Game Thread Spurs (32-15) @ Hornets (21-28) (Sat 1/31/26) [11:00AM CST]

[Exstatic]

It was odd watching the game where the Hornets were challenging Wemby in the paint and he was a step slow. Didn't help that even when Wemby forced a missed shot we can't get the rebound. Neither Moussa and Kelkbrenner are good shooters and yet we respect their outside shots too much, and Moussa was able to score underneath the basket quite a few times. I am not even sure Wemby got a blocked shot the entire game and the Hornets seemed to have scored quite a few points in the paint.

I am also pretty sure we got outrebounded by them, both on offence and defence, giving an inefficient team second chance and third chances multiple times, it seems. The Spurs are the best defensive rebounding team in the league, play like it.

That is why the only thing I’m interested in at the deadline is a big who can shoot and rebound.

 

[LeBowen]

My only contention is that these extreme game-to-game highs & lows shouldn't be happening in Year 3, much less against middling and lottery teams in the regular season and on an extra day of rest. You even admit it before, he, unlike Duncan, has a problem when it comes to maintaining full intensity, focus, and attention to details (in and between games), hence the casualness and lackadaisical effort with which he approaches some of the match-ups. I don't think that's doom and gloom but rather an emphasis on building good habits. In that sense, Copper Flagg has shown so far to be the more 'disciplined' prospect.

The issue is that most sports fans rate everything either 0/10 or 10/10.
Duncan is one of a kind, saying that Wemby doesn't have his consistency and focus doesn't mean he's subpar in that regard.

For comaprison, Edwards has 5 games with 15 points or less this season. Wemby also has 5. Cade has 6. Maxey has 4.
Those are considered to be the best and most consistent young scorers.

Wemby obviously has issues with being disengaged for stretches in a lot of games and I'm going to be completely honest, I have no clue how much of that is on him and how much is on Mitch.
Both have their share of blame, I don't think having a rookie coach is optimal for this stage of Wemby's development. But here we are.

For example there was a play after time out yesterday, we ran like two handoffs only for Wemby to receive the ball at the 3pt line.
Someone is to blamed for that, either Mitch drew up a bad play or Wemby didn't execute right.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Low block is difficult for him, since he’s a stick, but it’s an easy place to send help by the defense. It’s probably the worst place for him to be. Stop trying to make him Duncan. He’s not a low post player, and will never be one.

They’ve had decent success placing him at the Nail. He has a good view of the court, and can see help defense coming. If he puts down one dribble, ONE, he can take his two steps and dunk the ball. A jumper from there is also basically a FT, and he’s an excellent FT .shooter.

I’m not trying to make him Tim Duncan, but we don’t agree on this at all. I’d rather see him work his mid range game or develop a fadeaway jumpshot from better positions closer to the basket. I’m not asking him to try to back anybody down like Jokić does on a nightly basis. But standing on the perimeter is not how he’s going to develop his game. I don’t see it. he needs to do a much better job moving and getting better position without the ball. Until that happens, he’s not going to fulfill his potential.

 

[Exstatic]

The problem is, getting closer to the basket is a real chore, a physical drain that will ultimately affect his defense. If that’s the offensive plan, he’ll have nothing left for the playoffs after 60-70 games.

The FT line, AKA the nail, is the perfect place for him to set up, and it makes it difficult to double him, and impossible to triple him.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

The problem is, getting closer to the basket is a real chore, a physical drain that will ultimately affect his defense. If that’s the offensive plan, he’ll have nothing left for the playoffs after 60-70 games.

The FT line, AKA the nail, is the perfect place for him to set up, and it makes it difficult to double him, and impossible to triple him.

Do you agree that he needs to develop a very consistent mid range game as opposed to trying to be an excellent three-point shooter? Because I think if he develops the mid range, he is 100% unstoppable.

 

[LeBowen]

Do you agree that he needs to develop a very consistent mid range game as opposed to trying to be an excellent three-point shooter? Because I think if he develops the mid range, he is 100% unstoppable.

The issue with his mid-range game is that he's got no chance to develop that LMA-like catch and fade since on most attempts he gets pushed off balance and it's not a great shot.
That dribble into FT fade is way more of a weapon for him because he can get his feet/shoulders straight and have a controlled fade.
Unlike having to do it with a defender on his back without a dribble.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

The issue with his mid-range game is that he's got no chance to develop that LMA-like catch and fade since on most attempts he gets pushed off balance and it's not a great shot.
That dribble into FT fade is way more of a weapon for him because he can get his feet/shoulders straight and have a controlled fade.
Unlike having to do it with a defender on his back without a dribble.

He needs to get physically stronger without adding significant muscle. Just functionally stronger. But if he’s 10 to 15 feet from the basket and he can just rise up and that’s consistent. He’s unstoppable. Unguardable. you need somebody near 7 feet to even get a hand in his face.

 

[LeBowen]

He needs to get physically stronger without adding significant muscle. Just functionally stronger. But if he’s 10 to 15 feet from the basket and he can just rise up and that’s consistent. He’s unstoppable. Unguardable. you need somebody near 7 feet to even get a hand in his face.

He can and surely will get stronger, but he won't ever get strong enough not to get pushed around by big forwards, let alone true bigs.
He can get past the likes of Caruso and Brooks bullying him, but that's about it, imo.
And that's just fine.

For me the only real issue in his current game are those momentum killing isos.
I'd rather have him chuck 3s than take more than 2 dribbles from the perimeter.

 

[Fabbs]

even when Wemby forced a missed shot we can't get the rebound. Neither Moussa and Kelkbrenner are good shooters and yet we respect their outside shots too much, and Moussa was able to score underneath the basket quite a few times.

I am also pretty sure we got outrebounded by them, both on offence and defence, giving an inefficient team second chance and third chances multiple times, it seems. The Spurs are the best defensive rebounding team in the league, play like it.

Vasse;; and Fox completely suck at off ball rebounding, positioning and D. Particularly weak side. They rarely seek out and block off an incoming offensive opponent going for the O rebound, I want to do a thread on this but I'd like to round up some video example. And i suck at clipping vids.

 

[Limguoguolo]

Flagg already has 12 games with 12 or less points.
Wemby had 7 of those in his entire rookie season.

Wemby obviously has consistency issues, but holy shit some of you people go straight to the full doomer mode in no time.

We lack consistency, that's true.

Personally, I'm sticking with it. Victor often needs several minutes to find his rhythm. And this habit of taking bad shots doesn't exactly show great understanding of the game or maturity. Which is still relatively normal at his age.

I don't really like his... inconsistent attitude either. He's fully committed, aggressive, and focused when playing against big teams, but complacent when playing against teams that are considered weaker, like yesterday.

He's not just a PSG fan, he plays like the PSG of the Neymar-Mbappé-Messi era. If you look down on your opponents by not being aggressive, you get punished. That's sporting justice.

He's not yet at a level where he can come in with his hands in his pockets and easily find his spots or benefit from the leniency of opponents towards stars, opponents who will focus their aggression on the team's weak points. They know that Victor is fragile, that he is unreliable: when double-teamed, Victor has blinders on, he is stubborn, he wants to keep looking for a solution by playing far from the basket at a slow pace against a physical defense because Garnet said he was week.

In school in France, we learn the fable of the oak tree and the reed. The reed bends but does not break. Victor is not built like an oak tree; he is a reed, he is frail. If he tries to fight against external forces, he will break. He is flexible, he has to work around forces, not like brutes like Giannis or Garnet. Basketball isn't always about charging into the fray and being more brutal than your opponent, it's also about playing to your strengths. He can't add thirty pounds to his body; that would be unreasonable for his lower limbs. So he is forced to play to his strengths: speed, agility, and skill.

TOP 5 in the MVP vote, I don't care. As special as he is, he has abilities that require him to improve in these areas and make better choices.