Victor Wembanyama, an MVP candidate, just had one of those nights you wish you could erase. The Oklahoma City Thunder absolutely throttled the San Antonio Spurs 116-104 on Opening Night, and Wembanyama’s performance, just 12 points on a brutal 1-of-13 shooting, had him saying this isn’t “the sport I like right here.” Talk about a wake-up call for the entire league.
Chet Holmgren’s Lock Down and the Shifting Narrative
We all remember last year’s epic seven-game duel where the Spurs sent OKC packing. Most of us figured San Antonio had the Thunder’s number. But if Opening Night is any indication, that narrative just got flipped on its head. From the jump ball, Chet Holmgren, last year’s DPOY runner-up, was absolutely glued to Wembanyama. We’re talking Hulk-esque anger from Holmgren, rejecting every chance for a switch, locking down the unanimous winner for the whole game. It was a masterclass in physical, in-your-face defense. The Thunder’s game plan completely sidelined the Spurs’ usual strategy of spamming pick-and-roll lobs to their star. For the first time in a long time, OKC bullied Wembanyama right out of his comfort zone.
Wemby Needs to “Go Back to Playing the Basketball I Like”
It’s pretty wild to hear a talent like Wembanyama utter a sentiment like that, especially after the season he just had. But after getting shut down, he broke down what went wrong. He knows he can’t keep relying on pull-up jumpers when you’re 7-foot-4. His message was clear: “I need to go back to playing the basketball I like. This is not the sport I like right here.” He said he’s got “no reason to be hesitant, no reason to not be myself. For me, it’s as simple as that. I’m good when I have fun.” This dude, an MVP candidate, needs to rediscover his dominant playing style, and more importantly, he needs to find the fun in the game again.
This isn’t the first time an opponent has tried to get physical with Wembanyama, but the Thunder absolutely got the best of him this time around. Did OKC just crack the code on how to guard him by putting Holmgren on him and rejecting every switch? Will the Spurs make the necessary adjustments? You can bet your bottom dollar we won’t see another one-made field goal night from Wemby. But the question remains: Can the Thunder consistently force him into uncomfortable spots with that physically-branded defense? It worked for one random October night. Now, we wait to see if the Spurs and their superstar can adjust and rewrite the script.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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