Quite complex performance from Victor Wembanyama last night against the Clippers. If the stats line is well stocked with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 9 blocks (!), his skill is very average, especially at 3-points (2/8).
Match statistics!
The night should have been a sweet dream for Spurs, but it turned into a complete nightmare. The Texans were traveling to the Intuit Dome against the Clippers who were keen to open their victory counter in their new venue.
The first 12 minutes are of rare mastery from the Spurs. Chris Paul dismantles the Angelinos and the gap increases to 26 points in the first act. Except that the bulk of the work is done precisely when Victor Wembanyama has his butt placed on the bench.
When the Alien returns to the field, the Clippers strangely begin to come up to the point that at halftime, the Frenchman displays the worst +/- of his team with -11. It is also during this second quarter that Tyronn Lue tries things like sending James Harden to defend a few possessions on Wemby. Surprisingly, the reigning Rookie of the Year doesn't do anything about the bearded guy. He is content to stay offshore. This strategy on the part of Ty Lue pays off and will be recycled later in the meeting.
The 3rd quarter is the best part of the game from Victor. This is the only moment in the match where he's a real boss. King of his racket, Wembanyama uses his entire offensive palette in attack. A little 3-pointer here, some penetration there, some pick-and-roll play with Chris Paul. This is typically what is asked of him. No one told him to pretend to be Kevin Durant, but the giant doesn't want to hear it that way.
Chesnay-Rocquencourt is a magical city!!! ????pic.twitter.com/uMKvrTQlwN
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At the start of the last act, the gap is only four points. Tyronn Lue decides to send a small defense on Victor Wembanyama again. It's Kris Dunn who's on a space mission. In defense, the interior remains the boss of his racket, in attack, he becomes ghostly. It would still be crazy to be 2m24 and play down low when your defender is 1m91. Never, in all of the possessions where Kris Dunn defended on Wemby, did the sophomore attempt to play the mismatch. What we consider to be a problem.
What followed was an incredible run by the Angelinos from 18 to 2 for 5 minutes where the Texans scored no points in the game. The Clippers went ahead and even took off to punctuate an incredible comeback and win their first game at the Intuit Dome.
Victor Wembanyama finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, 9 blocks at 9/22 shooting including a horrible 2/8 at 3-points, but above all a +/- of -21, the worst on his team. If the box score is well filled, its use in the game is much less satisfactory. To end a very dull evening, Wemby ends his meeting with a final poster of Ivica Zubac on truffles.
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