The San Antonio Spurs enjoyed an overwhelming 145-120 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, improving to 47-17 on the season. While this will undoubtedly sting the Rockets, who have officially lost the season series to the Spurs (3-1), Victor Wembanyama’s comments after the game may have had a more lasting impact.
During his postgame interview, Victor Wembanyama seemingly took a few subtle jabs at the Rockets, taunting them for the poor display.
“I could go four minutes straight without touching the ball and find enough to find ways to impact the game and make our teammates better by setting screens, rolling hard, calling for the ball in the right places, and expecting them to switch or to double team,” Wembanyama stated.
He added to this, claiming:
“We figured out their adjustments that they were trying to do, and just decided to hurt them elsewhere.”
Although Victor Wembanyama’s comments may come across as a taunt, there is enough evidence to suggest that he is being factual.
The Spurs appeared to be in control of the game from the get-go. Although the Rockets won the first quarter by one point, they were blown away 37-24 in the second quarter. While Kevin Durant (23 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST) and Amen Thompson (23 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST) made an earnest attempt to keep the game competitive, the gap only widened once the second half rolled around.
As Victor Wembanyama stated, he could easily play a passive role and impact the game, primarily because of how well San Antonio performed offensively. Wembanyama reiterated this by praising his teammates for being reliable, sharing:
“These guys are trustworthy. I can trust them to make the right play. I can trust them to play unselfishly. And I can trust that anybody here can choose that if they do the effort, the efforts, like my teammates, will make the right choice, and we’ll capitalize on it.”
Although Victor Wembanyama (29 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 4 BLK) led the scoring and anchored the defense, he was closely supported by De’Aaron Fox (20 PTS, 10 AST) and Stephon Castle (23 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST) in the starting lineup. Off the bench, the Spurs saw Keldon Johnson (20 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST) and Dylan Harper (19 PTS, 2 REB, 6 AST) combine for 39 points.
Given that the team shot approximately 58% from the field and almost 52% from beyond the arc, the Spurs effectively carved up Houston’s defense. San Antonio’s success in restricting the Rockets’ perimeter shooting to below 30% is also a testament to their defensive integrity.
Overall, Wembanyama’s comment doesn’t seem misplaced, as the Spurs boast a 9-1 record over their last 10 games, which includes an active four-game winning streak. Considering they are only three games behind the top-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder in the West, San Antonio is making a noteworthy case to be considered the best team in the West.
