Suppressed by the Cavaliers’ thorough markings
The Spurs lost to the Jazz and then the Cavaliers. Following the low-ranking Jazz, consecutive losses against the Cavs, who have returned from injuries but have not improved their form, are putting a damper on the Spurs’ momentum, which has quickly jumped up to become a championship contender this season.
The Spurs were in the lead for most of the second and third quarters, and the Cavs were somehow able to hold on. However, they were turned over by Jaylon Tyson’s consecutive 3-point shots in the 2nd minute of the 4th quarter, and then slowly fell back and lost without being able to put on a show.
The Cavs started with a low-scoring game and found a flow in the final stages. Manager Kenny Atkinson revealed, “We thoroughly solidified the paint area and didn’t allow any drives.We could afford to lose on outside shots, but our game plan was to never let them shoot inside.” In fact, Evan Mobley was assigned to Victor Wembanyama, and he was constantly marking him harshly, even during substitutions, and when necessary, he sent in double and triple teams to keep him from getting into an offensive rhythm.
Wembanyama recorded 26 points and 14 rebounds in 27 minutes, but about half of his points came from free throws, and he struggled to play comfortably due to the Cavs’ relentless response, especially in the fourth quarter.
“I have nothing but praise for our opponent’s scouting, but we made a lot of mistakes that we should have controlled ourselves.It’s not like we rushed, but we should have played more calmly,” Wembanyama said.
The Spurs have become stronger, but now that they have moved up to a higher stage, they are required not only to win, but to keep winning. “I think that difficulty was more evident in the game against the Jazz than it was in today’s game,” Wembanyama said. “We have achieved results in a series of tough matches and mentally demanding situations, but from here on out, the mentality of “calming down once” will be important.Rather than making flashy plays that surprise those around us, I think the time has come for us to question how tightly we can control the aspects that we can control.”
“The important thing is to accept the changes well. We don’t get too excited when we win, and we don’t get too depressed when we lose. Our coach told us this, but we’re not as strong as people thought we were when we were winning consecutive games, and we’re not as bad as we showed in the last two games. Everyone is concentrating in practice. In order to not waste that effort, we need to avoid mistakes that we could have avoided.”
Especially for Wembanyama personally, there is something to think about after losing two games in a row since returning to the starting lineup. However, an opportunity for revenge will come soon. They will play the Knicks in two days. This is a chance to repay the debt of the NBA Cup Final.
Wembanyama said emphatically: “We have to repay our debt to the Knicks, and most importantly, we’re going to show a better version of ourselves.”
