"Some people are built for this moment and some aren't. We definitely are, and it shows."
Victor Wembanyama said that in December after the Spurs beat the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. Five months later, the stakes are considerably higher. Wembanyama and the Spurs are down 3-2 to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, with a win-or-go-home Game 6 in San Antonio looming on Thursday night.
Game 5 Struggles
In a pivotal Game 5 loss at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Wembanyama was particularly poor by his standards. He went just 4 of 15 from the floor — his worst shooting performance of the playoffs — missed all five of his 3-point attempts and finished with 20 points, six rebounds and one lonely assist.
He made all 12 of his free throws, along with three blocks and two steals, but ultimately did little to alter the final score.
Teammate's Honest Assessment
Wembanyama declined to speak to the media after the game and walked past reporters before hopping on the team bus. In his absence, Stephon Castle was asked about Wemby's lackluster evening.
"He's our best player, so yeah, we need him to be aggressive," Castle conceded. "We need him to be aggressive."
Castle pointed out that the Thunder sent so many bodies toward Wembanyama, but there's a reality that comes with being an MVP finalist, a first-team All-NBA selection and the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history.
Inconsistent Play
Wembanyama had just eight points in the paint in Game 5 and too often settled for jump shots. It was reminiscent of Game 3 when he didn't have his first points in the paint until late in the third quarter. San Antonio lost that game, too.
Contrast that with Game 4: He got into the paint early and often while his teammates threw him lobs almost from the opening jump. He posted a game-high 33 points in 31 minutes on 11-for-22 shooting, and the Spurs won easily.
It's not that Wembanyama can't or shouldn't shoot 3s, but his offense is more consistent and has a greater impact when he starts by being aggressive inside. The man is 7-foot-4 and can do things around the rim that no one else in this series can match.
A Moment He'd Like Back
Late in Game 5, before it was fully out of reach, Wembanyama had the ball around the elbow. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein harassed him, so Wembanyama dribbled back beyond the 3-point line before opting to drive and throw up a messy floater that missed badly off the backboard.
It was ugly offense with no flow or rhythm — one of several moments from the game that Wembanyama would probably like to have back.