Victor Wembanyama is ready to take over, but will the league be a willing participant?

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NEW YORK — It was the perfect backdrop for the New York Knicks, the league’s kings-in-waiting, and the NBA itself.

And Christmas Day, of course.

While the NFL continues to stake claim over territory usually respected and reserved for the NBA, it has the added advantage of every regular-season game meaning something. The advantage the NBA has is a regular-season game feeling like everything in the moment, even if it means less in the 82-game grand scheme.

But for two hours, it can feel like the NBA Finals if the investment is there, especially with the backdrop of Madison Square Garden and desperate Knicks fans.

Victor Wembanyama was majestic, and the Spurs are getting closer to being a team befitting his talent, worthy of consistent attention on the national stage. They looked fun, harnessing athleticism and getting out on the break many times to catch the Knicks off-guard.

“Fun” has never been high on the list of adjectives during their successful eras, but hopefully that changes.

“I thought their approach was great,” said Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, in the position with Gregg Popovich recovering from a November stroke. “I didn’t feel like it was gonna be too big of a moment. I thought the energy and excitement was in a positive way. I thought they felt they were right where they were supposed to be. And I thought they played like that.”

Victor Wembanyama dunks against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 25, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Wembanyama wasn’t awed by the Garden; in fact, he seemed to rise to the occasion — the only thing missing was a last-second opportunity and the ball being in his hands with a chance to extend the afternoon five more minutes.

Even though he and his teammates couldn’t corral a rebound on the last possession, succumbing to the Knicks’ determination and grit in a 117-114 loss, Wembanyama and the Spurs acquitted themselves on Christmas Day.

Had Wembanyama’s 3-pointer not been called off midway through the fourth because of a foul away from the ball, the future would’ve been the present — the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/victor-wembanyama-is-ready-to-take-over-but-will-the-league-be-a-willing-participant-214151122.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-12-25 21:41:00

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