‘NO BIG DEAL’ – VICTOR WEMBANYAMA SAYS SAN ANTONIO SPURS WILL ‘BOUNCE BACK’ AFTER LOSS ON MADISON SQUARE GARDEN DEBUT
No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama suffered defeat on his Madison Square Garden debut, his 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block and three turnovers was not enough to beat the New York Knicks. It’s now a trio of defeats for the San Antonio Spurs which has promoted question marks over the 7′ 4″ player. “We’re going to go through losing streaks, through tough times,” he said.
Victoria Wembanyama says the San Antonio Spurs’ defeat to the New York Knicks on his Madison Square Garden debut is “no big deal” and it’s important that his team “bounce back” after a tricky spell.
The No. 1 draft pick managed 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block and three turnovers on his debut at the legendary venue, but his Spurs side fell to a 126-105 defeat, their third in a row.
After struggling with his shots during Tuesday’s loss against the Indiana Pacers, Wembanyama produced another under-par performance on Wednesday, missing his first eight shots.
However, Wembanyama is confident that the Spurs – who triumphed in three of their first five games – can turn things around.
“It’s no big deal – we’re learning,” Wembanyama told The Athletic. “We as a young team and any team, really, we’re going to go through losing streaks [at] some [point] during [the] season, through tough times.
“The most important [thing] is how we bounce back.”
During the game, Wembanyama suffered “overrated” shouts from the New York crowd, which urged Gregg Popovich to step in and defend the Spurs’ statement signing.
“He’s a 19-year-old rookie who’s just learning about the NBA – of course, it’s a learning experience,” the 74-year-old said.
Elsewhere, Nikola Jokic finished with 35 points as the defending champions Denver Nuggets narrowly overcame the Golden State Warriors 108-105.
Jokic, 28, said he was “just trying to play the game the right way”.
Harden sees ‘unlimited possibilities’ on star-studded Clippers after debut loss’Way too tall
Wembanyama impresses but can’t stop Spurs losing to Raptors
“We are just trying to win every game,” the Serbian said, “We don’t have the pressure of being the champions, we’re just enjoying the moment, playing together and trying to win as much as possible.
“I’m just trying to play the game the right way and as long as we’re winning I think we’re doing a good job.”
– – –
TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
