Victor Wembanyama top 5 highlights and viral moments vs Brooklyn Nets (March 17)
The San Antonio Spurs depart from Austin with elation following a hard-fought 122-115 overtime triumph over the Brooklyn Nets at the Moody Center. The victory was anchored by the stellar performance of Victor Wembanyama.
During the opening quarter, the Nets managed to secure an early lead, yet the Spurs remained resilient, ensuring that the deficit never grew insurmountable. This pattern persisted into halftime, with Brooklyn maintaining a narrow one-point advantage as both teams retreated to the locker room.
The second half unfolded as a back-and-forth battle between the Spurs and Nets, with each team exchanging blows on the scoreboard. As the contest progressed into the fourth quarter, it seemed the Nets were poised to establish a commanding lead after constructing a 10-point margin.
As overtime dwindled down, the Spurs held a narrow one-point advantage with just 25 seconds remaining on the clock. Following a crucial defensive stop, they swiftly transitioned into a fast break opportunity, extending their lead to three points. Despite the Nets having an opportunity to force a tie, Cam Johnson's attempted 3-pointer failed to find its mark, ultimately falling short.
The Spurs seized the ensuing rebound, effectively sealing their victory and solidifying their triumph in the contest.
Top 5 Victor Wembanyama highlights and viral moments vs Brooklyn Nets
#5 Victor beats Nic Claxton off the dribble
In a display of remarkable agility, the towering 7-foot-4 center outmaneuvered his opponent, the highly athletic Nic Claxton, in a one-on-one isolation matchup.
Claxton, assuming the formidable task of guarding the towering center from the top of the key, was left dazzled as the center swiftly executed a seamless between-the-legs to crossover move.
With impressive finesse, the center evaded Claxton's defense, navigating around him and concluding the play with a finish on the opposite side, leveraging his remarkable wingspan to full effect.
#4 Wemby toys with Cam Johnson
Positioned strategically by the Spurs, Wemby found himself granted ample space beneath the rim with Claxton, the tallest defender, positioned away from him.
As the ball found its way to Wemby beneath the hoop, the defender, Johnson, appeared helpless.
Remarkably, Wemby remained unbothered, exhibiting confidence as he effortlessly shot over Johnson for the easy basket.
#3 Wemby can do it all
Established in the low post, Victor maintained superior positioning with Finney-Smith diligently attempting to leverage his center of gravity to hold his ground.
Recognizing the defense, Wembanyama executed a decisive post-up maneuver, effectively drawing the attention of additional defenders primed to offer assistance.
With impeccable timing, Wembanyama swiftly delivered a pinpoint pass to the cutting Cedi Osman, facilitating a seamless basket conversion.
#2 Victor Wembanyama in his bag
Facing a dwindling shot clock and devoid of the luxury of executing a structured play, Wemby took it upon himself to seize control of the situation.
Employing a rapid crossover maneuver from the top of the key, his elongated strides, reminiscent of Giannis Antetokounmpo's, proved instrumental in outmaneuvering Nic Claxton once more.
With a strong dribble following a deft between-the-legs move, Wemby created just enough separation to execute a challenging left-handed floater, showcasing both finesse and resilience in a pressure-laden moment.
#1 Victor Wembanyama for the dunk and the block in OT to seal the win
Undeterred by the intensity of overtime, the composed French rookie demonstrated remarkable poise as he audaciously called for an alley-oop play.
With Vassell navigating through the congested paint with a challenging angle for a shot, the rookie astutely identified Wemby's cutting path and lofted the ball high, allowing the towering center to elevate and emphatically slam it home.
This pivotal play vaulted them into a narrow 116-115 lead with a mere 40 seconds remaining on the game clock.
On the ensuing possession, Dennis initiated a driving layup attempt, utilizing a burst of speed to bypass his defender with finesse.
In a crucial moment poised to propel the Nets into the lead, Wemby exhibited impeccable timing, swiftly abandoning his defensive assignment from the corner. With a decisive leap, Wemby soared to execute a game-saving block, denying Dennis' shot.