French prodigy Victor Wembanyama, excellent at three points, allowed the Spurs to achieve a prestigious success against second in the Western Conference Oklahoma City (132-118) Thursday in San Antonio.
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Nearly four weeks after their last home match in the Frost Bank Center, occupied by the rodeo, the San Antonio Spurs, dead last in the West (12 wins - 48 losses), offered a magnificent success to their audience against the Thunder, second (41-18) in the same conference and candidate for a good run in the play-offs.
Very good throughout the match, Victor Wembanyama ignited the end of the match to finish with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks.
"I love that"
The 20-year-old Frenchman, No.1 in the last draft, scored a shot from the logo (painted on the floor, further than the three-point line) to give the Texans a nine-point lead 3 minutes 20 from time. , before doing it again a minute later and screaming his joy in front of the bench, arms clenched and muscles tensed.
Wembanyama attempted seven long-range shots to score five, his most since his NBA debut in October.
“Wemby”
then followed up with an authoritarian block on his great rival Chet Holmgren before Devin Vassell (also 28 points) sealed the match.
“I missed it, I love it, playing in front of 16,000 people that I love
,” he told the crowd under the amused gaze of
“Admiral”
David Robinson, former Spurs star pivot.
Wembanyama made his mark in the race for the
“rookie of the year”
award , which Holmgren, a 21-year-old American with similar characteristics to the Frenchman (2.16 m compared to 2.24 m, versatile), should compete with.
Holmgren had dominated the start of the match (19 points at halftime) with his leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) before being controlled at the end of the match.
The Spurs breathe a little with their second victory of the month of February only (in twelve matches) before hosting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.