Spurs seeking answers to Thunder's dominance when Wembanyama rests as series heads to Game 4
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — It's tempting, but the San Antonio Spurs will not play Victor Wembanyama every minute of regulation against Oklahoma City even as they trail the Thunder 2-1 in the Western Conference finals. Instead, San Antonio has to find a way to play better when Wembanyama rests because Oklahoma City is dominating when the 7-foot-4 star from France is on the bench. The Thunder are two wins away from returning to the NBA Finals with Game 4 on Sunday in San Antonio.
Oklahoma City has won two straight by an average of 12 points since Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three rebounds in 49 minutes during San Antonio's 122-115 double-overtime victory in Game 1 on Monday. As the Spurs seek solutions, playing Wembanyama more minutes is intriguing but not viable. “The idea is there,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said, smiling, “but, yeah, I think as we’ve seen it, him fresh or somewhat fresh is still the best.
... We don’t want to sacrifice our style of play and the identity that we’ve been building since October. ” The Spurs were a plus-4 in Wembanyama's 39 minutes in Game 3's 123-108 loss to the Thunder on Friday.
That number may seem inconsequential, but San Antonio was minus-15 as a team and its main reserves were in the negative by double digits. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a team-high 26 points, but the rest of the starters combined for 21 points. Their scoring wasn't needed Friday.
Oklahoma City's bench outscored San Antonio's 76-23 and were a combined 14 for 29 on 3-pointers. The 76 bench points are the most in the conference finals since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984. “We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries throughout the year, but it’s built us,” Thunder center Jaylin Williams said.