Wembanyama Shoots Worst of Career as Spurs Open Season with 104-116 Loss to Thunder

The Spurs lost 104-116 to the Thunder in their season opener. Victor Wembanyama, the team's centerpiece, struggled with his shooting at a level among the worst of his NBA career, and he took responsibility for it himself.

Wembanyama finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 blocks in 34 minutes. However, he made just 1 of 13 field-goal attempts, a career low, for a 7.7% shooting percentage. He also missed all four of his 3-point attempts.

After the game, Wembanyama admitted he had not been able to play with his usual freedom. 'I need to get back to the basketball I love,' he said, adding, 'Tonight's performance wasn't the basketball I love.' He also expressed the view that he plays his best when he is enjoying the game.

He said his early missed shots affected his decision-making as the game went on. He explained that after missing shots he normally makes, he stopped taking shots altogether. He also said he may have been overthinking.

Wembanyama said what he needs is to shake it off and think less rather than forcing himself to make up for it. Getting his own feel back will be the challenge.

The NBA is a men's professional league in North America with 30 teams. It plays an 82-game regular season and decides its champion in the playoffs. How a team starts its season opener tends to offer clues about the rest of the year.

Field-goal percentage shows the proportion of shots made out of those attempted. Even in the first few games, when attempts are few, extreme numbers can serve as a guide to a player's form.

An assist is recorded for a pass that directly leads to a basket. Wembanyama's 3 assists show that he was involved with the team in ways beyond scoring.

Going forward, the focus will be on whether Wembanyama can regain his usual style of play. For the team, the recovery of its key player will be an important factor in determining results from the next game onward.

Basketball Press view

The fact that the team's centerpiece kept missing shots in the season opener shows that an individual slump led directly to the team's loss. The NBA season is a long 82-game campaign, so evaluations cannot be settled by early-season numbers alone. However, his frank admission of problems with his feel and decision-making is worth noting as a starting point for a comeback. A player's mindset early in the season is a useful reference when reading a team's record.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. AI is used to assist in writing and translating our articles. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.