San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama learned a valuable lesson Wednesday night as his team lost 116-103 to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics dominated on both ends of the court, with Jayson Tatum leading the offence with 32 points (his third consecutive 30-point game), and Kristaps Porzingis contributing 29 points and six rebounds. The Spurs struggled against Boston’s formidable defence. De’Aaron Fox finished with 23 points after a poor first half, while Wembanyama was held to 17 points for the night. Wembanyama, the leading Defensive Player of the Year candidate, praised the Celtics for their outstanding defensive effort.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the Spurs’ franchise player praised the Celtics. “They know how to fit into the system,” Wembanyama explained. “Their team defence is extremely strong, which makes it difficult because they can rely on one another to make up for each other’s mistakes. It’s different from most teams.”
Indeed, the Celtics have been impressive on defence. The defending champions are seventh overall in defensive dating (109.6) and fifth in the NBA in points allowed per game (108.1) (source: NBA.com). The Spurs, on the other hand, are 19th in Defensive Rating (114.1) and allow 114.4 points per game (18th in the league). Despite the setback, Wembanyama made history that night by rejecting Al Horford’s reverse layup attempt. The NBA made a historic announcement about the 7-foot-3 centre, who has now blocked shots in 85 consecutive games, the longest active stretch in 30 years.
Wembanyama is having a breakout second year after an exceptional rookie season in which he was unanimously named Rookie of the Year. The 2023 first overall pick is averaging 24.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, both of which are higher than previous season’s numbers (21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds). He also averages 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 1.1 steals a game.
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