Victor Wembanyama Stats Tonight: How did the Spurs star perform vs Thunder? (Oct. 30)
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs traveled to Oklahoma on Wednesday for a game against the OKC Thunder. San Antonio, which lost 106-101 to the Houston Rockets on Monday, hoped to improve its record to 2-2. Wembanyama also resumed his rivalry with NBA Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren.
The Frenchman had a rough shooting night in the first half. He went 1-for-5, including 0-for-3 from behind the arc in 12 minutes. "Wemby" had open looks, particularly from long range, but couldn't convert. Wembanyama's struggles on offense were a big reason the Spurs trailed 59-44 at halftime.
Victor Wembanyama's subpar night continued in the second half. Chet Holmgren and the OKC Thunder's swarming defense kept "Wemby" in check. The Thunder wouldn't let the Frenchman go off, forcing his Spurs teammates to do the heavy lifting on offense.
The San Antonio Spurs inched closer in the fourth quarter but the Thunder held on for a comfortable 105-93 win.
Victor Wembanyama's 3-point shooting has been off to start the season
Before the season started, Victor Wembanyama told reporters that he would sustain his 3-point attempts this season but improve his efficiency. Last season, he shot 32.5% from deep, which has dropped to 22.2% in four games this month. He is averaging roughly the same attempts, but his accuracy has plummeted.
As a result, teams have been daring him to shoot instead of living in the paint, where his 7-foot-4 frame and wingspan make him nearly unguardable.
The OKC Thunder used this strategy to perfection on Wednesday.
Chet Holmgren often stood a few feet away from Victor Wembanyama when the Frenchman was behind the 3-point line. Holmgren did his best to keep him in the perimeter. When "Wemby" managed to get into the paint, Oklahoma's defense swarmed all over him.
The Spurs shot 12-for-36 from deep, making Oklahoma's plan to keep the ball from Wembanyama effective. If San Antonio keeps misfiring and "Wemby" continues to be inefficient, the Spurs will struggle to get wins this season.