San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Comfort Growing: 3 Takeaways From Miami Heat Loss
Entering their first game on home court after the arguably distracting in-season tournament environment, the San Antonio Spurs prepared to face a contending Miami Heat squad looking for a win.
If they pulled it off, it wouldn't have nullified the woes they've experienced to begin the season, but it would certainly have sparked some hope for a team that's looked lost against older, more put-together teams across the league.
Long story short, San Antonio didn't get the hope it'd idealized. Instead, it was left with a fourth home loss and a bad taste in its mouth.
What was it doing wrong?
That question will take some time — and plenty of trial-and-error — to answer, but as Keldon Johnson put, the Spurs are learning more and more from every loss — Miami included.
So, that being said, here are three takeaways from the Spurs' loss to the Heat:
Nov 12, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich argues a call with official Dannica Mosher (89) during the second half against the Miami Heat at Frost Bank Center.
© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
1) Building A Lead is Only Half of the Equation
With 8:20 remaining in the second quarter, the Spurs weren't counting on a win, but they could feel it.
To that point, almost everything had gone right for them. San Antonio was up by 19 points on a Jimmy Butler-led Heat squad, Wembanyama was showcasing his talent early and the Spurs' starting five looked like a true unit.
That was, until, the Heat came back.
Just four minutes later, San Antonio's 19-point cushion was cut to just five points behind Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo and suddenly, the entire game had changed in feel. Frost Bank Center was getting quieter, likely scared of the same end result that had come of three of the other Spurs' home games: a loss.
Unfortunately for them, that was the case. Miami pulled out a win late in the fourth quarter and further reinforced the fact that not only was San Antonio young, but it was almost too young. Giving up a 19-point lead wasn't even the largest lead the Spurs had blown to that point, which poses an interesting question.
How has it happened twice?
Simply put, San Antonio's youth got the best of it. Gregg Popovich is far from that demographic, but he isn't the one on the court. Those five players that make up the Spurs' lineups are, and they have just half of the equation figured out.
On a good day, they can score. They can shoot. They can take control of game even, from multiple facets, but the next part includes holding onto that lead. That, the Spurs haven't figured out yet.
Playing a slow, comfortable pace is a big part of that. Slowing down the game and taking smart shots — not deep 3-pointers — is a good way to limit turnovers and keep a steady flow of offense up to nullify any impending runs from other teams.
The Spurs didn't do that. They lost, despite being in the game for a majority of it. So, it's high time they learn to build a lead and hold on it. That will come with time.
2) Wembanyama is Getting Comfortable
Something that was also expected to come with time was the level of play Victor Wembanyama was able to show on the court.
On paper, he has every asset you could imagine: Height. A jumpshot. Handles. Spatial Awareness. Attitude.
But as strong as he is off the court, he'd have to translate his physical attributes to points. And though it was likely to take a while, the rookie has shown through 10 games that he's more than adjusted to the NBA.
Wembanyama has yet to have a game under 11 points, and he's recorded at least one block in each of his 10 contests as well. He understands his length — and his limits — in order to effectively shut down opposing weapons on defense and score on offense.
His game against Miami was no exception. In 34 minutes, which was also on the high side for his appearances this season, he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The latter stat isn't what we're used to seeing from him, either, but it's another testament to his constant growth as a player.
To put it short-and-sweet, Wembanyama is finding himself on the court. His shooting needs to be at a more consistent level before he can be a lights-out scorer, but his presence being positive is something the Spurs can count on game in and game out.
And right now, that's exactly where he needs to be.
3) Malaki Branham's Gap-Filling Role
While Wembanyama has been a consistent contributor for the Spurs this season, so, too, has Malaki Branham — just in a different way.
Branham wasn't slated into San Antonio's starting lineup to begin the year. He was arguably the seventh man on a squad centered around Victor Wembanyama, but his role on the team was fluid as a shooting guard.
When Devin Vassell went down with an abductor strain for a few games, Branham's number was called to fill that role. Not only did he start, but he got in on the scoring and learning action, finding the bottom of the bucket as often as he found himself face-to-face with Popovich after a possession.
The former Ohio State Buckeye fits the rest of San Antonio's young roster. He's coachable, but also talented on the offensive end and hardworking on defense.
Branham didn't get the start against Miami, but he did find himself in another "gap-filling" role as Tre Jones was downgraded to out just an hour and a half prior to tipoff.
Suddenly, Branham was the sixth man — and the reliable point guard — in Jones' absence, and he embraced that. In 20 minutes, he tallied 13 points and seven assists to give San Antonio the point-guard presence it feared losing without Jones and also furthered his own game.
Moving forward, the Spurs will likely stick with making Jeremy Sochan a point guard with Tre Jones there to back him up and mentor him, but Branham will be there as well, waiting for his number to be called once again. And he'll be smiling, too.
