Santa Claus was in black. The San Antonio Spurs struck hard this Wednesday, December 25, Christmas Day, by winning against the defending champion, Oklahoma City (117-102). Here are three matches, in barely two weeks, that Victor Wembanyama and his teammates have dominated without question the Thunder, still leader of the Western Conference and big favorite for the title. But unlike the first two successes, this one was obtained in Oklahoma, in this famously hostile venue where the Thunder built its reputation. “The guys work like crazy and they stick to the game plan,” said San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson after the match.
San Antonio, which has just had 8 wins in the NBA regular season, has clearly found the recipe. What if the Spurs, who consolidated their second place in the very tough Western Conference, were ultimately already very competitive? Their rebuilding process is not yet completely complete but this squad shows week after week how extremely strong they already are.
The victory in OKC confirmed the ruthless weapons, defensively and offensively, that San Antonio possesses: the diabolical mid-range skill of leader De’Aaron Fox (29 points), the very precise 3-point skill of Harrison Barnes (15 points including 9 from distance), the ability to do everything well of Stephon Castle (19 points, 7 assists) or even the very high level of rookie Dylan Harper (12 pts).
And then there is Victor Wembanyama, author of a solid double-double this Wednesday (19 points, 11 rebounds). “His willingness to adapt to the match is impressive,” analyzes Mitch Johnson. He does what the match dictates, and he knows how to use his creativity and the variety of his game, because he is incredibly talented. »
His calf strain in November broke his season in two. He had dazzled the NBA until then. It has been slowly getting back on track ever since. The San Antonio staff decided not to really take any risks with him. Since his return to the court against… Oklahoma City in the semi-finals of the NBA Cup two weeks ago, Wemby has always started matches as a substitute.
“Do not sacrifice or risk health” by Wemby
A necessary precaution, according to Mitch Johnson, who explained on the sidelines of the meeting in Oklahoma why he was taking so much caution with the French nugget: “When you look at the injury he had, and what history has shown us, when it comes to bringing back a player with such a unique anatomy, there is nothing worth sacrificing or risking his health and his long-term development, and all these things we want to accomplish, not now, not this year, but over the next few years. Nothing will change our minds about this. »
Spurs have been burned by recent examples of players suffering serious injuries, notably to the Achilles tendon, after calf strains that were not adequately treated. So Victor Wembanyama takes his patience and makes himself useful to the team. Even playing less (25 minutes this Wednesday), he impacts his team’s play with all his size and all his talent.
Wemby was good in just about everything he faced against the Thunder. Including at 3 points (2 of 3) and of course under the basket, where his size makes him ultra-dominant. Wembanyama didn’t even seem bothered by the whistles from the audience. Two days ago, after the home victory against OKC, he said that between him and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder winger to whom he is often compared, “there is no photo”. The sentence, even pronounced in French, visibly reached the ears of the Oklahoma public, who heckled the Spurs player. Nothing to disturb the number 1 of San Antonio and who once again displays starting statistics even when starting on the bench.
Worth a look
