French prodigy Victor Wembanyama roared to achieve a prestigious home success Thursday against Oklahoma City (132-118), while superstar LeBron James approached 40,000 points in the NBA regular season.
Nearly four weeks after their last home match in the Frost Bank Center, occupied by a rodeo, the San Antonio Spurs, dead last in the West (12 wins – 48 losses), offered a magnificent success to their audience against the Thunder, second (41-18) in the same conference and candidate for a good run in the play-offs.
“I missed it, I love it, playing in front of 16,000 people that I love,” Wembanyama told a bustling crowd under the amused gaze of “Admiral” David Robinson, former Spurs star pivot.
The French giant (2.24 m) was smiling from ear to ear after a full meeting in which he ignited the last part to finish with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks.
“Not finished”
“Wemby”, No.1 in the last draft, scored a shot from the logo (painted on the floor, further than the three-point line) to give the Texans a nine-point lead 3 minutes 20 from time, before to do it again a minute later and shout his joy in front of the bench, arms clenched and muscles tensed.
The No. 1 of the last draft attempted seven long-distance shots to score five, his record since his NBA debut in October.
Victor Wembanyama, right, and Chet Holmgren, left, during the NBA game between the Spurs and Oklahoma City on Thursday in San Antonio / BRIEN AHO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
The 20-year-old Frenchman then followed up with an authoritarian counterattack on his great rival Chet Holmgren before Devin Vassell (also 28 points) sealed the match.
Wembanyama made his mark in the race for the “rookie of the year” award, which Holmgren, a 21-year-old American with similar characteristics to the Frenchman (2.16 m compared to 2.24 m, versatile), should compete with.
“There are 22 matches left, it’s not over! I am convinced that the best way to help my team is to perform individually over an entire season. So yes, individual awards like that of rookie of the year are very important to me,” Wembanyama explained at a press conference.
“The great players today score 30 points every night. Success in this league is something you have to have in every match. They’re not content to only perform a few times. I like to follow their example.”
Holmgren had dominated the start of the match (19 points at halftime) with his leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) before being controlled at the end of the match, missing the opportunity to join the Minnesota Timberwolves in the lead at the West.
James 9 points from 40,000
The Spurs breathe a little with their second victory of the month of February only (in twelve matches), the first after five losses in a row, before receiving the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
In Los Angeles, LeBron James approached the 40,000 points mark in the regular season, which no player has ever crossed. The “King” scored 31 points for a victory against the Washington Wizards after overtime (134-131) and has 39,991 points.
LeBron James got closer to 40,000 points in the NBA regular season on Thursday during the meeting between the Lakers and the Washington Wizards on Thursday / KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Barring injury, the 39-year-old colossus, in the heart of his 21st NBA season, has a very good chance of exceeding 40,000 on Saturday during a gala clash broadcast by a national channel against reigning champion Denver (5:30 p.m. local time , 2:30 a.m. Sunday Paris time).
LeBron James seized the regular season points record in February 2023 by surpassing legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,390 points.
Stephen Curry scored 31 points to help his Golden State Warriors dominate the New York Knicks (110-99).
