The San Antonio Spurs struggled against OKC Thunder last night in Oklahoma. A lot of attention was on this game as fans were expecting a clash between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. However, the Thunder won the game 105-93, neutralizing the taller French center.
Wembanyama Exposed Against Thunder's Solid Defense
Wembanyama, last year's NBA Rookie of the Year, could only manage six points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in a tough game. He was not too effective in shooting, only making 1-for-5 from the field and failing to score any of his three three-pointers over 27 minutes.
According to Sports Illustrated, the defensive schemes of Oklahoma appeared to leave the young man off-kilter as shown by his early-season woes in shooting and turnovers.
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Chet Holmgren Shines in OKC's Win
When asked about the much-anticipated matchup, Holmgren, last season's Rookie of the Year runner-up, chalked up the excitement to hype but certainly let his on-court performance speak for itself.
Though he faced Wembanyama directly on just a few plays, Holmgren shot an impressive 2-for-3 when matched up against him and tallied seven points during those moments.
In defense, Hlomgren was fantastic. He restrained the three-ball threats San Antonio came with to an abysmal 10 points through a dismal 4-for-17 shooting and zero-for-seven shooting from downtown. His mere presence alone contested enough so that, when he faced Wembanyama, San Antonio was a lousy 2-for-12.
Thunder's Aggressive Defense Became the Key to Victory
The Thunder's defense was aggressive, committing 18 steals- nine in each half - the team's second-highest total since the move to Oklahoma City in 2008. Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Ousmane Dieng, and Ajay Mitchell all had multiple steals, tying the franchise's record for players with multiple steals in a single game.
Fans React to Wembanyama's Quiet Night
Wembanyama's quiet night was met with lively reactions on social media. An X user @onetimecards said "Wemby took 5 shots ???? Pop should retire lol."
Another user @BronGotGame posted "I think it's safe to say Chet owns this rivalry." Still, @HighliteSZN said that if Wemby was stuck in Thunder instead of Chet, they would be 3-peating.
StatMuse: Baskets made tonight, on the other hand, commented "1- Bronny James 1- Victor Wembanyama."
"Honestly more of a reflection of the Spurs as a whole tonight than just him. The Thunder dominated and exposed ALL of the Spurs' weaknesses at once. Not worried at all - this loss might actually be a stepping stone," @IrRashonalSport wrote.
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