The Frost Bank Center vibrated again. With an undecided end to the match until the last minutes, certainly anecdotal, concluded with a Texan victory (107-97), Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs maintained a semblance of suspense, while offering some great actions to their fans against the Magic for their second pre-season game.
Defense, the first project for Spurs
Quickly trailing by seventeen points, San Antonio – without Tre Jones and Keldon Johnson left to rest – however turned the match in its favor against the Magic with a top scorer Jett Howard (19 points). “We were more physical and more aggressive this [mercredi] evening ; “It makes a big difference for us because it’s an area we weren’t very good at last year.”explains Gregg Popovich, recalling that being better at defense “is really a goal this season”.
The first appearance of the Victor Wembanyama – Chris Paul pair (rested Monday against OKC) was closely scrutinized. The former Warriors leader was able to take the pulse of his new room, when Wemby, two months to the day after his unfortunate final against Team USA during the last Olympic Games, took a few minutes before entering the match, to the point of being countered by Goga Bitadze. Then, the machine started: a first alley oop with CP3 52 seconds from the end of the first quarter, and in the process, a powerful dunk with both hands after a sumptuous feint on the young Caleb Houstan ( 21 years old), delighted the audience.
“We had very detailed feedback from our first pre-season match: I didn’t expect Pop to be so picky, he really dotted the ‘i’s’”explains the French pivot. “Now that we have been able to play our first minutes together, the observation is realistic for everyone: our team does not look like last year”.
Twenty-three minutes to Wemby
Limited to 23 minutes of play, Victor Wembanyama offered his fans several first-rate defensive actions and finished the match with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, with a skill at half mast (4/15) and no success from far away in five attempts. While recognizing that he “took a while to [se] put on legs »the former Nanterre player, with a broad smile, readily admits: “I experimented with several things: certain actions worked; others don’t”. “It was probably the only time all season where [Gregg Popovich] would forgive me for trying certain things”he continues.
While waiting for their big debut against the Mavs on October 24, the Texans will meet the Jazz on Saturday before spending a week on the road, between Miami and Houston.
From our correspondent in San Antonio (United States).
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
