Before Game 7, the Western Conference Finals series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs is tied 3-3. In Game 6, the Spurs responded in a big way and picked up an (118-91) win to keep their season alive.
While the team’s performance stood out, one NBA veteran had already shared an important message for Victor Wembanyama before the game.
NBA Veteran Tracy McGrady’s Advice for Victor Wembanyama
During the pregame show on NBA on NBC before Game 6, seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady explained that Wemby needed to approach the game with smarter shot selection and mainly work on his offense.
“Defensively Wemby is as elite as we’ve ever seen. Offensively, he has some things he has to work on.”
“You’re 7’4, he has a high release point on his jump shot; nobody should be able to block his shot. He’s not really comfortable with his back to the basket. If he’s playing with his back to the basket, turn-around jumper. Nobody can affect that,” McGrady said during the pregame interview.
Game 5 was not a good night for Wembanyama at all. He finished with 20 points but shot just 4-of-15 from the field and missed all five of his three-point attempts.
Most of his points came from the free-throw line, where he went a perfect 12-for-12. He also added six rebounds, one assist, three blocks, and two steals in 38 minutes. The effort was there. But the efficiency just wasn’t.
After that disappointing performance, many fans questioned whether Wembanyama was forcing too many shots. That is exactly why McGrady’s advice quickly became a talking point heading into Game 6.
But on Thursday night, Wemby came out and played much better. He scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out two assists in just 28 minutes. The Spurs, as a team, also came out of the gate well and led by 13 points after the first quarter. By halftime, they still had a seven-point lead. In the second half, they scored 58 points and won the game.
Moreover, after the game, Wembanyama spoke about the importance of listening to experienced voices during big moments.
“First thing is listening to the experienced people, whether it’s on our team or our staff. We have plenty of those around,” Wembanyama said after the game during an interview.
There is definitely a possibility that he may have taken McGrady’s comments seriously before stepping onto the court for Game 6. Now all eyes turn to Game 7.
