The day started with laughter for the Spurs, mobbed by enthusiastic children in the gymnasium where they were training in Miami Beach.
“As soon as we can make children happy, it costs nothing and it will make their day, week, or even month,” laughs Victor Wembanyama.
But it ended in the sadness of having been beaten without question by a team stronger than itself, Miami (116-104), a team this year that was nevertheless average in the Eastern Conference (28v, 24d).
San Antonio recorded the 41st defeat of its season and Victor Wembanyama (18 points, 13 rebounds) couldn't do much about it.
Really cool of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich today.
The team holding shoot-around at Hebrew Academy HS in Miami Beach.
Kids from varsity basketball team lined up to see Victor Wembanyama.
Pop let them in to watch and even spoke to them and took pics.
pic.twitter.com/lGFq25waR7
— Will Manso (@WillManso) February 7, 2024
“The Heat are a team with solid players who don’t make a lot of mistakes,” notes Wemby.
It's a team that I watched growing up because there were some great players (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh).
We can draw inspiration from this culture that there is in Miami, and the fact that we resisted three quarters shows that we are making progress and that we are on the right path.
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In Butler's arms, but Adebayo on his back
At the end of the match, the Frenchman from Spurs fell into the arms of Jimmy Butler, but it was another player, the experienced Bam Abedayo, who he had on his back for a good part of the match.
“He is one of the players we can learn a lot from, especially defensively,” concedes Victor Wembanyama, who began his meeting by rubbing shoulders with difficulty with his Heat alter ego.
He continues it by making a first three-point basket, then asking for a one-two with Blake Wesley, like in football, to go for a dunk.
In the second half, he made two three-point baskets, before delivering a subtle pass behind the defenders to Jeremy Sochan.
Sochan, for his part, will finish his race a little later in the public, popcorn on his head, after having tried to save at all costs a balloon which was spinning outside.
Man of the People: @jeremysochan 😝🤣#PorVida |
@Spurs |
@BallySports 📺 pic.twitter.com/LvBG5XlV42
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) February 8, 2024
Neck and neck at the start of the last quarter, the Spurs finally gave up completely in the last ten minutes.
“The opponent played better in the 4th quarter and this is not the first time,” analyzes Texan coach Gregg Popovich coolly.
Their experience and talent are particularly visible at the end of the matches.
They're just a better team than us.
I told the guys they did the right thing but Miami is just stronger.
We had good shooting positions but we couldn't score.
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Read alsoNBA: from Atlanta to Philadelphia, ten days in the footsteps of the Wembanyama phenomenon on the East Coast of the United States
It's a long season for the Spurs.
The trip to Florida constitutes the first in a long series of nine, the usual road trip of almost a month to make room, in San Antonio, for a… rodeo festival.
With only ten victories this season, the Texan franchise is on course to post the worst record in its history.
Next meeting next night, at the other Florida franchise, the Orlando Magic.