Both Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren had their moments in a 140-114 Oklahoma City blowout of the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama, though, had more.
As has usually been the case for most of his stellar rookie season, Wemby did enough for a win in normal circumstances. And as has often been the case, it wasn't nearly enough for the Spurs.
The Thunder are tied atop the Western Conference. Their 31-13 record is also good for second best in the NBA.
Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren
Victor Wembanyama had more points, rebounds, blocks, steals and as many assists as his Thunder counterpart.
But he's the first one to tell you that doesn't mean much. At least, not to him.
“I wasn't matched up against him the whole game. My first goal is always to win and in a game like this I don't think about that, especially in a loss,” the 20-year-old phenom said.
While he guarded Holmgren consistently, the Thunder often put another player on Wemby defensively and would double-team and, sometimes, triple-team him.
The top overall pick this past June put up Spurs team highs with 24 points, 12 boards and four rejections. He shared the team lead with two steals while he also dishing out four assists.
By contrast, the Thunder's second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft scored 17 points, notched nine rebounds, blocked three shots, had a steal and four assists.
Bigger than that difference, though, was what each player's teammates did.
Spurs without their starting pg
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an NBA MVP candidate past the midway point of the season, poured in a game high 32 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder also got 13 points from Jalen Williams, who is a contender for the league's Most Improved Player.
As if knocking off one of the best teams in the league wasn't already a tough task for the now 8-36 Spurs, it became that much tougher with the absence of Tre Jones. Since Jan. 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks – when he entered the starting line up – the Silver and Black have won three games compared to the five they won during the season's first two and a half months, and have been much more competitive through losses.
Jones missed Wednesday night's game because of a sprained left ankle suffered in the team's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Second year guard, Blake Wesley, got the start in Jones' place.
“I felt great. Thank God for the opportunity. Second career start, so it felt great. It started with my defense, and it led to my offense,” the former Notre Dame standout said.
“I believe he did a good job. He’s a young man who’s trying to find his way in the league and hasn’t gotten a lot of minutes. I thought that he tried to do everything we wanted him to do tonight.” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Wesley, who recorded 12 points, six assists and four rebounds.
One of three Spurs first-round picks in 2022, Wednesday marked Wesley's second career NBA start.
“I was a little nervous. As a rookie, I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s my second year, so I got it. I watch Tre [Jones], I watch everybody else, so it went well,” Wesley said comparing last year's start to this one.
Popovich doesn't expect Tre Jones to miss much time with the ankle injury.
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