Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are currently bogged down in a bitter playoff battle. With a championship on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and that’s why every voice counts.
So, in the aftermath of yesterday’s Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks, Victor revealed the message he received from Spurs legend Gregg Popovich himself. Despite being retired as a head coach, he still commands respect in the locker room, and he did not mince words in his recent text message to Victor Wembanyama.
“I haven’t talked to him yet, but he texted me,” said Wembanyama, via Underdog. “In the big lines it was that ‘I’ve been bad, and that I’m better than this.'”
Pop is known for his brutal honesty, but it usually comes from a genuine desire to see his players improve. In the case of Victor, he knows first-hand how special he is, and that’s what made his performance on Wednesday so tragic. In 37 minutes, he dropped 26 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three blocks on 28.6% shooting from the field and 22.2% shooting from three.
As Victor explained later, his Spurs did not play their normal brand of basketball. They were out of sorts and spinning on their heels for most of the game, giving the Knicks an early edge in the series. Still, it’s not over yet, and Vic believes the path to redemption lies in trusting the formula that’s gotten them this far.
“Normal means trusting each other, trusting the basketball gods, trusting the game plan,” said Wembanyama. “Executing and not relying on talent so much to make shots or to save the day. We’ve been playing a certain way all season, it’s really successful this way, and there’s no reason to change it the day the Finals start.”
The Spurs came in as the favorites to win the series, with the better record and homecourt advantage. Despite their lack of experience, most experts give San Antonio the edge in overall depth, star power, and team chemistry. But after making a statement in Game 1 (105-95), the Knicks now have all the momentum, and they aren’t looking back.
Ultimately, if Victor wants to avoid a 0-2 deficit tomorrow, he’s going to have to take Pop’s words to heart. As a five-time champion and one of the most brilliant coaching minds in the league, he knows better than most about what it will take to close the deal and bring another title back to San Antonio.
While Wemby did not reveal any specific details of the game plan, you can bet it involves finding ways to get him better looks offensively. Against a stacked Knicks team with so many capable defenders, it’s going to take a cohesive effort to find consistently good shots. The hope is that, by Game 2, the Spurs will be better equipped to handle what the Knicks throw at them. Whether it’s enough to get the win remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that the Spurs are doing everything they can to show up prepared on Friday and make Popovich proud.
