Shaquille O’Neal did not blame Victor Wembanyama’s Game 1 loss on one missed shot, but he made San Antonio’s biggest adjustment obvious.
The Spurs lost 105-95 to the Knicks after Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, and six turnovers on 6-for-21 shooting.
That line was productive, but it did not control the game. For Shaq, the fix starts with getting Wembanyama closer to the rim before Game 2.
Victor Wembanyama needs deeper Spurs touches after Shaq warning
On ‘Inside the NBA’ after Game 1, O’Neal had a strong reaction toward the shot diet the Spurs’ game plan provided for Wembanyama, criticizing the lack of paint touches for the 7’4″ center.
“Coach has to get Victor (Wembanyama) the ball more inside. For Victor, you gotta play better. The way he played was not good enough. 6/21 is not going to get it done. 10 3s is not going to get it done. You have to make some mental adjustments and say, ‘We can not lose Game 2.’”
The numbers support that criticism. Wembanyama went 2-for-9 from three in Game 1, while the Spurs produced only 16 assists and shot 26 percent from deep.
San Antonio’s playoff identity has been built closer to the basket. NBA.com had the Spurs entering the Finals with the best restricted-area scoring differential in the playoffs, plus-8.8 points per game.
New York planned to crowd Wembanyama’s catches, pull him away from the rim, and trust Karl-Anthony Towns to hold up in key stretches. Towns’ shooting gravity and physical defense helped make Wembanyama work for everything.
‘Victor Wembanyama era’ faces a Game 2 test
Brian Windhorst appeared on ESPN after Game 1 and drew parallels between Wembanyama’s ascent into the NBA Finals at 22 years old, indicating the start of his era, regardless of the results of the Finals, similar to how it was for Shaq in 1995 and LeBron James in 2007.
“Shaquille O’Neal, third year, got the Magic to the finals… LeBron James, in his fourth year, 2007, gets to the finals… Victor Wembanyama, third year, age 22, I feel the same way. I believe we are entering the Victor Wembanyama era.”
That era cannot begin with back-to-back flat Finals games. The good news for San Antonio is that Wembanyama’s playoff log shows a clear pattern of responding after poor nights.
After scoring 11 in the Minnesota opener, he scored 19 next time out. After a four-point injury-shortened Game 4 in that series, he answered with 27.
He also followed a 4-for-15 Game 5 against Oklahoma City by scoring 28 in Game 6. Game 2 is now the same test with higher stakes, and the Spurs have to make his first touches easier.
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