Though the Spurs haven’t performed since Tuesday, everybody continues to be raving about Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic’ epic matchup. The 2-time MVP put up a giant stat line of 42 factors, 16 rebounds and 6 assists, however the Rookie of the Yr favourite was no slouch, flirting with a quadruple-double of 23 factors, 15 rebounds 8 assists and 9 blocks in what ended being a last-minute loss, 110-105 in favor of the Nuggets.
Whereas the shorthanded Spurs couldn’t pull off the large upset, it was a far cry from their matchup with the defending champions again in November, when regardless of a semi-respectable closing rating of 132-120, they performed from effectively behind a lot of the recreation, and Wemby performed extra like a rookie and wasn’t as aggressive. His progress and confidence degree between then and now had been stark sufficient for Jokic and Nuggets coach Mike Malone to take discover, as they showered him with reward after the sport.
Malone known as him the way forward for the league.
“Along with his distinctive size and shot blocking capability, he’s the way forward for the NBA. We’re watching the ascension of the following nice participant within the NBA. In the event you’re going to go on the market and have 23 factors, 15 rebounds, 9 blocks and eight assists; there’s not a lot that younger man cannot do. So, he’s n the appropriate group with the appropriate coach to assist him get higher and be taught. He’s a hell of a expertise.”
Jokic mentioned how shortly Wemby is studying, and famous the respect they’ve for him based mostly on their defensive strategy.
“Each recreation is new for him. I feel he’s studying the match-ups. i believe he’s studying ground stability; he’s studying who’s guarding him. Actually, I feel he simply wants two video games, after which he’s going to have it found out. Aaron Gordon was guarding him mainly the entire second half, he’s our greatest defender, him and (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), so I feel that’s a present of respect that we’ve in the direction of him; out finest defensive participant guarding him the entire second half … He’s humble, he’s working onerous, and he’s nonetheless hungry. I feel that’s a very good mixture.”
Aaron Gordon additionally talked about how Wemby’s protection makes you rethink all the things you’re attempting to do on the market. (Reggie Jackson can most likely attest.)
“He’s going to be actually, actually, actually, actually, actually, actually good. Yeah, he’s going to be an incredible participant. Simply his capability to time up photographs and block, actually impacts the sport. It makes you second guess and take into consideration what you’re attempting to do.” – Aaron Gordon on Wemby
— Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) April 3, 2024
Jokic, being the underrated Joker that he actually, is had an epic response this this sequence of performs that confirmed how good this matchup can be going ahead. After Wemby acquired a scoop shot up and in round Jokic, blocked him on the opposite finish, then scored on a putback, Jokic immediately acquired revenge with a posterizing dunk, and the 2 shared fun about it.
After the sport, Jokic instructed the media he instructed Wemby he higher not block him once more or else … however Wemby blocked it a number of extra occasions in any case. No matter Jokic was going to do to him, apparently he backed off.
Nikola Jokić was requested if he stated something to Victor Wembanyama after dunking on him.
He stated he instructed Wemby: “In the event you block yet one more shot, I am gonna…”
“However he blocked like 4 after that, so I did not do something about it.” pic.twitter.com/dVqQ3W4lww
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) April 3, 2024
He additionally added a comparability to the 2 occasions he face Tim Duncan his rookie season, noting how Rookie Wemby did higher in opposition to veteran Jokic than rookie Jokic did in opposition to veteran Duncan.
Whereas we get quotes from different groups on a near-nightly foundation on how spectacular Wemby is, it simply means extra coming from a 2x MVP (maybe quickly to the three), presumably one of the best massive man of this period, and defending champion. Now we all know how youthful gamers most likely felt after they’d obtain comparable reward from Timmy and Pop again within the day.
Wemby himself had a shaggy dog story after the Denver recreation about his personal teammate, mentioning how at one level, Tre Jones waived off a play name from “coach (presumably Gregg Popovich), saying, “We should always run this play as a substitute,” and the coach stated “Oh, you’re proper!”
Contemplating we’ve no purpose to consider this isn’t true, it says quite a bit in regards to the respect Jones — who had a triple-double himself in Denver — has earned from Pop and the teaching employees, presumably displaying that they gained’t hesitate to run him again as their start line guard subsequent yr, particularly contemplating different gamers we’ve heard comparable tales from are Tony Parker and Avery Johnson.
Can’t get sufficient of Wemby vs. Jokic? There’s yet one more recreation in opposition to Denver coming at dwelling subsequent Friday, however within the meantime you may watch some breakdowns of their matchup and put together for an thrilling future of massive males in basketball.
