The future of the NBA is in good hands. Those of Nikola Jokic (29 years old) and Victor Wembanyama (20). The two interiors fought an impressive battle Tuesday evening in Denver, punctuated by a sluggish victory for the Nuggets at the end of the match (110-105).
The “Joker” overtakes Carmelo Anthony
The confrontation seemed unbalanced on paper, between the recent NBA champion, second in the Western Conference before the match, and a young Spurs team last in the standings and decimated by injuries (those of Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson). This was not the case since the Texan team did better than resist the Nuggets, carried by an impassable Victor Wembanyama in defense (9 blocks, his second best total this season), and dedicated to the collective on the other side from the field (8 assists).
Nikola Jokic was not left out. The Serbian interior, double MVP in 2021 and 2022, played with his imposing build in the first period, notably dunking in front of “Wemby” and regularly elbowing him to keep him out of the circle. Already in good shape before the break (score 55-54 in favor of Denver), the “Joker” accelerated in the second act where he scored 27 of his 42 points of the evening. His layup scored 3’49” from the end even made him enter the history of his franchise, since he became at that time the third best scorer of the Nuggets, overtaking the ex-winger Carmelo Anthony (13,970 points scored between 2003 and 2011).
In the absence of the other usual Spurs starters, Victor Wembanyama shot a lot in the match, but without much success (31% at 9/29). On the other hand, he was decisive again at the end of the match, equalizing 1’02” from the buzzer on a lay-up (105-105), then countering his opponent to preserve the score. Nuggets winger Michael Porter Jr (25 years old) scored a final winning shot which gave Denver three points back (108-105), while “Wemby” failed to equalize from afar on the following action . Nikola Jokic finished the job by scoring his two free throws, for a final victory for the Nuggets 110-105.
“What did he get?” Six or seven blocks on me… (laughs). We won, that’s the most important thing,” reacted Nikola Jokic after the match, referring to the new exceptional performance of Victor Wembanyama (23 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists and 9 blocks). The French interior also made history in the evening, becoming the first rookie since Tim Duncan (ex-Spurs) to accumulate 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 blocks in his first season in the NBA.
