Victor Wembanyama Comments on Pace of Game Amid Spurs' Loss to Lakers
After a strong start to the season, Victor Wembanyama struggled again in the San Antonio Spurs' 118-116 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Wembanyama said the game "feels fast right now," partly because teams have adjusted their defenses to specifically target 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."
Double-Teams Trouble Wembanyama
Wembanyama highlighted the frequency of double-teams from the Lakers as a key challenge. He noted the Lakers appeared prepared and quick to rotate as soon as he received the ball.
"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."
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 missed a chance to tie in the final second after Julian Champagnie was fouled but missed both free throws.
- This marked Wembanyama’s second foul-out in the first seven games, already exceeding his total in the past two seasons combined.
Author's Summary
Wembanyama faces tougher defenses and double-teams this season, requiring the Spurs to adjust as his game evolves against well-prepared opponents.