By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Phoenix Suns contained Victor Wembanyama en route to a 130-118 win versus the San Antonio Spurs in Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday.
The 21-year-old French center was limited to nine points with 4/14 field goals. He added nine rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and one steal over 34:27, with his side suffering a first loss in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season.
“I think we had a great scheme defensively. They were expecting everything that we did, so that makes everything hard for us. I think we need to be more into it in the future,” recapped Wemby in a postgame media session.
“The message is nothing too crazy or not expected, but I think what I take away from this, like the message of the coach and our team all through the game, is that through adversity we still respond,” he added, “Nobody gave up, nobody put their head down.”
Polish Jeremy Sochan (left wrist sprain) was among the players on the injury list of head coach Mitch Johnson.
Meanwhile, the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder, became the third team in NBA history to start a second straight season at 7-0, following the Boston Celtics between 1963-64 and 1964-65, and the Houston Rockets between 1993-94 and 1994-95.
German Isaiah Hartenstein put in a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double plus eight assists in a comfortable win, 137-106, against the New Orleans Pelicans in Paycom Center. Belgian Ajay Mitchell added ten points, but French Ousmane Dieng was forced to an early exit due to a calf contusion after registering three points, and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) remained sidelined. On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic got four points.