Lakers' double-teams stifle Victor Wembanyama in Spurs defeat

Spurs rookie center Victor Wembanyama acknowledged that he’s still adjusting to the pace of the NBA after struggling for a second straight game, as the Los Angeles Lakers handed San Antonio a 118-116 loss on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Wembanyama, who scored 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting with five turnovers before fouling out late, admitted that the Lakers’ defensive schemes — heavy on double-teams and rotations — forced him out of rhythm. “Personally, I haven’t seen this kind of defense from teams,” he said. “We need to adapt as a collective. In the Phoenix game, it was the same case. We got stalled out sometimes. We’re learning.”

Just as the Suns had done in the Spurs’ previous loss, the Lakers trapped Wembanyama aggressively and kept him from getting deep post touches. The strategy proved effective, limiting San Antonio’s offensive flow and forcing the team into late-clock possessions. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama will “be fine” but emphasized the need for more assertiveness. “We need to get him the ball in better spots,” Johnson said. “He needs to be more demonstrative and demand the ball. When he doesn’t, he should yell at everybody in the gym — his teammates and myself included — and he’ll be fine.” Despite his struggles, Wembanyama still led the team in scoring, while all five starters hit double figures. San Antonio led by as many as 12 points late in the third quarter but was outscored 30-20 in the fourth, shooting just 1-for-12 as a starting unit.

Foul trouble and turnovers plagued the Spurs down the stretch, allowing the Lakers to complete their comeback. Wembanyama scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half, including eight from the free throw line, but couldn’t prevent the late collapse. After the game, both Wembanyama and teammate Stephon Castle remained optimistic, crediting the Lakers’ defense while focusing on improvement. “We had a rough second half,” Castle said. “Vic can get right back on track. He works hard and has the right mindset.” Wembanyama echoed that sentiment, saying he plans to review film and adjust to the defensive pressure. “There’s no worry, really,” he said. “It feels like teams are very prepared against us, but facing these kinds of defenses is only going to make us better — really quick.”