This time, it’s the right one: after having come close several times in recent weeks, Victor Wembanyama achieved it on the night from Sunday to Monday, during a victory for the Spurs in Sacramento (125- 127), the first triple-double of his season. This is the third of his career, after the two recorded during the previous year. We only saw him, or almost: 34 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists. “The triple-double is only the consequence of having made the right choices,” he downplays. What is remarkable is that we have reached a milestone as a team. We are showing much more confidence and we have been able to respond tactically to what our opponents impose on us, particularly their defense. Being recognized is secondary, the main thing is to live this life that seems like a dream. »
All the same: without his 2.22 m pivot, not sure that San Antonio would have stayed with his head above water during the meeting. His size wreaked havoc under the basket, where he collected a harvest of rebounds. He scored at three points (5 out of 9) but also at mid-distance (6/8). And he knew how to play around him perfectly, like a control tower, distributing assists to his teammates like so many offerings. He patiently filled out his statistics sheet but it was especially at the end of the match, when the match became tense and victory was within reach, that the Frenchman transformed himself into a formidable competitor, never missing anything or almost and above all always making the right choices.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson surprisingly chose to highlight… what he didn’t like about his player. “I thought he had some very poor moments in the first three quarters,” he began to explain. He wasn’t present on the fundamentals of basketball, but his ability to get back to it and dominate at the end of the match like he did is spectacular. His great strength is that he can do anything. And when you have so many possible options, it’s very difficult to make the right choice every time! He is young, we support him and we have confidence in him, but that does not prevent us from holding him responsible on fundamentals. »
“I can be better…”
Wembanyama, asked at a press conference about his coach’s opinion, did not acquiesce, preferring to kick into touch. But, a little later, when asked where he still needs to improve, he agrees to open up a little about his areas of improvement: “I can be much better at playmaking (the organization of the game) in the future, he said. When, as is often the case, I face a double defense, it is my responsibility to give my teammates the opportunity to capitalize on this. »
The Spurs have clearly grown: after a timid start to the match, they were able to raise their heads and gradually take the advantage, until they no longer let it go. The fruit of a team which strengthened in the offseason and has now balanced its strengths: Devin Vassell notably scored 21 points, including 15 from distance, after having started as a substitute (he is returning from injury).
San Antonio was extremely efficient: the 23 successful three-point baskets (out of 46 attempts) during the evening constitute a record (!) in the history of the franchise. “We want to break as many records as we can!” », says Julian Champagnie. Victor Wembanyama, for his part, prefers to remain cautious: “We see that our demons, our bad habits, are not very far away,” he warns. We have to continue to make efforts, we haven’t achieved anything yet, we are only 20 games into the season. »
From this Monday evening, the opportunity to take an additional step is offered to Spurs: qualifying for the final stages of the NBA Cup. To do this, they will have to beat the Suns in Phoenix (3 a.m. Monday to Tuesday night in France).
