Élodie de Fautereau was even happier than her son, Friday evening, both fists in the air at the edge of the pitch to celebrate the Spurs’ last-minute victory. Like the 18,600 spectators present at the Frost Bank Center, Victor Wembanyama’s mother appreciated the spectacle offered against the defending champion, Denver, surprised one second from the end by a basket from Devonte Graham which gave a point lead to San Antonio. The Nuggets were unable to find a standout player on their last possession, and ultimately lost 121-120.
If the first quarter seemed balanced (32-31 for Denver), the Nuggets rolled over the Spurs in the next 12 minutes, carried by their leader Jamal Murray, top scorer of the match and in great form behind the arc ( 35 points at 45.5% success).
“Wemby” wakes up his family in three minutes
With an 18-point lead at halftime (score 68-50), we imagined Denver heading towards a quiet victory in the second half. It was without Victor Wembanyama, author of 17 points in less than three minutes, including four award-winning shots which allowed the Spurs to get back into the match.
The French interior (20 years old) also made his vision of the game speak, finding his teammates with their eyes closed. His connection with Sandro Mamukelashvili was particularly evident, the Georgian power forward taking advantage of his offerings near the basket (21 points, 12 rebounds).
The Spurs continued to believe in the final minutes, buoyed by the defensive work of “Wemby”, who limited Nikola Jokic to just two points in the last quarter (22 points, 12 assists over the entire match) .
Devonte Graham decisive
Their salvation came from an unwanted player, Devonte Graham, used very little during the season by coach Gregg Popovich. The former New Orleans leader (11 points, 5 assists) first allowed his team to come back to within one point 30 seconds from time on a lay-up, then gave them victory in the last second on a float (121-120).
Victor Wembanyama finished the game with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists (12/27 shooting). “I think the coach played a big role in the victory by calling for a time out at the end,” the French rookie first commented, before discussing his relationship with his parents. “They have followed my matches with a lot of intensity since I was little. It’s nice to see that they haven’t changed. It’s beautiful to see the emotions that come out. »
First in the Western Conference before the match, the Nuggets performed very poorly since Minnesota and Oklahoma City won on their side and returned to their height in the standings, before the last matches scheduled for this Sunday (record of 56 wins, 25 losses) .
2024-04-13 05:51:27
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