"We're gonna hammer his a**" - Spurs coach Gregg Popovich goes unfiltered on Joel Embiid vs Victor Wembanyama matchup
San Antonio Spurs star rookie big man Victor Wembanyama is taking on Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid for the first time on Monday. Ahead of the star-studded matchup, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich provided a humorous preview of his game plan.
Per the San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn, The five-time NBA champion joked with reporters that he planned to have Wembanyama be physical with Embiid. However, Popovich added that the 2023 No. 1 pick wasn’t informed about his plan.
“We are going to hammer his a**,” Popovich said. “I told Wemby to stick him, put your butt right in his stomach, back him down over the rim and just throw him through the rim. That’s what you can look forward to ... Don’t tell Wemby I said that.”
Embiid, of course, has a 70-pound weight advantage over Wembanyama. The reigning MVP is listed at 280 pounds, while the rookie is just 210 pounds. This comes despite Wembanyama (7-foot-4) being four inches taller than Embiid (7-foot).
So, Embiid has a clear advantage in size and experience. Meanwhile, he is widely considered a significantly better player than Wembanyama at this stage in their careers. However, as the 20-year-old continues to develop over the next few seasons, he could cause some problems for Embiid in the future.
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Joel Embiid extends 30-point game streak to 21 in first half of matchup against Victor Wembanyama
Joel Embiid entered Monday having scored at least 30 points in a franchise-record 20 consecutive games. It didn’t take long for the six-time All-Star to extend his streak to 21 games. He did so in the first half of Monday’s matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Not only is Embiid’s 21-game streak the longest in Sixers history, but it is also the fifth-longest 30-point game streak in NBA history. Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain (65, 31 and 25 games) and star guard James Harden (32 games) are the only players who’ve recorded longer streaks.
Embiid has a long way to go to tie or surpass Chamberlain’s 65-game streak. However, Embiid hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. So, perhaps he will be able to threaten the record.
Through 31 games, Embiid is averaging 35.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.9 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers per game on 53.6% shooting.
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