Spurs center Victor Wembanyama recorded a career-low of six points and a career-low in shot attempts with five in San Antonio’s 105-93 loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. While Wembanyama missed a brief stint with injury and openly battled sinus infections, both the Thunder and Houston Rockets laid down the blueprint to stop the Rookie of the Year.

Opposing teams realize early on that if they put a smaller player at Wemby and send multiple bodies to defend the six-foot Frenchman, he struggles to create looks in the paint, forcing him to pass the ball or take a deep shot to take. . What’s equally demoralizing is that Wembanyama struggles to force his way through contact and get to the free-throw line.

Four of Wembanyama’s six points against the Thunder came at the foul line, and all of his scores came in the first half. The second-year center has had trouble getting around the basket as teams throw double teams every time he gets the ball. It was a problem against OKC and a problem against Houston as Wembanyama scored 14 points on 6/14 shooting.

The solid interior presence means Wembanyama plays more around the perimeter. He has shot 21 three-pointers in four games and only scored four (19%). Not only are his stats hampered, but the Spurs offense is hampered as well.

General manager Brian Wright added some new faces last summer: guards Stephon Castle and Chris Paul and forward Harrison Barnes. The additions added more experience and versatility to this inexperienced Spurs team, but they didn’t completely solve their biggest problem from last season, three-point shooting.

Paul and Barnes have been above-average three-point shooters throughout their careers; they both have a career three-point percentage of over 37%. But the additions haven’t been enough, considering the team’s three-point percentage of 33.6%, ninth-lowest in the league.

One key piece the Spurs are missing is guard Devin Vassell, who is in the final stages of recovering from a stress reaction in the third metatarsal of his right foot. His presence was sorely missed as the offense lacked shot makers.

With Vassell out, teams will focus on Wembanyama as they are well aware that the rest of the squad does not have the firepower to keep up offensively. Opponents make everyone, but Wembanyama beat them.

We’re only four games into the 2024-2025 season, so there’s no reason to hit the panic button yet. With Vassell and Tre Jones missing for some time, it will be difficult to make any definitive assumptions. Either way, Spurs fans would like to see their franchise man gain some momentum on the offensive end of the floor.

Wembanyama and the Spurs take the floor again in their first back-to-back of the season on Halloween night against the Utah Jazz from the Delta Center at 8:00 PM (CDT).