This time, the reigning NBA champion has found the key to getting the Spurs. After conceding three consecutive defeats against San Antonio in December, including the semi-final of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas, the Oklahoma City Thunder took their revenge with authority on Tuesday in their home arena. Large winner 119-98, OKC clearly had a message to send, in what happens to be a budding rivalry between the two teams currently at the top of the Western Conference.
A boss third quarter (40-24) allowed the Thunder to take off for good in this clash against their current beast, marked by the XXL performance of Shai Gilgeous Alexander (34 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists). The formidable Canadian playmaker, elected league MVP the previous season, won his superstar distance duel with Victor Wembanyama.
“Wemby” already reaches the 500 counter mark
If he started the game well by dunking twice on a Chet Holmgren that he didn’t like, “Wemby” finished the game with a statistical line below his standards, with 17 points (7/15 on shots) and 7 rebounds. Having to deal with still limited playing time (28 minutes Tuesday) due to his two physical problems (calf and knee) in recent months, he received predictable preferential treatment from the so rough OKC collective.
Notably hit in the ankle, without too much seriousness, by falling on the foot of Kenrich Williams, the pivot of the Blues was sometimes powerless in the face of the intensity of the current leader of the entire NBA (34 victories – 7 defeats). With the ultimate illustration of the impressive high altitude jump of “SGA” to counter the alley-oop attempt between Julian Champagnie and Victor Wembanyama, at 95-76.
Our file on Victor Wembanyama
A small consolation prize for our brilliant 2.24 m giant: he already reached the symbolic mark of 500 blocks in his NBA career (in 143 games) on Tuesday evening. A leading performance, at 22 years and 10 days, since only Josh Smith (then in Atlanta) had managed to be earlier than him in history, by reaching this total of 500 blocks at 21 years and 88 days in 2007.
