Michael C. Wright
Multiple Authors
SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama reached the 65-game threshold for postseason awards eligibility on Friday with a 40-point outing that included 13 rebounds, 5 assists and two blocks in a 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“I’m sure he’ll be sore tomorrow, but he made it out good,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated.
(*65*) from a one-game absence after bruising a left rib Monday in opposition to Philadelphia, Wembanyama produced his fifth sport this season with at the very least 40 factors and 10 rebounds to tie Hall of Famer David Robinson (1993-94) for essentially the most such games in a season in Spurs historical past. Wembanyama performed 26 minutes to assist San Antonio enhance to 24-3 for the reason that All-Star break.
Wembanyama grimaced in ache at instances and positioned a hand on his injured rib. None of that affected Wembanyama’s efficiency. In the primary quarter alone, Wembanyama reeled off 16 factors on 6-of-8 taking pictures with 5 rebounds and a block.
“I tried to protect [the injured rib] as much as possible while still being respectful of the game,” Wembanyama stated. “But it was O.K. It didn’t bother me that much, just a few times where it was a specific moment or specific hit where it was painful.”
The favourite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Wembanyama expressed aid about reaching the 65-game threshold, calling it “a box that’s [been] checked” whereas additionally displaying empathy for gamers such as Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Luka Doncic who’re ineligible for postseason awards as a result of they have not performed in sufficient games (Doncic is predicted to enchantment) resulting from accidents.
The Frenchman then shortly turned the tables on the reporters within the room.
“Let me ask you a question,” Wembanyama stated. “What percentage of the season do you think should be the [threshold]?”
Reporters tossed out various solutions from 75% of the season to 80%, earlier than one media member urged that no threshold for games ought to exist as a result of the variety of games performed does not essentially measure a participant’s influence.
“I think that’s a good way to put it,” Wembanyama stated. “Because a guy that plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 50 times 35. That’s 1,750 [minutes], right? And if a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500 [minutes].”
The 22-year previous calculated the maths in his head simply as shortly as he spoke.
“It’s a good view in my opinion to not have a limit,” he stated. “It’s one opinion. Seventy-five percent of the games, in my opinion would be a logical thing. That would be 61.5 games, right? So, 62 games? There’s some interesting questions. I don’t think there’s going to be an exception made for this year. I think it would be somewhat unfair. But we’ll see how it turns out.”
