On Friday night, with the game on the line, the reigning NBA MVP tried to score on the reigning Rookie of the Year. Youth won.
With the San Antonio Spurs leading the Denver Nuggets by one point in the final seconds, Victor Wembanyama’s stifling defense forced Nikola Jokic into a wild pass. The pass was stolen, and Devin Vassell dunked it for the final points, resulting in a 113-110 Spurs victory.
Both centers put up impressive stat lines in the game. Jokic scored 41 points on 15-36 shooting, along with 18 rebounds and nine assists. Wembanyama scored 35 on 14-21 shooting, nabbing 18 rebounds and blocking two shots. Jokic shot 3-10 on three-pointers, and Wemby was 4-6, sinking one triple behind the arc.
Jokic is 29 years old and has won three of the last four MVP trophies. This was Wembanyama’s final game before he turns 21 on Saturday. The win was the perfect gift from Wemby to himself.
While both centers put up big scoring numbers, the defense of Wembanyama, the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year last season, made the most significant difference in the game. Wemby only blocked two shots, but his mere presence around the basket deterred Denver from shooting inside. They took 40 three-pointers, way up from their 30.8 per-game average (the fewest in the NBA).
Jokic remains the favorite to win the MVP this season, but Friday showed we’re not far away from Wembanyama being a perennial contender for that award.
