The San Antonio Spurs appeared to be in a vulnerable position coming into Game 4 on Sunday night. However, after a remarkable effort led by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs secured a 103-82 victory, blowing out the Thunder at home to level the series at 2-2.
In response to Shaquille O’Neal’s critique, Victor Wembanyama looked like the best player on the court on Sunday night. But even after a monumental performance, which involved holding the Thunder to below 90 points, the Spurs’ superstar remained nonchalant while reacting to the result during his postgame media availability.
“We didn’t do anything unexpected. But the truth is that we’ve never been in this kind of situation before,” Wembanyama stated. “It was our first deficit in a playoff series, and we just responded. It was nothing amazing. It wasn’t magic. We just did what we needed to do. The series is far from over. We’ve got six more wins before we can rest.”
For most teams, facing a deficit, especially after losing a game at home, can be quite overwhelming. For a young team like the Spurs, who are making their first playoff appearance together, the task is even more daunting.
Despite the inherent challenges, San Antonio’s core has shown notable resilience and poise. With Victor Wembanyama acting as the emotional anchor of the team, the Spurs have clearly rallied around the superstar, feeding off his competitive energy and delivering incredible performances even in the face of adversity.
To that point, Wembanyama also revealed how he and the Spurs bounced back after suffering a 123-108 loss in their first WCF game at home. When addressing what he meant when he said he needed to do better, the Spurs’ center shared:
“I don’t know if I’m hard on myself. We all have high standards, you know. I know I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m here for it. It was better today, but it wasn’t perfect.”
“But all of this, I’m talking like the entire organization is going to have to do things that we didn’t sign up for. I’m an employee to play basketball… That’s why I need to find ways to impact the game in many areas.”
And impact the game he did. With 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks on 11-22 FG in just 31 minutes, Wembanyama was beyond impactful. Having taken the physical battle to the Thunder in Game 4, the Spurs’ center laid the foundations for the victory early on, ensuring that his team would be in a competitive position before hitting the road again.
After Game 3, the Thunder seemed to have taken complete control. But this convincing victory in Game 4 has turned the tide in San Antonio’s favor. At 2-2, the series is now anyone’s game.
With Victor Wembanyama leading the charge, the Spurs have some momentum on their side. However, when noting the limited contributions from the bench on Sunday night, San Antonio will hope to see players like Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Harrison Barnes step up their output in Game 5.
