Victor Wembanyama drops explosive definition of ‘desperate’ play and it haunts Thunder

The San Antonio Spurs dominated Game 6 to force a Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals, bouncing back from a tough road loss in Game 5.

The Spurs secured a convincing 118-91 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Victor Wembanyama set the tone from the jump. He knocked down three quick three-pointers early in the first quarter to push San Antonio to a 9-2 lead, forcing an early OKC timeout. 

He finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes before sitting out the rest of the game. The bounce-back followed a frustrating Game 5 where Wembanyama was held to just his series low 20 points. Isaiah Hartenstein and the Thunder defense made his life miserable on the floor. Teammate Stephon Castle even called out the luxury in physicality the Thunder squad was allowed to use against them

And as expected, it invites questions about consistency and Wemby answered those questions before anyone could even finish asking them. Then, after the victory, Jared Weiss of The Athletic asked Wembanyama what playing desperately looks like to him. 

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman didn't hesitate and said, "It erases all the little mistakes that we do that are human nature. Whether it's in the regular season or previous games, you just gotta fight that all the time. And when your back's against the wall, it feels like the best opportunity to do that." 

Victor Wembanyama on what playing desperate looks like to him: “It erases all the little mistakes that we do that are human nature. Whether it’s in the regular season or previous games, you just gotta fight that all the time. And when your back’s against the wall, it feels like… pic.twitter.com/EmdtfJJXzN

He was looking no way the same guy who skipped the post-game media session after a heartbreaking loss earlier in the series. That mindset explains exactly what the Thunder now have to prepare for in a Game 7 on their home floor. 

Wembanyama essentially told the basketball world that elimination games are where he operates best. OKC already tasted it after the 22-year-old turned a must-win game into a 27-point blowout.

Game 7 tips off Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Paycom Center. DraftKings favors the Thunder by 3.5 points and lists them at -155 on the moneyline. Historically, home teams are 117-42 in NBA Game 7s and OKC is 6-1 at home in these playoffs. But if Wembanyama plays as he did in Game 6, the Thunder better be ready for all of it.

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