Victor Wembanyama has scored 20+ points in 8 of last 9 games while under minutes restriction

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama has scored 20 or more points in eight of his last nine games while playing under a minutes restriction. His restriction limits him to 19-27 minutes per game.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has limited Wembanyama’s minutes ever since he rolled his ankle warming up for the Dec. 23 game against the Dallas Mavericks. He cannot play both nights of a back-to-back.

In San Antonio’s 117-98 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, the 7-foot-4 forward/center recorded 27 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block in 26:36 of action.

“Everybody can hoop on that team. Everyone’s a threat on the court,” Wembanyama said. “But at the same time, they all know their roles. And they’re all willing to share the ball, from the most important franchise guys to the role players. Everybody is ready to compete and to make the sacrifices.”

Most blocks in the last 10 games:

29 — Victor Wembanyama (193 MINS)
27 — Anthony Davis (373 MINS)

Wemby has played half as many minutes. pic.twitter.com/FBDT96SI5q

— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) January 16, 2024

Wembanyama scored 10 points in the first quarter. However, the game was never close. Boston outscored San Antonio 40-20 in the second quarter and led 70-45 at halftime. It was San Antonio’s third straight loss. The Spurs (7-33) have the worst record in the Western Conference.

“We’re going to lose some more games. We’re not going to win 47 games,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “That’s not important to me, and I’ll make sure it’s not important to them.

“We all like to win rather than lose. But if they’re not competing at a certain level or executing a certain level. Uh, we’ll be on them just as much as if we were winning. If there’s someone who can’t handle it, they’ll be gone.”

The Spurs have a back-to-back coming up on their schedule. Wembanyama said he would sit out Friday night’s game versus the Charlotte Hornets and play on Saturday night against the Washington Wizards.

San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama averaging an NBA-best 3.1 BPG while under a minutes restriction

If Wembanyama plays, the 20-year-old will match up against former French teammate and Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly. Both played for the Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A in the 2022-23 season.

“I wish I could play both. But of course, I’m excited to play against Bilal,” Wembanyama said. “I was trying to be detached from this and just say, ‘I’ll trust the coaching staff, what they want me to do.’ But of course, I’m happy to play Bilal.

“It’s the only person that I’ve seen since I’m a kid, like a little kid. And at the time, it was just dreams and something crazy, but we happened to both make it here, and I’m just so proud of him. And it is going to feel weird for sure.”

Victor Wembanyama in his last 9 games:

27 PTS- 5 REB – 1 AST – BLK (27 min)
26 PTS- 13 REB – 2 AST – 5 BLK- (27 min)
26 PTS – 11 REB – 1 AST – 2 BLK- (19 min)
16 PTS – 12 REB – 10 AST – 0 TO- (21 min)
24 PTS- 10 REB- 3 AST – 5 BLK- (24 min)
27 PTS – 9 REB – 1 AST – 5 BLK- (26… pic.twitter.com/oKTSKfSQPb

— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) January 18, 2024

Through 35 starts this season, Victor Wembanyama is averaging 19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals, an NBA-leading 3.1 blocks, and 28.5 minutes per game.

He’s also shooting 46.1% from the floor and 80.6% at the foul line. The 7-footer has logged 18 double-doubles and one triple-double so far in his rookie season.

Wembanyama ranks 14th in the NBA in total rebounds (355) this season, 12th in defensive rebounds (280), second in blocks (109), seventh in defensive rating (108.5), second in defensive rebound percentage (30.7%), and second in block percentage (9.6%).

Furthermore, Wemby is already the first player in NBA history to post 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals, and four blocks in under 35 minutes. He did it in less than 25 minutes against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 26.