As if motivated by an unhealthy curiosity, the duel between San Antonio and Detroit was highly anticipated this season. In this clash between the two lowest ranked teams in the NBA, this Wednesday in Detroit, the Spurs of a Victor Wembanyama in triple-doubles took the lead over the diminished Pistons (108-130).
Premier triple-double pour Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama needed just 21 minutes on the court to record the first triple-double of his NBA career. After scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds, he delivered his tenth assist to Doug McDermott for a three-point shot, formalizing his entry into a new statistical club.
While he multiplied the passes, generating a total of 38 points between his own baskets and those he assisted, the Frenchman did not lose a single ball. Passing talents that were not surprising at all Gregg Popovich. « He’s a very good passer. He was a good passer before arriving here”underlined the coach, who claims to have decided to make the interior “the priority in attack” this Wednesday.
« We learn where he wants to receive the ball, where he feels most comfortable. The other players learn to cut around him », continued the coach at a press conference. “ So my teammates made the right cuts and the right shots”confirmed Wembanyama.
“He’s a very good passer. He was a good passer before he got here.”
Pop on Wemby the PASSER, notching his first career triple-double.#PorVida | @Spurs | @BallySports ???? pic.twitter.com/e6BFN6Rey0
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) January 11, 2024
The rookie’s performance is an anomaly in NBA history. At the age of 20 years and six days, he became the youngest player in Spurs history to record a triple-double. He is the fifth youngest league-wide — behind Josh Giddey, LaMelo Ball, Markelle Fultz et Luka Doncicall of whom accomplished this feat before their 20th birthday.
Mailbag: Your questions about Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs
Only Fultz had played less than 30 minutes in the game among them, which reinforces the atypical nature of the first pick’s stat line. His 21 minutes represent the second shortest playing time for a player with a triple-double in NBA history. Russell Westbrook is the only one to have done less, on March 4, 2014, with 20 minutes.
« I had as many counterattacks as him tonight, so he needs to get back to the lab.”joked Doug McDermott, at the microphone of Bally Sports. After all, Victor Wembanyama’s performance was not perfect. For the second time since his arrival in the North American championship, he recorded no blocks in a match. He missed 10 of his 16 shot attempts, including all four of his three-pointers.
“I’m glad I didn’t know. I heard the crowd erupt, I assumed that was something Victor did and not something I did.”
Doug McDermott reacting to Wemby recording his first career triple-double.#PorVida | @Spurs | @BallySports ???? pic.twitter.com/Ce5Rr5ad5A
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) January 11, 2024
Spurs dominate weakened Pistons
« Doing it in victory means everything,” said the Frenchman, who propelled San Antonio to its sixth victory of the season. “We experimented with different approaches throughout the season. Today, we managed to take advantage of everything and make the right choices. I think it’s wonderful when we play like that, with so much cohesion. »
If the opponent already seemed within reach of the Texans, this was all the more the case this Wednesday given the state of form of the Pistons. The team was deprived of Cade Cunninghaminjured in the knee, as well asIsaiah Stewart. She was just recovering from a big defeat against the Kings the day before (110-131). In short, Detroit would have had a hard time imagining worse conditions to host the Spurs.
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« They really miss Cunningham, he’s obviously a key part of their team”a reconnu Popovich. « We got the upper hand today, it was our night. It could be totally different when they come to us (April 14, for the last game of the regular season). »
The absence of the starting leader gave the opportunity to another Frenchman to show himself with the ball. Killian Hayes thus distributed 12 assists for a single lost ball. The other offensive aspects of the game, however, posed difficulties for him. Collectively, neither Detroit’s offense nor defense really worked, suffering from a blatant lack of organization.
The French in this Spurs – Pistons match this evening: 22 assists, 1 lost ball.
Hayes: 12 passes and 1 lost ball.
Wemby: 10 passes and 0 lost balls.— Benjamin Moubèche (@BenjaminMoubech) January 11, 2024
Two franchises, one situation
At the bottom of the NBA standings, the Pistons and the Spurs have common points. The league’s two youngest teams are going through a similar process, in which they are guided by this season’s two highest-paid coaches.
“I’m in very good company if Pop finds himself in a similar situation”estimated Monty Williams, before the meeting. Although Williams’ track record doesn’t compare to Gregg Popovich’s, he has a close relationship with him. The winningest coach in history was his mentor during his years in San Antonio, as a player, coaching intern, and member of the front office.
« Both teams are in the same situation”, Popovich also compared. “Both teams are developing, trying to teach players how to play, trying to figure out which guys will stay and which guys won’t, that kind of thing. »
“It’s not like when I was with those Hall of Famers (David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili). There was a lot less learning and a lot more adjustment during matches, when the team was in place ready to win titles”he continued.“Here it’s totally different, it’s more about teaching to try to get the players to the stage where they understand what to do to win. It’s a totally different dynamic. »
At Spurs, the future seems particularly bright with Victor Wembanyama. The Pistons, for their part, also have a very promising star in the person of Cade Cunningham. But for now, they remain in last place in their respective conference and have a long way to go.
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#tripledouble #Spurs #dominate #Pistons
