Anthony Towns, another Wolves “big man”, then managed a “eurostep” (change of direction on a step) in front of Gobert for an acrobatic basket, before losing the pivot Wolves on a “crossover” (change of direction on a dribble), normally reserved for smaller sizes.
Gobert responded with a nifty floater in the second quarter and several opportunistic baskets, with him more often focused on defensive duties.
Reunion at the Paris Olympics
The gap increased to 15 points in favor of Minnesota, second in the West and an experienced team contending for the NBA title, but San Antonio, last in the same conference, never gave up, displaying constant energy.
The public, accustomed to basketball mush for several months, enjoyed this disorderly energy and pushed for the return of their team in the last quarter, roaring at each action of their favorite “Wemby”, N.1 the last draft which should help the Spurs return to the top.
“Tonight we can be proud of ourselves, we have to get used to it to repeat these performances”
Victor Wembanyama, Los Angeles Spurs player
The 20-year-old Frenchman, author of a few three-point shots, nevertheless faltered by missing two free throws 49 seconds before the siren, allowing an equalization for the Wolves by the leaping Anthony Edwards (32 points), before making up for it with an assist for the final basket of the match from Devin Vassell (25 points).
Karl-Anthony Towns missed the winning shot at the buzzer after a fierce defense from Spurs, for only their 10th success of the season (36 defeats).
“It’s perhaps our best match, in any case a very good match. Tonight we can be proud of ourselves, we have to get used to it to repeat these performances,” Wembanyama appreciated.
“It’s always fun to play against Victor (…) he is more and more comfortable, at all levels, the game slows down a little for him. He makes fewer mistakes too,” said Gobert about his teammate in the French team, whom he should meet again at the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11).
“We are both aware of the impact of this competition, we can’t wait to be able to share the field even if we remain focused on our season,” added Gobert, who was to meet “Wemby” after the meeting.
James and the Lakers victorious in a crazy duel against Curry’s Warriors
One of these matches that he will rewatch “with his grandchildren”: LeBron James and the Lakers beat Steph Curry’s Warriors 145-144 after an exceptional duel between the two NBA stars and after two overtimes on Saturday .
Being the oldest player in the NBA, at 39, doesn’t seem to have any effect on him. Against Golden State in any case, James had a remarkable game: 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists in 48 minutes on the floor.
Facing him, another basketball legend, Curry, 35, finished with 46 points and seven assists… but could not prevent his team from losing.
The two-time NBA MVP first worked to tie the game at 118-118 about five seconds from the end of regulation time. He then put Golden State into orbit with a sumptuous three-point shot 5.2 seconds from the end of the second overtime.
But in five seconds, the four-time MVP James brought his opponents back down to earth, by converting the two free throws he had obtained to complete his score of the day.
(AFP)
2024-01-28 17:01:33
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