Player The unfortunately low-ceilinged Shaolin monastery of Victor Wembanyama

I don't think it's a coincidence that he went downhill after Harper got hurt. Vic is playing with one arm tied behind his back while Fox and Harper are out. Defenses can just focus on him and the offense has become too iso dependent on him creating. He's better at playing off of others and initiating the offense on occasion instead of being the primary initiator.

Castle has been great, but he's not the pick and roll threat to get to the rim like those other two. Once teams start getting a heavy dose of Fox and Harper in a layup line, they won't have any choice but to honor them. Then everybody has to move on defense and Vic can get into creases toward the rim or pop out for threes and easy mid-range jumpers.

Don't get me wrong, they could still be doing a lot more right now to free Wemby up in the low post against smaller players, but this isn't rocket science. The Spurs just don't have the horses right now to get the defense moving like they need to so they can fully unleash Vic.

In the meantime, it would be nice to win with defense and rebounding, but Kornet being out has killed that second unit's defensive efficiency. Olynyk does not look passable as any kind of rim protector in what was admittedly an extremely limited sample size. I think Carter Bryant might be a defensive energizer for that second group if they would give him some run. I could see him, Sochan, Castle, KJ and maybe Waters being a somewhat effective small ball, high pressure defensive unit.
 
spursparker9 said:
Actually I disagree that KG or David Robinson are number 2 guy...

Both have won league MVP and get their team to the WCF (KG in 2004 and D-Rob in 1995). You don't win league MVP by being a number 2 guy. It is just that while they were in their prime (and being the number 1 guy), they did not have enough supporting casts and they eventually won when they regress to being the number 2 or 3 guy.

So far, Wemby has definitely show flashes of being the number 1 guy. Just that he will need strong supporting teammates to take pressure off him. Understand that there are players who still can force their way through and put up 25+ pts despite being double, triple team (eg MJ, Kobe, AI etc), but those are guards who the ball in their hands all the time. Wemby being 7'5 is at serious disadvantage dribbling through triple team and force his way through. It would better for him to stand to make quick decision to pass out of double team or understand his gravity (like Curry) during off-ball situation to help his teammates.
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There's no doubt VW is the number one. Other teams game plan for him first, and are even showing many signs of making it a point of pride in slowing him and defeating the Spurs as a statement. They see the attention he gets and want that respect that comes from being able to slow him down.

Didn't Mario Elie once have an interview after the '99 title where he talked about how, coming from the Rockets, he'd always assumed DRob and TD were passive and not real dominant teammates (in the macho, in your face of the time style). He stated that his experience in the locker room and on the team was that they were anything but that, rather they went about things in a different way
 
The young guys in OKC are basically a bunch of spectrumy children who behave like Shai is their legal guardian. They probably ask his permission to have 2nds at team lunches.

Wemby is a guy who exists. And then separately there are these other guys that exist. I guess I’m a broken record with this but if he doesn’t feel comfortable grabbing Devin, for example, and telling him to cut the shit when he goes into hero ball mode, he’s not doing his job as the leader of this team.

Mitch’s lack of authority is a whole different story. But Vic is only going to win if he decides to make fewer friends.
 
Mitch Cumsteen said:
I don't think it's a coincidence that he went downhill after Harper got hurt. Vic is playing with one arm tied behind his back while Fox and Harper are out. Defenses can just focus on him and the offense has become too iso dependent on him creating. He's better at playing off of others and initiating the offense on occasion instead of being the primary initiator.

Castle has been great, but he's not the pick and roll threat to get to the rim like those other two. Once teams start getting a heavy dose of Fox and Harper in a layup line, they won't have any choice but to honor them. Then everybody has to move on defense and Vic can get into creases toward the rim or pop out for threes and easy mid-range jumpers.

Don't get me wrong, they could still be doing a lot more right now to free Wemby up in the low post against smaller players, but this isn't rocket science. The Spurs just don't have the horses right now to get the defense moving like they need to so they can fully unleash Vic.

In the meantime, it would be nice to win with defense and rebounding, but Kornet being out has killed that second unit's defensive efficiency. Olynyk does not look passable as any kind of rim protector in what was admittedly an extremely limited sample size. I think Carter Bryant might be a defensive energizer for that second group if they would give him some run. I could see him, Sochan, Castle, KJ and maybe Waters being a somewhat effective small ball, high pressure defensive unit.
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Spurs are 0-2 with either harper or fox out of the lineup. we just don't have enough threats to make teams pay for hedging off players to double and triple vic.
 
Shmurs said:
The young guys in OKC are basically a bunch of spectrumy children who behave like Shai is their legal guardian. They probably ask his permission to have 2nds at team lunches.

Wemby is a guy who exists. And then separately there are these other guys that exist. I guess I’m a broken record with this but if he doesn’t feel comfortable grabbing Devin, for example, and telling him to cut the shit when he goes into hero ball mode, he’s not doing his job as the leader of this team.

Mitch’s lack of authority is a whole different story. But Vic is only going to win if he decides to make fewer friends.
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I agree but he also needs to look at himself in the mirror and check his ego tbh.

It's year 3 and he should've a go-to move. It's on him and mindboggling

He still is unable or willing to ask the ball closer to the rim for a mysterious reason.

He needs to have solid foundations, focus on simple efficient stuff and not start with the extra/"never been done before" stuff that should come later on.

He needs to talk less (wtf is he doing in post game interviews, acting as if he was on 60min going into details and giving unnecessary info about himself to the world?? lmao smh). Stop the "I'm afraid for the league..." type of quotes that don't help him and make opp want to beat him even more.

Start shooting 3s again ffs!!!, it's the key for a longer career and getting space to play. He seems to have just quit on it even the wide open ones..
 
PanameSpur said:
I agree but he also needs to look at himself in the mirror and check his ego tbh.

It's year 3 and he should've a go-to move. It's on him and mindboggling

He still is unable or willing to ask the ball closer to the rim for a mysterious reason.

He needs to have solid foundations, focus on simple efficient stuff and not start with the extra/"never been done before" stuff that should come later on.

He needs to talk less (wtf is he doing in post game interviews, acting as if he was on 60min going into details and giving unnecessary info about himself to the world?? lmao smh). Stop the "I'm afraid for the league..." type of quotes that don't help him and make opp want to beat him even more.

Start shooting 3s again ffs!!!, it's the key for a longer career and getting space to play. He seems to have just quit on it even the wide open ones..
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You cracked me up with the 60 minute reference but I do agree with you that he does do a ton of interviews. He's no different than any other young star in that regard. I also think with Victor he has a great deal of innocence hence why he's very trusting in these interviews and willing to tell everything about himself. We were just spoiled with Duncan in the sense that he was a very private person unlike your typical superstar.
 
DaSlicer said:
You cracked me up with the 60 minute reference but I do agree with you that he does do a ton of interviews. He's no different than any other young star in that regard. I also think with Victor he has a great deal of innocence hence why he's very trusting in these interviews and willing to tell everything about himself. We were just spoiled with Duncan in the sense that he was a very private person unlike your typical superstar.
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I said it "with love", as smart as he is, he's still young and will look at the 21yo self with a laugh in a few years

I find him way too transparent, it has nothing to do in a competitive environment and hope he receives advices from vets or FO
 
It’s better if he’s confident. And arrogant. It’s not like he’s resting on his laurels. He works hard and cares about success. He just is missing some day-to-day mentorship, maybe. And I don’t think pop’s “well gee whiz he’s just the best” during his rookie year counts as that.
 
Imagine voting for a billion plus dollar facility for a tall guy who has zero confidence :st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao::st-lmao:
 
That Wemby in the final stretch is the Wemby we need. Not quite the statement comback game but a good step in the right direction.
Those sets with him at the FT line initiating the offense via supersized triple-threat should be the team's go-to against zones.
His passing out of double, triple-teams has been miles better in this one.
Hope he and the team keep it up.
Again, I'd gladly eat crow for all the vaginalized doom-and-gloomin' the past few days.
 
The Ballsbreakers said:
That Wemby in the final stretch is the Wemby we need. Not quite the statement comback game but a good step in the right direction.
Those sets with him at the FT line initiating the offense via supersized triple-threat should be the team's go-to against zones.
His passing out of double, triple-teams has been miles better in this one.
Hope he and the team keep it up.
Again, I'd gladly eat crow for all the vaginalized doom-and-gloomin' the past few days.
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Barnes, Champagnie, and Vassell are good enough shooters to make teams pay for doubling. Wemby just needs to make the pass consistently and the doubles will stop. Funny enough, KD showed the same struggles as Wemby the last 2 games
 
If they got him the ball at the elbow or top of the key area and he just rose up and shot the mid range, he'd probably average 25 easily. He needs to realize that he doesn't need to work so hard each time on offense to get a good look.
 
Mugen said:
If they got him the ball at the elbow or top of the key area and he just rose up and shot the mid range, he'd probably average 25 easily. He needs to realize that he doesn't need to work so hard each time on offense to get a good look.
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He needs to try to not get pushed out to the 3 point line on those elbow post-ups. He can get by Sengun types one-on-one from there, but I hate watching him try to put the ball on the floor against guards from the 3 pt line.

Would love to see him get open mid range looks with pick n pops from Fox/Harper. With the way those guys pressure the rim, that will be unstoppable.
 
Mugen said:
If they got him the ball at the elbow or top of the key area and he just rose up and shot the mid range, he'd probably average 25 easily. He needs to realize that he doesn't need to work so hard each time on offense to get a good look.
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Too many options, too much time to think (help bring defenders), no go-to move.
 
Tonight should be Wemby’s floor tbh. He was pretty rough in the first half but balanced it out with some solid play in the 2nd half to turn it into an overall “okay” performance.

I can live with games like tonight. The shit we saw against Phoenix/LA can’t happen though if he wants to be considered one of the best players in the league.

Very excited to see how he looks next to Fox.
 
The reverse jinx paid off tbh. I even turned off the game until the early 4th to make sure it held
 
SpursFan86 said:
Tonight should be Wemby’s floor tbh. He was pretty rough in the first half but balanced it out with some solid play in the 2nd half to turn it into an overall “okay” performance.

I can live with games like tonight. The shit we saw against Phoenix/LA can’t happen though if he wants to be considered one of the best players in the league.

Very excited to see how he looks next to Fox.
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20/8/3/2 is not close to be one the best in the league. He needs atleast double double.
 
The Ballsbreakers said:
That Wemby in the final stretch is the Wemby we need. Not quite the statement comback game but a good step in the right direction.
Those sets with him at the FT line initiating the offense via supersized triple-threat should be the team's go-to against zones.
His passing out of double, triple-teams has been miles better in this one.
Hope he and the team keep it up.
Again, I'd gladly eat crow for all the vaginalized doom-and-gloomin' the past few days.
Click to expand...
Much better game. I was hoping for a bit more rebounding and points (before the game I said I would be happy with 25/14 and the win, so points were fine, but would have liked to have seen better rebounding), but as always, I'll take the win. I at least agree with one thing Sean says - better to learn lessons in wins than losses.

One thing I just haven't gotten around to saying, I much prefer the double/triple teaming defenses are doing at the start of the season than game 1 or 2 of a playoff series. This is great that teams are doing it this early and I hope it continues throughout the season. I'd much rather the team go through this now and learn than have it happen in a playoff series (I was going to say this a few days ago, but was too mad with the losses). In a way, Victor forced teams to do it early.
 
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