WASHINGTON — Victor Wembanyama acknowledged having heavy legs Saturday, one evening after sitting out a recreation.
The star rookie, who hasn’t been allowed to play in back-to-backs and has been on a minutes restriction since spraining his proper ankle 3 times in an area of 12 days final month, hadn’t performed basketball in two days.
“Now,” Wembanyama stated, “two days with out enjoying appears like per week.”
Regardless of these heavy legs, the rookie sensation got here by way of when his crew wanted him essentially the most because the Spurs overcame a 12-point deficit within the closing 5 minutes to beat the Washington Wizards 131-127.
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When Wembanyama checked again into the sport for the ultimate time with 5:48 to play, the Spurs trailed by 11 factors. By the five-minute mark, Wizards guard Corey Kispert’s quick jumper pushed the result in a game-high 12 for Washington, which regarded prefer it was in full management.
However San Antonio answered with a 12-0 run. Wembanyama had three buckets through the spurt, together with a tying 3-pointer with 2:05 to go.
A Jeremy Sochan 3-pointer with 53.1 seconds left gave the Spurs the lead, and after Marvin Bagley’s two free throws gave it proper again to Washington, San Antonio completed the sport by going 5-of-6 from the road and making a number of stops on protection to carry on for the victory.
“I might actually really feel the shift from all of my teammates, me included within the fourth quarter, and within the fourth, it actually labored,” Wembanyama stated. “Everybody was concerned. Jeremy had a giant position.”
Sochan hit two of his one-handed free throws with 28.6 seconds left to offer the Spurs the lead for good.
“I really feel we simply locked in and have become extra aggressive,” Sochan stated. “I believe these have been the 2 issues that helped us get again to a good recreation after which take the lead.”
Saturday marked the primary skilled matchup between Wembanyama and his former Metropolitans 92 teammate and countryman Bilal Coulibaly. The 2 shared a second collectively on the court docket after the sport and swapped jerseys.
“Unimaginable,” Wembanyama stated of enjoying towards his pal and Wizards guard. “I have been so pleased with him for therefore lengthy now. It is all the time a great factor. All the time makes me really feel good to see folks I really like make their dream come true.”
The 2 did not get to share the court docket a lot, but it surely lastly occurred with 1:31 left within the third quarter. Shortly after, Coulibaly made certain to get the higher of Wembanyama.
After a Wizards free throw, the Spurs pushed it up the court docket and tried to get Wembanyama a lob on the rim, which Coulibaly knocked away and was credited for a block.
“That is simply what I needed,” Coulibaly stated. “I needed to dunk on him, however that was a little bit an excessive amount of, I believe. Yeah, however I obtained the block, so I am proud of it.”
Wembanyama scored 18 factors within the second half and completed with 24 factors, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks and 4 assists.
And as a lot as he performed a giant position offensively within the fourth quarter, his protection stood out as nicely.
In line with Second Spectrum, the Wizards shot 0-for-6 on layups and dunks within the closing quarter when contested by Wembanyama. That is tied for essentially the most contested layup and dunk makes an attempt with out permitting a make in a fourth quarter this season. (Al Horford of the Celtics held the 76ers to 0-for-6 capturing on layups and dunks within the fourth quarter on Dec. 1.)
A type of contests got here towards Wizards level guard Tyus Jones with 38.5 seconds to play.
Jones drove to the basket previous his youthful brother Tre Jones with Wembanyama on the rim. The transfer faked out Wembanyama, who turned his again to the Wizards level guard.
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However Wembanyama managed to leap and block the shot along with his proper arm. The ball caromed to Bagley, who was fouled and made free throws, but it surely confirmed how troublesome it was to attain round Wembanyama within the fourth.
“That was loopy,” Tre Jones stated. “He rotated. He began dealing with the opposite approach, and I used to be like, ‘No.’ My brother obtained him with the faux. Then he simply 360’d it. I do not even suppose he noticed him layup. I believe he simply turned and guessed the place it was.
“It was a loopy block. I do know my brother was stunned.”
Saturday’s recreation was the ninth time the Jones brothers had performed towards one another — however the first time that Tre was capable of get the victory. Tre Jones had 11 factors, 12 assists and eight rebounds for the Spurs in comparison with 13 factors and 6 assists for his massive brother.
Wembanyama performed 27 minutes, 45 seconds on Saturday, essentially the most he has performed in any recreation since going 31:07 on Dec. 17 towards the New Orleans Pelicans. However his minutes restriction and being held from enjoying back-to-backs might be ending quickly.
He stated after the sport that he hoped he can play in each recreation any more. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stated he did not suppose the minutes can be lifted to greater than 27 for San Antonio’s subsequent recreation — Monday when it wraps up a five-game street journey in Philadelphia — however stated “maybe after that.”