Humiliated in Indiana during the first match between the two teams (-41, 152 points conceded), Victor Wembanyama's Spurs are jumping at the throats of their opponents this Sunday evening. The Pacers miss everything they want (31% on shots, 8% on 3-points), and Devin Vassell (17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) allows the Spurs to take the lead. It takes the return of TJ McConnell, author of half of his team's points in the first quarter, for Indiana to limit the damage (26-16).
The revivals of Pascal Siakiam (21 points, 8 rebounds) and Bennedict Mathurin (13 points), however, allowed the Pacers to get back into the match. An 11-2 at the end of the second quarter brought them back to -1 (49-48), but a 3-pointer from Victor Wembanyama, omnipresent on both sides of the field in the first half, kept the Spurs ahead in the score (52 -48).
“Wemby” pulls out all the stops!
So far discreet, the pair Tyrese Haliburton (12 points, 8 assists) – Myles Turner shows up after the break and a 9-2 gives the Pacers the advantage for the first time in the meeting (57-54 ). Victor Wembanyama then takes matters into his own hands. Well supported by Malaki Branham (18 points, 6 assists), he connects several assists, two 3-point “step backs”, and three blocks to launch an 18-4 which knocks Indiana out (78-67)!
Keldon Johnson (17 points) pushes the gap to +13 at the start of the last quarter (97-84), but the Pacers do not give up. TJ McConnell (26 points, 5 assists) and the long-range skill of Myles Turner (16 points, 4/9 3-pointers, 10 rebounds) allow Indiana to pass an 18-6 at the Spurs to return to -1 ( 103-102)!
With less than five minutes to play, Victor Wembanyama bangs his fist on the table. He scores 6 points in a row, controls the rebound, covers Mathurin, and sends Jeremy Sochan (12 points, 8 rebounds) to dunk to end the game with a 14-5 which seals San Antonio's great victory! This is only the fourth time this season that they have won two games in a row
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Victor Wembanyama makes history again. It's becoming routine! Last night, Wemby became the first rookie in NBA history to string together two games with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks. He also became the first rookie since David Robinson to compile this kind of stats while scoring more than 30 points. More than his statistics line, it is the manner which is even more impressive for the Frenchman. This night, he seemed impenetrable in defense and was able to leave his mark on the match at several key moments. When Indiana came back in the second quarter, he was the one who responded, scoring 11 points. When Indiana went ahead in the third quarter, it was he who revived his team by compiling 8 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks. When Indiana returned to -1 five minutes from the end of the match, it was again he who scored 6 points in a row to boost the Spurs to victory.
– Tyrese Haliburton in the tough. The Pacers have lost three of their last four games, and in each of his meetings, their All-Star point guard was on the street. Silent Friday in New Orleans, Halliburton finished tonight's game with 12 points on 4/16 shots and 0/6 on three points. He is 1/18 from a distance in his three defeats. Certainly, against the Spurs, he also added 8 assists and 6 rebounds but the Pacers cannot afford to see their leader so ineffective in shooting if they hope to secure a place in the top 6 in the East
– San Antonio’s defense confirms its progress. On November 6, the Pacers scored 152 points against the Spurs in Indianapolis. That night at home, San Antonio took their revenge and, in the wake of Wembanyama, their success was achieved on defense. They limited one of the best attacks in the league to 105 points and 20% from 3-point range (compared to 37% this season). With the exception of TJ McConnell and Pascal Siakam, all the other Pacers were held below the 45% success mark.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
