Widely regarded as the favorite to win both the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2026/27. Spurs a great man Victor Wembanyama got off to a slow start Tuesday, shooting a career-worst 7.7% (1-of-13) from the floor in a home loss to Oklahoma City, notes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“I need to get back to playing the basketball I love.” Wembanyama said after the game. “It’s not the sport I like here. I have no reason to hesitate, no reason not to be myself. I’m good when I’m having fun. I missed a lot of shots that I wouldn’t normally miss. But after that, I didn’t go back to those shots and I wasn’t decisive. Maybe I was thinking too much. I don’t need to do more. I probably need to think less.”
As Wright details, after avoiding the Wembanyama match during the playoff series in the spring, Thunder a great man Chet Holmgren had a more “assertive, physical” performance against the Spurs star on Tuesday while a rookie Marr’s candidate also had some good moments, including blocking Wembanyama’s dunk attempt on an alley-oop pass.
However, Wembanyama found other ways to impact the game with 13 rebounds and six blocked shots, while his teammates and head coach played down his shooting issues after the loss.
“I think everyone fought the same way,” Mitch Johnson said. “I know his field goal (percentage) will stand out, but we were all in on it.”
Here’s more from the southwest:
- In the side of the village Grizzlies‘ first preseason game with a sprained left ankle, big man Isaiah Stewart is the only player listed on the team’s injury report for Wednesday’s regular-season opener against Utah, as DeMichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Stewart’s game is considered questionable. “He’s fine” head coach Tuomas Iisala said. “He’s progressing on schedule. He’s exactly where we expected him to be. He’s in a very good mood. Very positive.”
- Rockets acting out Fred VanVleet and the center Stephen Adamswho last season both long absences due to injury, will not play both sides to open the season, head coach Made by Udok said on Tuesday (Link to Twitter via Will Guillory of The Athletic ). An offseason addition, according to Udoka Marcus Smart will start when VanVleet is inactive.
- In addition to Derek Lively II and Tarik Biberavich, Mavericks forward Saint Aldama (right knee surgery, recovery) and Caleb Martin (sprained right thumb) have been ruled out for Wednesday’s opener against Houston. tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Head coach Dusty May said earlier this week that Aldama is “closer” to a comeback.
- Rashad Milligan of NOLA.com (subscription required) poses five questions which Pelicans must respond in their first season under a new head coach Jamal Mosleyincluding how much better the defense could be and whether the roster is big enough. Meanwhile, in a NOLA.com featurereviewed by Rod Walker Zion Williamsonan ongoing effort to become the superstar that many NBA observers expected him to be when he was drafted first overall in 2019.
