Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic once again fought an epic battle last night. But unlike the day before, which saw San Antonio win in Colorado, this time it was Denver who won the showdown, in Texas, after overtime (111-122). And the Serbian basketball player soared above everyone (46 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds), while his French counterpart, on his 21st birthday, still delivered a very good performance (20 points, 23 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists).
San Antonio was ahead in the score for a long time, but Denver, NBA champion two years ago, quietly returned to the game, conceded overtime but showed experience and mastery of key moments in the final moments. “The Joker (Editor’s note: Jokic’s nickname) made the joker, but I think we were sometimes a little too indecisive, points out Mitch Johnson, the Spurs coach. He was given far too much opportunity to choose what he could do. It’s a frustrating defeat, because we had the feeling of controlling the match, but I’m quite disappointed with our attack, especially in the last quarter. »
In terms of satisfaction, San Antonio, which is fighting this year for qualification for the playoffs, comes out extremely reassured from this double back-to-back confrontation (in two days) against one of the favorites for the title. The Spurs have shown that they are capable of fighting against the best, and Victor Wembanyama has risen to another level.
Last night, he put out a solid performance, able to get into the rhythm despite being on the bench quite early in the match (4th) due to two quick fouls, being in a double-double from the middle of the second quarter, and not to move when it came to countering Jokic (3rd quarter). Even the Serbian basketball player paid tribute to him after the meeting: “I always said he is special,” said the Joker. He is that type of player who makes everything difficult for you and pushes you to do more. I can’t wait to play against him for a few more years. »
Unlike the day before, Wemby was however less effective at three points (2 out of 12, or 16%), and lost four balls, including one in overtime while his team fought to come back to the score. The results, in two days and two matches against the best player in the NBA, are extremely positive: Victor Wembanyama has shown that he already competes with the best, and that he can do so several days in a row. The progression is significant compared to last season.
“He was phenomenal all season, and in two nights against a great team, he was incredible, on both ends of the floor,” says his teammate Harrison Barnes. The French Spurs basketball player is now 5th in the virtual MVP rankings of the season, after an impressive month of December and start to the year. A series to continue from Monday and a trip to Chicago.
