On a night when Victor Wembanyama was the best player on the court, age and inexperience were irrelevant PHOENIX Victor Wembanyama, the rookie sensation for the San Antonio Spurs, has shown flashes of greatness.
However, on Thursday, the 19-year-old finally gave fans something to drool over as he led the Phoenix Suns to a 132-121 rout while playing his most complete game to date, Wembanyama tied for the third-most points scored by a rookie in Spurs history with a career-high 38 points In his debut season, no player scored more points in a game than Hall of Famer David Robinson.
Here are five things to remember from the game:
Victor Wembanyama assumes command
As he left the crowded post-game interview area, Wembanyama ducked his head to avoid the doorframe, paused at his locker, and took a big swallow from a clear plastic bottle After drowning Phoenix's attempt to rebound from a 27-point deficit, the rookie most definitely deserved the water.
Former Spur Keita Bates-Diop tied the score at 116 with a 23-footer with 4:21 remaining in the game With 1:35 left, Wembanyama scored 10 of San Antonio's next 12 points, making the score 128-116 on an 18-foot turnaround jumper After just twelve seconds, the fans at Footprint Centre began making their way out, Regarding his comeback in the fourth quarter, the youngster remarked, "Someone's got to do it."
2. Wembanyama also had a quick start
The Spurs-Suns series began on Tuesday, and Wembanyama broke his recent trend of sluggish starts in the second game. The Spurs won 115-114 With five rebounds, two assists, a block, a steal, and a game-high 20 points on 8 of 14 shooting, the youngster lit up the scoreboard in the first half. Along with going 2-for-3 on threes, there were a few highlight dunks.
It's interesting to note that Wembanyama averaged 5.3 points on 28% shooting in the first two halves of the team's previous four games going into this one, On the defensive end, Wembanyama joined LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only two teens to record more than 35 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks in a game since blocks were first recorded in 1973–74.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made sure Wembanyama would not only get off to a quick start but also finish strong, Popovich remarked, "We had him and Zach [Collins] play together in the last three minutes or so." "We simply performed the same play repeatedly. We did, however, receive a couple stops at the other end at the same moment.
3. The amazing return of Devin Booker was spoiled
Devin Booker came back and scorched San Antonio, which helped the Suns overcome a 27-point hole. After suffering a damaged left ankle in the season opener, the 27-year-old made a comeback and scored a team-high 31 points.
After Phoenix's defeat against his team just two days earlier, Popovich joked about Booker's availability on Thursday. "See, they go and lose a game [and this happens]." He informed me that he would be gone for a week. What an idiot.
Booker, along with Durant, helped the Suns mount a significant comeback attempt to cut into the Spurs' sizable advantage. Despite coming back from a 27-point hole, Phoenix ended the game with a meager 1-for-7 shooting effort.
Booker completed his 16th career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists in 35 minutes of play. In 37 minutes, Durant scored 28 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and put down 2 blocks Durant scored at least 25 points in four games in a row before the loss.
4. Diverse encounters continue to shape the young Spurs
San Antonio had the better of the majority of its first-round loss to Dallas before Luka Doncic's clutch plays and late-game execution proved fatal. After that, in Game 2, the Spurs bounced back, defeating the Houston Rockets in overtime.
A crushing road defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers ensued Both teams experienced extremes as a result of the two matches in Phoenix. Tuesday, the Spurs pulled off a 20-point comeback victory thanks to clutch play in the closing minutes.
After Booker returned to the team two days later, they had a 27-point lead and had to battle in the fourth quarter to keep the Suns from pulling away Popovich remarked, "We all go through those experiences, trials, and tribulations and you learn from it." "You have to be in there when the lights go on, make mistakes, and then figure it out." We took a gut hit [late] after taking the lead. We persevered there.
The difficulty San Antonio faced "was the best part of the game" according to Popovich, who noted that San Antonio is a youthful squad that needs to improve the Spurs had their first 20-point lead of the season late in the first quarter, leading 39–18 thanks to a 3-pointer by Devin Vassell.
5. Walter Davis is regarded by Popovich as "one of the great ones."
In a statement, North Carolina, where Davis played collegiately under coach Dean Smith, stated that the former Tar Heel passed away from natural causes, Before tipoff, the Suns observed a moment of silence in Davis' memory.
The No. 5 overall pick of the Suns in 1977, and a six-time NBA All-Star, Davis won NBA Rookie of the Year in his debut season with an average of 24.2 points per game. 11 of Davis' 16 seasons were spent with Phoenix, where his No. 6 jersey was retired in 2004.
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