Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation, showed his inner LeBron James with an outstanding performance. He led his team to a 132-121 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Wemby surprised the crowd with a career-high 38 points, sharing James’ views about how important the fourth quarter is.
Reflecting on the clutch mindset expressed by James, Wembanyama showed his skills when they mattered the most. His approach to the game is similar to the strategy the Lakers seem to be using with James, emphasizing the importance of the fourth quarter. The French talent played an important role under pressure in the Spurs’ win on Thursday night.
“Obviously, that’s winning time,” James said in a post-game interview. “For myself, I love being out there for the fourth quarter being able to make plays. Like that’s the best quarter for me when it comes to being able to close out a game.”
Wembanyama’s performance included an impressive first half, scoring 20 points which gave the Spurs a commanding 75-55 lead at halftime. Yet, it was his final quarter play that truly set him apart. After the Suns overcame a 27-point deficit to tie the game, with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant leading the charge, Wembanyama scored 10 consecutive points to reclaim the lead, which included three free throws, a dunk, a three-pointer and a turnaround jump shot.
Victor Wembanya scores 11 of 38 points in the final quarter against the Suns
Victor Wembanyama proved to be the game-winning factor in the San Antonio Spurs’ win against the Phoenix Suns. The number one draft pick, playing only his fifth game in the league, proved why he was worth the top selection. In the exciting final quarter, Wembanyama scored 11 of his 38 points, taking control at the end moments of the game, a proof to the “winning time” importance of fourth-quarter basketball that LeBron James recently emphasized.
“Of course there was the threat of Durant and Booker; that was our major concern, playing the Suns, especially in the fourth quarter.” Wembanyama said. “So, it worked really well in the first quarter, the energy we brought. So, we really tried to find this again, to lock in, to know our rotations, our tactics. And otherwise, there was way less offensive tactics in the fourth quarter.”
Wembanyama’s 15 of 26 shooting from the field and a double-double with 10 rebounds showed his maturity. The 19-year-old efforts were major in destroying the Suns’ comeback, highlighted by a tie at 116 all, with just over four minutes left on the clock.
Wemby’s ability to perform under pressure suggests that San Antonio may have found their closer. As the NBA season progresses, his performance against the Suns will be remembered as an important moment for the rising star.