Wembanyama, the collector of miracles

The NBA has drifted into that stretch of the season that stirs the least excitement among fans. The plateau that follows the All-Star break drags on for more than a month until the playoffs tip off on April 18. Until then, there is the tail end of February and the long, grinding weeks of March to endure. It is during this lull that the loudest debates about the league’s calendar resurface, with many arguing that the 82-game regular season is an excessive and punishing marathon. That is why Adam Silver introduced the December Cup, borrowing from the European model.

Even so, it does little to brighten the weeks ahead – too many games, too little urgency. The contenders jockey for playoff seeding while those at the bottom drift through the schedule, waiting for better days.

That is why it feels like a gift when the schedule occasionally delivers a matchup such as the one the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. It was a clash between two rising forces gradually turning into genuine favorites. On one side stood the team built around the towering French phenom – the NBA’s so-called unicorn, a player widely expected to define an era – honoring the franchise’s past (remember Tim Duncan and company?) while laying foundations for a future rooted firmly in the present. On the other were the Pistons, who not long ago languished at the bottom of the league but have since risen from the ashes like a phoenix. They are now even stronger than the Thunder and remain fixated on the championship ring they once captured – an ambition that has become both desire and dream.

In basketball, every battle demands a winner and a loser – and this time it was San Antonio that made the statement. The Spurs earned a 114-103 road victory against one of the league’s most formidable opponents thanks to a superb collective display on both ends of the floor. They were relentless rather than explosive, methodical instead of spectacular – more sledgehammer than spark. There was no single decisive run, only steady control and enviable consistency that slowly tilted the game their way against a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference. The contest featured nine lead changes and 10 ties. The Spurs’ largest advantage was 15 points. They committed 12 turnovers to Detroit’s 15. Stylistically, the contrast was sharp: San Antonio shot 45% from beyond the arc, while the home team failed to reach 20%, though it poured in 62 points in the paint.

In the end, however, none of those numbers mattered as much as the presence of a player who seems almost extraterrestrial: Victor Wembanyama. The French giant struggled with his shot, finishing 6 of 16 from the field, yet still delivered an extraordinary performance – 21 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and six blocks. He was the best player on the floor despite a surprise scoring outburst from Devin Vassell, who poured in 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 7 of 11 from three-point range. Detroit had no answer. Cade Cunningham managed just 16 points, along with six rebounds and 10 assists, shooting 5 of 26 overall and 2 of 9 from deep. Jalen Duren battled valiantly against Wembanyama, posting 25 points and 14 rebounds – seven of them offensive – on 10-of-13 shooting. Impressive numbers, yet not enough to slow the Texans or their beloved leader – the towering constant, the future unicorn, the collector of miracles.

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