Observation of Bunbanyama debut: Take 20+5 lightly to show offensive and defensive talent and become a lifelong enemy with Holmgren
Venbanyama made his preseason debut against the Thunder's Holmgren. The two, who were ridiculed as "chopstick brothers", staged a wonderful showdown. The game is like the Super Bowl of the 2023 NBA preseason.
In the end, Venbanyama played 19 minutes, contributing 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point range. Holmgren played only the first half, playing 16 minutes, contributing 21 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point range. The data looks different, but when the two really match, it is still Venbanyama who has the upper hand.
Offensive: Incredibly talented
Wen Banyama missed three points in the opening game and made a dribble error, but he quickly got into rhythm and showed his eighteen martial arts. His first goal was a basket, and with an 11cm height advantage, Venbanyamari pressed Holmgren in front of him to make the ball in.
Venbanyama has a strong subconscious of speed, and when the team presents a fast attack opportunity, he often rushes to the front at 2.24 meters. The teammates understood, a long pass to the front court, Wen Banyama with both hands slammed!
The first head-to-head clash between Venbanyama and Holmgren was this breakthrough. Vembanyama lowered his head and slammed into Holmgren's defense, and his head hit Holmgren's mouth, causing the opponent's foul to score 2+1! After this shot, Venbanyama flexed his muscles. This offseason, he gained 9kg and improved significantly in strength and confrontation.
Venbanyama is not only tough, but also agile. After he interfered with his opponent and lost the ball, he rushed to the front court as soon as possible and completed this one-handed dunk next to Holmgren! Holmgren, fearing a foul, stopped walking.
Soon, Venbanyama felt incredible again. He turned and swung past the opposing defense to face Holmgren again. I saw Venbanyama pull the rod in the air, dodge Holmgren's block, and hit the ball!
In terms of projection, Ventanyama also performed very well, in this game, Ventanyama made 2 of 5 from three-point range, and also grabbed the front board and scored in the middle.
On the offensive end, Wenbanyama has shown his all-round skills, can shoot suddenly, the speed is not slow, coupled with the unique height and arm span advantage, as long as he is not plagued by injuries, he is a unicorn in the true sense.
Defensive: Dominant
Venbanyama made 2 tackles and 1 block on the defensive end, but he posed much more than that. This cap shows what makes Venbanyama unique. Jaylen Williams changed to dribbling and seemed to have dangled past Venbanyama, but Venbanyama was so quick that he turned around and chased after him, sending a chasing cap! Generally, a big man of this height definitely does not have the reaction and flexibility of Wen Banyama.
Venbanyama's two steals also show his quick eye. His arm span ensures a large defensive range, and with a slight stretch of his arm, he can steal the opponent's ball.
The second steal was more exciting, and after the steal, Wenbanyama also took advantage of a back dribble, but it was a pity that the teammate did not seize this empty opportunity, which is quite a pity.
Venbanyamar's role on the defensive end is equally impressive. A pre-season game is certainly not a big sample, but it is enough to see the improvement of Vembanyama, who has risen again compared to the summer league.
4 mistakes by Venbanyama
Venbanyama is outstanding in attack and defense, but if there is anything wrong with him, it is that he also made four mistakes in 19 minutes of the game.
The first mistake was too much dribbling and a passing error under pressing. Although Venbanyama has the skills of a defender, he is still prone to dribble when facing multiple players defending.
The second time was that the height of the pass was too high for teammates to reach.
The third show dribbles behind the back, loses control of the ball, and is tackled by the opponent.
The fourth mistake was similar to the second, where the height of the pass was not grasped, and the teammate was unsteady and was tackled.
Looking back on these four mistakes, it is clear that Venbanyama can draw some lessons from them. After all, being such a young player, Popovich will give him room to make mistakes, learn and grow from them.
Holmgren should not be underestimated
Finally, let's talk about Venbanyama's opponent, Holmgren. In the U19 World Cup meeting two years ago, Venbanyama finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 8 blocks, while Holmgren only had 10 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists. But this time, Holmgren had 21 points, 9 rebounds and 1 block, and although he did not have the upper hand against Venbanyama directly, he proved that he was capable of becoming a lifelong enemy of Ventanyama.
He can break through for a layup and make a threat by jumping inside the free throw line!
He has a good three-point accuracy, 2-of-2 from three-point range in this game, and has more stability from the outside than Ventanyama.
Inside, Holmgren is also tough, and his two baskets show his awareness and ability.
Compared to two years ago, Holmgren has become a stronger rival in Venbanyama and even has the potential to become his lifelong enemy. Do you expect this set of matchups to be played many times in the future?