Of the San Antonio Spurs' top four scorers for the season, only Victor Wembanyama suited up in Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The generational talent nearly led the Spurs to a fourth straight victory. Despite the 117-113 loss, Wemby managed something he hadn't yet this season. His 32 points vs. Golden State marked the first time in his NBA career that the top pick in last summer's draft scored at least 30 in back-to-back games.
“I know that guys can't stop me when I'm using all of my weapons,” the 7-foot-4 center said.
Two nights after going for a career-high 40 points vs. the New York Knicks, Wembanyama scored 18 in the fourth quarter of the fourth and final meeting of the season against the Warriors.
Victor Wembanyama impresses Draymond Green
Warriors forward Draymond Green has made four All-NBA Defensive First Teams and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. He's also among the first to tip his hat to the likely Rookie of the Year.
“[Victor Wembanyama] finished with 32, so I can't give myself too much credit. He is an incredible player. I think my goal anytime [I’m] playing a great player, is just to try to make them take tough shots. Not let him catch the ball where he wants to catch the ball, because if he catches the ball anywhere in the paint you're dead. So just trying to do my work early on that side of the ball,” Green admitted.
“When I got switched onto the guards that time, I was trying to have high hands to make those passes tough. With a guy like Vic, you know they're going to pass the ball up high because no one else can get it. So, I was just trying to have high hands as our coaches always preach and get some deflections, and I was able to come up with a few deflections, which helped spark our transition off them,” the former Michigan State star continued.
“For me, it's a lot of being focused on myself first,” Victor Wembanyama said. “How I can help the team, how I move my body. So, it's like this, I always try, no matter what the opponent is doing. I'm always trying to fit in the team effort. When's there's a double team, pass the ball. Do all the little work that doesn't show up in the stat sheets.”
Wemby had to assume even more of the load than usual. Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan, who rank second, third and fourth on the team, were all out with injuries.
“I thought the group was fantastic,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “That’s what I just told them. They were great. To have [Vassell, Johnson and Sochan] out and have the combinations that we had out there with guys who hadn’t played too much, I’m just so proud of them.”
It might've proven a different outcome had Warriors superstar Steph Curry not put up a game-high 33 points.
“We did what we had to do. The Minnesota game was a tough way to start this trip with the fourth quarter. Felt like we let that one go, but we responded well,” the future Hall of Famer said about Golden State's four-game winning streak.
“The teams we play are the ones that we have to win [against] to keep ourselves in the fight, and we did that.”
Tenth in the Western Conference, the Warriors are 40-34. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are 18-57.
Follow Us
Subscribe