Victor Wembanyama dominated on both ends of the floor tonight to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 118-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished the game with 28 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals while shooting 10-21 from the floor (47.6 FG%) and 4-9 from beyond the arc (44.4 3P%).
Following the game, Wembanyama addressed the media and spoke on the Spurs’ desperation to avoid elimination at home, fueling their resonating win tonight, and how he plans to prepare for the first Game 7 of his young Spurs career.
“First thing is listening to you know the experienced people, whether it’s on our team, our staff, or outside. We got the chance to have plenty of those around,” Wembanyama said while explaining how the team plans to prepare for a ‘do-or-die’ Game 7 on the road.
The Spurs last went to a Game 7 in their first-round exit in 2019 against the Nuggets. Since Wembanyama was drafted, this is the first time they are going to a Game 7.
Wembanyama hopes to use the expertise of the Spurs’ franchise members to help guide him through the mental pressure that comes with it.
Not just the current franchise members, but former players and legends like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Manu Ginobili have made themselves available to the team whenever they have needed them, all of whom have faced plenty of Game 7s in their careers.
“I think we were consistent, and we did what we needed to do. Trusted the game. trusted the basketball gods,” Wembanyama further added on the young Spurs team’s ability to meet the moment in a do-or-die game tonight.
The Spurs have dominated the Thunder on several occasions this season, including stealing a shocking Game 1 win in Oklahoma. Therefore, they have proved that they are extremely capable of silencing the Oklahoma City crowd on Saturday night.
Wembanyama seems confident going into Saturday as he feels tonight’s performance has proven his team’s ability to play their best basketball with their backs against the wall.
“Just feels like it erases all of the little mistakes that we do that are human nature,” said Wembanyama on the team’s desperation. “Whether it’s in the regular season or previous games. We just have to fight that, when your back is against the wall, it feels like it’s the best opportunity,” Wembanyama concluded.
The Spurs are now headed on the road to face the Thunder in Oklahoma on Saturday, May 30. It will be interesting to see if Wembanyama and the Spurs can replicate tonight’s performance in Game 7 against a hostile crowd at Oklahoma’s Paycom Center.
