Victor Wembanyama on Adjusting After Spurs' Loss to Lakers
After an impressive start to the season, Victor Wembanyama experienced a challenging night as the San Antonio Spurs fell 118-116 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Wembanyama shared with reporters that the pace of the game "feels fast right now," attributing this partly to opposing teams adapting their defensive strategies specifically against him.
"Personally, I haven't seen this kind of defense from teams," Wembanyama said. "So we need to adapt as a collective. In the Phoenix game, it was the case as well. We're learning."
Defensive Pressure from the Lakers
Wembanyama highlighted the frequent double-teams by the Lakers as a major challenge during the game. He noted that their defense seemed well-prepared for every situation, making it difficult for him to find space.
"Mostly, it was the doubling. They probably walked in shootaround through all our situations because it seemed like they were very ready. It felt like they let me catch the ball, but they were ready to double to rotate after that."
Game Performance and Key Moments
- Wembanyama scored 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
- He grabbed eight rebounds and committed five turnovers in 33 minutes.
- He fouled out with under two minutes left, while the Spurs trailed 113-112.
- San Antonio had a late chance to tie the game after Julian Champagnie drew a shooting foul, but he missed both free throws, securing the Lakers' win.
- This marked the second time in seven games this season that Wembanyama has fouled out, exceeding his total from the previous two seasons combined.
Author's Summary
Victor Wembanyama faces tougher defenses and shows signs of adjustment as double-teams and foul trouble impact the Spurs’ recent struggles.
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