On Monday night at the United Center, the Chicago Bulls edged out the San Antonio Spurs 114-110, handing the Texas team its second consecutive loss. After the game, Victor Wembanyama delivered a candid and critical assessment of his team’s struggles during the 2024-25 NBA season, particularly their inability to close out games.
“It’s very frustrating,” Wembanyama admitted during the postgame press conference in Chicago. “For sure, right now, we should have more wins,” he initially said before correcting himself. “But we don’t deserve more wins.” The 7-foot-3 French center acknowledged that the Spurs’ recent woes stem largely from their own shortcomings.
San Antonio led for most of the game, even carrying a 13-point advantage into the fourth quarter. However, that lead evaporated in a matter of minutes, leaving the Spurs unable to recover in the final moments. “This is where we’re at right now or this is our level… Our maturity,” Wembanyama remarked. “This is a tough one for sure. But apparently we need those two to grow.”
The star also addressed the team’s recurring issues with maintaining leads. “For sure we gotta do something. There’s gonna be close games. There are going to be games where we’re up,” Victor said. “I’m not worried about when we’re down. There’s gonna be games when we’re up and we gotta keep the lead. In the NBA you know it’s hard and games are going to be close and we need to win.”
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs slaps hands with Chris Paul #3 during action against the Orlando Magic in the first half of a preseason game at Frost Bank Center on October 9, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Spurs can’t rely on Wembanyama alone
Victor Wembanyama’s frustration is palpable, and it’s easy to see why. The French phenom delivered a stellar performance against the Chicago Bulls, one that, in another context, should have been enough to secure a victory for the San Antonio Spurs.
The 7-foot-3 center stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 14 rebounds, 8 blocks, and 4 assists in 35 minutes of action. Despite his dominance, it wasn’t enough to carry the Spurs. Even Chris Paul’s solid contribution of 18 points and 9 assists failed to tip the scales in San Antonio’s favor.
San Antonio struggling to find consistency
While the Spurs have shown clear progress compared to last season, they remain far from establishing themselves as legitimate playoff contenders. With an 18-18 record, San Antonio currently sits 10th in the Western Conference, a position that reflects both their potential and their shortcomings.
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Though they are within striking distance of the teams ahead of them, games like Monday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls highlight the critical issues holding them back. As Wembanyama pointed out, it’s the inability to close out winnable games that could make the difference when the season’s final standings are determined.
