Spurs Think about Bench Position for Wembanyama in Cup Last

LAS VEGAS — Victor Wembanyama performed restricted minutes off the bench in San Antonio‘s win over Oklahoma Metropolis within the semifinals of the Emirates NBA Cup on Saturday, and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated the crew would possibly make use of the same strategy in Tuesday’s championship sport towards the New York Knicks.

“It should be a mixture of completely different opinions,” Wembanyama stated Monday. “However I am prepared. Even I’ll have my very own opinion [about what to do]. It is going to even be based mostly on my ideas and the ideas of the workers. I simply stated a bunch of nothing. However mainly, we will focus on it.”

Wembanyama got here off the bench Saturday for the primary time in his profession after lacking 12 video games due to a left calf pressure. He performed 21 minutes towards the Thunder, racking up 15 of his 22 factors within the fourth quarter, when the remainder of his teammates mixed for 18 factors.

Wembanyama did not test into the sport till the beginning of the second quarter, when Oklahoma Metropolis led by 11 factors. Wembanyama had three rebounds, a tip-in layup and an help on Dylan Harper‘s 3-pointer in his first three possessions. The Spurs’ middle went 2-of-3 from the ground within the second quarter for 5 factors as San Antonio reduce the Thunder’s result in three factors at halftime.

“I do know Vic needed to get on the market and play extra, however we’re centered on his long-term [health],” Spurs guard Devin Vassell stated. “I belief in Mitch 100%. That they had the proper plan. I do know they talked about it time and again, and we executed it. As quickly as Vic got here in, he had the influence that we wanted.”

An identical technique might unfold Tuesday towards the Knicks.

“It will be one thing that Victor and I’ll proceed to speak by means of,” Johnson stated. “It is onerous. He needs to play. He needs to begin. He needs to complete. Wherever you place some minutes, which means you’ve got much less over there. We nonetheless have to consider what’s finest for the crew, sadly. That call cannot be made in a vacuum, despite the fact that it is a very impactful and influential determination. We nonetheless have to verify it matches with the opposite rollout of who’s taking part in with who and the way that impacts others.”

Wembanyama remains to be eligible for main particular person awards regardless of the time he has already missed. Though the NBA Cup championship sport will not depend within the standings, it counts towards the NBA’s 65-game rule for awards.

The Spurs tried to maximise Wembanyama’s minutes restriction within the NBA Cup semifinal sport. After taking part in a bit greater than seven minutes within the first half, Wembanyama performed 13:20 after halftime.

“We’re not at a stage the place we will probably be unintentional together with his minutes, whether or not that is quantity over time [or] lengthy stints,” Johnson stated. “However we wish to ensure we have realized or proceed to be taught from what has occurred. That does not imply we have now the solutions. However we do not simply say, ‘Oh, now we’re again,’ or no matter. We’re nonetheless studying and wish to be very aware of that.”