The San Antonio Spurs beat the Boston Celtics, and Victor Wembanyama tied his career-high for most 3-pointers made in a game.
The San Antonio Spurs are coming off yet another dominant win over a great team, having beaten the Boston Celtics 125-116. Jaylen Brown's ejection and Bam Adebayo's historic night in Miami may have stolen the show, but Victor Wembanyama quietly had one of the best games of his career.
After missing most of the first quarter with a nose injury, Wembanyama returned, finishing with 39 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. He also tied his career-best mark with eight shots made from 3-point range.
His outing cemented his argument that he should not play a traditional role down low.
Victor Wembanyama Beats Common Complaint
Standing at 7-4, Wembanyama's height, rebounding poise, and defense suggest that he should spend much of the game dominating the paint.
However, his guard-like skills and sweet shot from distance mean he can play on the perimeter.
After Tuesday's game, there's a strong case to be made that he should play on the perimeter.
Some fans, specifically of a certain generation, would prefer for Wembanyama to play a more traditional center role. It's hard to argue against it, especially when fans, the media, and his opponents might not fully understand what it is they're watching.
Wemby doesn't want to be a center, or a power forward, or a wing, or a guard. He wants to be a center and a power forward and a wing and a guard.
"It's always been my strong suit," he said of his adaptability. "A game like this is great for reps, is great for confidence. As I said before, it's something I'm definitely trying to keep doing, adapting to what the defense gives me. The goal is to be kind of unguardable and having answers for any situation."
Boston boasts a physical force down low in Neemias Queta, so Wembanyama's solution was simply to not engage with him, playing inside-out. On defense, it didn't seem to matter, as he gobbled up rebounds, swatted shots, and deterred would-be drivers with his usual degree of success.
As for the outdated fans who want Wembanyama to play a more two-dimensional game, take if from the man himself: tough!