Victor Wembanyama
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The San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama called the Detroit Pistons tough.
On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs faced off in Michigan.
Despite the Pistons being the top team in the Eastern Conference, Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to an impressive 114-103 victory on the road.
The All-Star center exploded for 21 points and 17 rebounds (he also had six blocks) in 36 minutes of playing time.
Victor Wembanyama Makes Feelings Clear On Detroit Pistons
GettyVictor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
After the game, Wembanyama spoke about the Pistons.
Wembanyama (via The NBA): “This is probably the team that’s most capable of playing that way. They crash the boards, they force bad shots. They try to play bully ball… I think this is the reason they are the 1st seed.”
Despite the loss, the Pistons are one of the best stories in the NBA through the first half of the 2025-26 season.
They are the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 42-14 record in 56 games.
Over their last ten games, the Pistons have gone 8-2 (and they are 21-7 at home).
Following the Spurs, they will play their next game on Tuesday night when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On the other side, the Spurs are the second seed in the Western Conference with 41-16 record through their first 57 games.
They have won nine games in a row (and gone 19-10 in 29 games away from their home floor).
After their dominant win over the Pistons, the Spurs will resume action on Tuesday night when they make the trip to Canada for a showdown with the Toronto Raptors.
Pistons Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff (after the game): “We gave up strong side corner threes, which we typically don’t… Give credit to them, they played a good ball game.”
The Pistons are coming off a season where they made the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019.
They last won a title during the 2004 season (and a playoff series in 2008).
Victor Wembanyama’s Strong Season
Wembanyama is now averaging 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 blocks per contest while shooting 50.8% from the field and 35.8% from three-point range in 43 games.
He was the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of France.
Underdog wrote: “Defensive Win Shares Victor Wembanyama – 0.160 (5th) Stephon Castle – 0.133 (18th) Defensive Rating Victor Wembanyama – 104.4 (5th) Stephon Castle – 108.3 (17th) Defended FG% Victor Wembanyama – 41.2% (3rd) Stephon Castle – 43.6% (35th)”
Wembanyama is trying to lead the Spurs to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019 (when they still had LaMarcus Aldridge on the roster).
So far, he looks like the perfect franchise cornerstone to get the Spurs back to NBA greatness.
Evan Sidery Wrote: “The Spurs are outscoring their opponents by 11.8 points per 100 possessions when Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle share the court: 117.3 Offensive Rating (6th) 105.5 Defensive Rating (1st) +11.8 Net Rating (1st)”
Evan Sidery
The Spurs are outscoring their opponents by 11.8 points per 100 possessions when Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle share the court:
117.3 Offensive Rating (6th) 105.5 Defensive Rating (1st) +11.8 Net Rating (1st)
On March 5, the two teams will conclude their season series when the Spurs host the Pistons in San Antonio, Texas.