After two colorless games, Jeremy Sochan shined on the NBA court. And in New York, in the legendary Madison Square Garden, which is called the mecca of basketball. The Pole played a very good match, was the team’s best scorer and performed better than Victor Wembanyama, much awaited in the “capital of the world”. However, the San Antonio Spurs clearly lost to the local Knicks.
– It’s not as big as I expected, but you can feel the vibrations. I’ve heard from many people that this is the best basketball arena in the world and I’d love to find out. I certainly expect good team and individual performances – said Victor Wembanyama before the match in New York, whose first match in this city was attended by a full audience and a crowd of journalists. However, “Wemby” will not remember his first appearance at Madison Square Garden well – the 19-year-old Frenchman, whose talent and physical conditions predispose him to a great career in the NBA, missed his first seven shots from the field, ultimately being 4/14. He scored 14 points, had nine rebounds, two assists and a block, and at the end of the third quarter he heard the cry of “Overrated!” from the stands, which made him understand from the New York crowd that he was overrated.
Watch the video Sochan’s new role in San Antonio. “A Very Serious Experiment”
Yes, playing in New York was never easy for anyone, and maybe that’s why the stars’ outstanding performances at Madison Square Garden are so memorable – Michael Jordan’s 55 points right after returning to the NBA in 1995, LeBron James’ 50 and then another 54 , 11/13 for threes and 54 points by Stephen Curry, or 61 points by Kobe Bryant. On Wednesday, in the match won by the Knicks 126:105, there were no such fireworks, but Jeremy Sochan will remember this match positively. – Good job – coach Gregg Popovich praised him at one point when the Pole was sitting on the bench.
Jeremy Sochan with the season record. Good game in New York
The Pole scored his first points in the fifth minute – with a dunk after a pass from Wembanyama. He waited for the next one until the beginning of the second quarter, when he hit a three-pointer. At the end of this period, he scored five more points in a minute – he hit his second three-pointer with four seconds left. This feat is worth emphasizing because it was Sochan’s first long-range shots on target since October 26 and the first game of the season against the Dallas Mavericks.
After the first half, Spurs were losing 51:65 and from their point of view it was a small difference, because the guests started in New York with a score of 0:13 and then lost even 21:42. There were no emotions in this match, although it must be admitted that the basketball players from San Antonio tried to chase it. With poor results, but they tried.
Also thanks to Sochan, who performed better this time after two colorless games against Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers. As a setter, he played at a faster pace and in a more varied way – he shot from a distance, from passes, after actions with his back to the basket when he had a height advantage. And above all, he scored more often than last time and finished his actions more confidently. Ultimately, he was 7/12 from the field, including 2/4 for three, which resulted in 16 points – this is a season record for Sochan, who previously scored 14 twice.
Jeremy Sochan without a loss against the Knicks. And there could have been more assists
To New York’s 16 points – the most on a Spurs team – Sochan added six rebounds and five assists and a traditional dose of dogged defense, most often from point guard Jalen Brunson. The Pole committed five fouls, but did not have a single turnover, which is an important statistic from the point of view of a player who often has the ball in his hands and is responsible for its distribution. As for passing, Sochan could have had more assists if Tre Jones and Wembanyama had taken advantage of easy situations after his passes.
After eight games in the season, Sochana’s averages are 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Last season he had 11.0; 5.3 and 2.5, so now, in the very early phase of the game, you can see that he scores fewer points, but records more assists, which results from his changed role on the pitch. The Pole transformed from a winger into a playmaker because coach Gregg Popovich decided to experiment with the 203 cm tall player. And this is not an easy experiment.
– It’s hard sometimes. This is a completely new role for me, I have never played in this position, so there will be ups and downs – said a few days ago Sochan, who can be pleased with himself after the match in New York. All the more so because his debut appearance at Madison Square Garden was unsuccessful – last season, on January 4, the Spurs lost to the Knicks 114:117, and the Pole did not score a single point. He was 0/3 in 30 minutes. Plus a rebound, four assists, a steal and a block. It was much better now.
After the defeat in New York, for which Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle scored 25, 24 and 23 points, respectively, the Spurs have a 3-5 record and are in the bottom half of the NBA Western Conference table. They will play their next match on the night from Friday to Saturday, Polish time – at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The rivals currently have a 5-2 record and are at the top of the table, having won four games in a row. Spurs, on the other hand, have lost the last three games.
2023-11-09 05:14:00
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