The San Antonio Spurs-New Orleans Pelicans contest was much more competitive than many would have expected it to be. The battle at the Frost Bank Center witnessed 12 lead changes & ties, ending with the Pelicans grabbing a 114-113 win. Had it not been for a clutch, game-winning basket by Zion Williamson, Willie Green’s boys would’ve lost their 22nd game of the season. However, during the postgame conference, Williamson shed light on Brandon Ingram’s crucial defensive play merely moments before.
Advertisement
With around 10 seconds remaining on the game clock and the New Orleans Pelicans trailing by one point, CJ McCollum had an exceptional effort on the defensive end, preventing Tre Jones from hitting the layup. However, Victor Wembanyama was wide open under the basket. Every fan was certain that Wemby would be able to flush down the putback. But, Brandon Ingram jumped and swatted away the 7ft 4” center’s attempt.
Grabbing the ball off the glass, Jose Alverado quickly passed the rock to Zion Williamson. Despite being surrounded by three players, Williamson knocked down a layup with only 3.8 seconds remaining on the clock.
Following the win, the 6ft 6” forward shed light on the importance of Ingram’s defensive play. Zion even revealed how he let BI know about the same via a text.
“I sent him a text message right after the game cause he was already doing his lift, BI if you dont get that block, I dont think we’re winning this game,” Williamson said.
The southpaw also appreciated his coach and teammates for trusting him with the ball during the clutch situation.
“My coach trusts me in transition, my teammates trust me. That’s why Jose kicked it ahead and I had to go finish,” Williamson expressed gratitude.
Brandon Ingram deserves a lot more credit for the defensive play. Had it not been for Ingram’s block, the Pels would’ve had to find a way to drill a three-pointer only to send the game to overtime. And with the Louisiana side only shooting 29.6% from beyond the arc, it would’ve been difficult for them to find the game-tying bucket.
Zion Williamson lauds Victor Wembanyama after the entertaining duel
The Zion Williamson-Victor Wembanyama matchup lived up to its hype. While Wemby recorded a solid 16-point, 14-rebound double-double with 7 assists and 3 blocks, Williamson put up a stellar 33-point, 8-rebound outing.
Following their entertaining duel, Williamson dished out some praise to the #1 pick of the 2023 draft. The former Duke Blue Devil stated how the French phenom was a “special” talent with the capabilities of winning multiple Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player trophies.
“Victor’s a very special player. We were just talking about in the locker room, he’s a dude that can get two or three Defensive Player of the Years. I don’t want to put no label on it, but he can get Defensive Player of the Years and MVPs. We haven’t seen nothing like that. We’ve seen things close, but not like that,” Zion said.
Even after his first meeting with Wemby, Zanos dished out advice. Following the 17th December clash, the Pelicans forward had a genuine message for the youngster – “keep focusing on your craft”.
“My advice to him is just keep focusing on your craft. I mean, you didn’t get that hype for no reason. So just keep focusing on your craft, keep your head on straight, and you’ll be fine,” Williamson stated.
Following Zion’s advice, Wembanyama has shifted gears and improved drastically. In January, the rookie lodged a staggering 24 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game. Leading all rookies in points, rebounds, and blocks, Victor Wembanyama has established himself as a frontrunner to win the Rookie of the Year award.
