If you look at the Boston Celtics' all-time, head-to-head record against every NBA team, there's only one franchise they've lost to more than they've beat: the San Antonio Spurs. However, you wouldn't know it based on the 2023-24 season, as the Celtics have outclassed the Spurs each time they've met.
Most recently, the Celtics, who boast a league-best 32-9 record, dominated on Wednesday night, defeating the Spurs 117-98. Despite the double-digit margin of victory, Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama made a lasting impression on the C's.
The first pick in the 2023 NBA draft is on a bit of a minutes restriction, but he still managed to score a game-high 27 points in 27 minutes. When asked about the challenge of guarding “Wemby,” Celtics guard Jrue Holiday spoke highly of the rookie.
“He's fun to play against, he's an anomaly,” he said. “He's definitely a challenge, being that tall and that versatile. I think I guarded him twice and he just caught it and shot it over me. But me, especially as a defender, I like that type of stuff because I want to figure out how to stop it. I think he's a really good, young player. So I think his future is bright and how he plays the game, I love to watch.”
At one point in the fourth quarter, Holiday and center Luke Kornet tried to contain Wembanyama in the paint. In response, the 20-year-old dunked all over Kornet, and he didn't even have to get that close to the rim.
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA PUTS LUKE KORNET ON A POSTER 😤pic.twitter.com/GsMmVA7vGm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 18, 2024
Celtics star Jaylen Brown also chimed in about the skilled Frenchman and commended Kornet for doing his best at guarding him.
“To get in that position against, you know, [Wembanyama] who is a freak of nature, I thought Luke did a pretty decent job at just being big, having his hands in there, and just executing our details on defense,” he said.
Even when the C's defended Wembanyama well, he still found a way to make a few circus shots that you can't do much to stop.
Victor Wembanyama DRIVES for the tough bucket 😤pic.twitter.com/lyARrvrkuQ
— Spurs Nation (@SpursNationCP) January 18, 2024
Although Holiday and Brown were impressed by Wembanyama's acrobatics, they managed to take care of business and get the win. Holiday had an efficient 22 points while shooting 57% from the field and Brown added 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Besides Wembanyama and guard Devin Vassell, no one on the Spurs scored in double figures.
While many were enthralled watching Wembanyama's debut at the TD Garden, it was business as usual for Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Before he took the podium after the game, he told every reporter not to bring him up.
“Don't ask me any Wembanyama questions,” he joked. “I don't care.”
All Mazzulla was really concerned with was getting the win and Boston playing “Celtics basketball” in front of their fans.
“The goal has been to build a connection and an identity with our city, with our team to where they give us this lift and this level of support that they have,” he said. “We've done that the first 20 games at home and that's been the goal. So win or lose, that's the main thing.”
The Green Team is a perfect 20-0 at home and even “Wemby” seemed impressed by the Celtics' digs, per ClutchPoints beat reporter Hector Ledesma.
“The floor is very special. It didn't bother me but it is special,” Wembanyama said of Boston's classic parquet floor. “It's just beautiful and the locker room is beautiful.”
Boston will now face a much tougher task at home: the Denver Nuggets. The reigning champs come to Beantown on Friday night in what will be their first meeting of the season. Both teams have championship aspirations, so it'll be a great test for the Celtics at the halfway point of their season.
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