Victor Wembanyama notches first career triple-double as Spurs defeat Pistons

Victor Wembanyama, the human stat-sheet stuffer, solely wanted 32 video games to document his first triple-double of the season. The 7-foot-4 rookie made historical past on Wednesday evening throughout the San Antonio Spurs’ 130-108 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Halfway via the fourth quarter, Wembanyama handed out his tenth help. In 21 minutes, he completed with 16 factors, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and no turnovers. For the Spurs, who improved to 6-30 with the victory, he got here into the sport averaging 19.3 factors, 10.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a league-leading 3.3 blocks per recreation.

Previous to this, the primary selection within the 2023 NBA Draft recorded a career-high 38 factors in opposition to the Phoenix Suns on November 2 and a 21-point, 20-rebound efficiency in opposition to the Chicago Bulls on December 8.

Not even the best Wemby
Wemby’s finest efficiency as an expert wasn’t even near his first triple-double. Regardless of capturing simply 6 for 16 from the sphere and lacking a 3-pointer, he had a big impact on the sport in different areas. Considered one of his ten assists was a nutmeg cross that went between Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic’s legs. He was a busy bee on the glass, catching quite a lot of 50/50 balls.

His teammates’ baskets gave his efficiency extra momentum, even when it was already wonderful. — James Edwards III, beat author for the Pistons

Twin dominance
The Pistons appeared frightened to strategy Wembanyama in any offensive capability. Even in conditions the place he had little probability of reaching the ball, he took quite a lot of quick shoots within the paint. Different pictures have been just too lofty, regardless of the Detroit gamers’ finest efforts to maintain their makes an attempt from being swatted to Windsor.

Wemby performed the complete twenty-one minutes of the sport with out recording a block, however his presence across the rim was felt all the time. — Edwards
Are the Pistons on a brand new shedding run?
Though San Antonio and Detroit are each anticipated to be traditionally poor groups, the Pistons have an actual probability of ending with the poorest document in NBA historical past. Lower than two weeks after snapping an NBA document 28-game shedding streak, Detroit, who was lacking mainstays Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, is presently experiencing a five-game shedding streak. — Edwards