The San Antonio Spurs have put up a number of bizarre numbers this season, however this one is likely to be essentially the most irritating: they’re 1-4 within the 5 video games they held their opponents to underneath 110 factors (they common 111 factors per recreation themselves). I don’t know if the extra irritating half is the truth that they’ve solely had 5 such video games, or if it’s their lack of ability take higher benefit of a uncommon “low scoring” night time from their opponents, however it’s just like the basketball gods have decided they’re not allowed to have a superb recreation on each ends of the court docket.
Final night time’s 98-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies was one such recreation, the place the protection was there, and outdoors a bit of flurry within the fourth quarter, Ja Morant was held comparatively in test (together with earlier than he twisted his knee late within the first half), however the Spurs constantly shot themselves within the foot with careless, unforced turnovers, seemingly couldn’t hit the broad facet of a barn on open threes, they usually had a poor exhibiting on the free throw line.
Nonetheless, there’s one thing concerning the Spurs-Grizzlies matchup that brings a sure degree of pleasure and highlights, and not less than one Spur was there for it. It began effectively sufficient, with Morant deciding he was going to check the league’s latest star, however Victor Wembanyama confirmed he was no timid rookie, blocking his layup try, resulting in a breakaway three from Devin Vassell (who would go on to have too quiet of an evening, the place merely a median one might have led to a win; the basketball gods are merciless).
Wemby wasn’t carried out there. Regardless of it being a low scoring first quarter for each groups, one factor his teammates continued to do was discover him for dunks — an enormous step in the suitable route.
Maybe my favourite play from him on the night time was this excessive flyer from outdoors the restricted space, the place he moved the ball round two defenders for the two-handed slam.
And no, that’s not only a participant whining for a name (Wemby doesn’t appear to be about that); there really was some first rate contact on his forearm from Santi Aldama, however you possibly can’t actually blame the refs for not seeing it in actual time since we will’t. Solely in gradual movement does the uncalled foul change into apparent as a result of that’s how fast, clean and even robust he’s within the air contemplating he held onto the ball via the contact and didn’t even flinch.
One final wild Wemby play was this ridiculous one-handed, one-legged, double-banker three that briefly gave the Spurs the lead once more within the third quarter (earlier than they naturally couldn’t construct off that momentum, due to course). Essentially the most hilarious half is there was nonetheless 9 seconds left on the shot clock, so it was completely pointless. If it hadn’t gone in, he might have heard about it from Gregg Popovich (contemplating there appears to be a famous effort to rein in his three-point chucking).
General, he ended the night time with one other spectacular stat line of 20 factors, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks, with all of the blocks coming within the first half as Memphis made a famous effort to not problem him on the rim within the second — apart from a Morant dunk that we’ll simply say made them even on the night time.
Exterior of Wemby, nobody else actually had a lot of a exhibiting apart from second-half Keldon Johnson, who these days has proven a knack for exhibiting up when his crew is beginning to get determined. Whereas that half is appreciated (as Jesus identified within the recap, this crew simply lacks that further gear to complete video games, however KJ is attempting to carry it), extra juice and consistency from him and Vassell all through the sport is required, particularly in these video games the place they maintain their opponents to comparatively low scores.
Lastly, the complete video games highlights.
