By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After representing France and capturing a silver medal in the 2024 Olympic Games, Victor Wembanyama did not play for the San Antonio Spurs in their first exhibition game of the 2024 NBA Preseason on Monday.
The team coached by Gregg Popovich fell, 112-107, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Frost Bank Center.
“It is Pop. He always cares. He always wants us to be great. He always wants us to give 110% on the court,” pointed out Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili after a 14-point showing.
Polish Jeremy Sochan piled up nine points, six rebounds, four assists, and one block. French Sidy Cissoko ended up with one point, four rebounds, two assists, and one block.
For the Thunder, Belgian rookie Ajay Mitchell dropped a team-high 19 points. German Isaiah Hartenstein and Dutch Malevy Leons added four points each, and French Ousmane Dieng two points.
Theis and Aldama
The New Orleans Pelicans featured Daniel Theis as the starting center in a narrow win, 106-104, over the Orlando Magic in Smoothie King Center.
The German center produced 13 points with 6/7 field goals. Croatian Karlo Matkovic grabbed two rebounds. On the losing end, German Moritz Wagner had nine points, German Franz Wagner eight points, Georgian Goga Bitadze seven points, and German Tristan Da Silva three points.
With Slovenian Luka Doncic and German Maxi Kleber on the injury list, the Dallas Mavericks surrendered to the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-116, in American Airlines Center. Spanish Santi Aldama tallied 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal for the visitors.