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NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama is not shying away from the spotlight in the NBA Finals, and the San Antonio Spurs would not want it any other way.
Less than 48 hours after missing a shot at the end of Game 2 that would have beaten the New York Knicks and evened the series, the 22-year-old big man from France who is becoming the face of the league said the pressure of the situation does not bother him as the Spurs enter Game 3 facing a 2-0 deficit.
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“There’s really no reason to overthink it,” Wembanyama said Sunday. “This is what I’m built for.”
Wembanyama has not been the problem for the Spurs. He led them with 26 points in the series opener and had a Game 2-high 29 points.
Teammate Keldon Johnson’s message after Wembanyama’s would-be game-winning jumper clanked off the rim and out is, “Shoot it again.”
“He’s our guy,” Johnson said. “From day one, he’s been our guy. He’s the engine offensively and defensively. You can’t make every game-winner, but you can’t make a shot you don’t take. And we’re living with that shot. Every day of the week, twice on Sundays, we’re living with Vic taking our game-winning shot because that’s our guy and that’s the belief that we have in Victor.”
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The belief team-wide is strong, players said before practicing at Madison Square Garden, where they know they’ll confront a hostile atmosphere on Monday night. Guard Stephon Castle called each of the first two games at home winnable, but falling short has ratcheted up the urgency.
“Our sense of urgency is probably the highest it’s been all playoffs,” said Castle, who insists his ankle feels better than expected after injuring it Friday night. “I think it’s just human nature to come out with a certain sense of urgency, especially after a loss.”
San Antonio lost back-to-back games to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, though that came after winning the opener. The Spurs have not lost three in a row all season.
“If they’re not desperate now, I don’t know,” Knicks guard Deuce McBride said. “They know their backs are against the wall, and…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/victor-wembanyama-says-hes-built-202938062.html
Author : STEPHEN WHYNO
Publish date : 2026-06-07 20:29:00
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