How difficult is it to beat a healthy Denver Nuggets? The defending champions have defeated some of the best teams in the NBA this season, with ease. However, no one knew that Alien Victor Wembanyama could turn out to be trouble for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. In his final match-up against the Joker this season, Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to a thrilling win, and that has surprised a former Boston Celtics center. 

Wembanyama recorded 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, against one of NBA’s best centers currently. However, the best part was how he led the team to a 23-point comeback against the Nuggets. The internet was in utter disbelief. So was Kendrick Perkins, the NBA champion turned ESPN analyst, who wrote on Twitter, “Wemby and the Spurs just took the defending champs lunch money I see!”. 

Despite Jamal Murray‘s 35-point outburst, the Spurs hit a last-second game-winner, to give a teaser of how they will play in the next season. The Nuggets had a one-point lead when Jokic attempted a jumper from the free-throw line. Following his costly miss, Devonte Graham hit a tough floater over Murray, to seal a 121-120 win for the Spurs. Wembanyama did not want the Nuggets to enter the postseason on a positive note! Perkins has endorsed the 7’4 rookie since the start of the season. However, he doubted Wembanyama’s capability before the season started.

Victor Wembanyama bats out Kendrick Perkins’ doubt about Jokic-challenge

After Wemby was done with the summer league, he shared a difference he found between NBA and European basketball. The 20-year-old said, “The court is more open [in NBA]. It’s going fast, but it’s less physical…I get fouled a lot, but not as much…Out there[Europe], it’s more on the ground, pushing on the ground, big box-outs.” However, Perkins did not buy this opinion from Wembanyama. The Spurs rookie had not even played a single game in the NBA back then. 

Perkins said, “He played two Summer League games. He hasn’t even got a taste of the real NBA yet…He hasn’t got an opportunity to go against Giannis Antetokounmpo. He hasn’t got an opportunity to mix it up down low with Joel Embiid. He hasn’t got an opportunity to mix it up with Jokic.” Eight months later, Wembanyama has proved today that he integrated himself well into the NBA realm. 

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The young center has matched with Jokic four times this season. He is averaging 24.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks against the Serbian sensations. The best performance in these four battles was his 34-point display today. Let’s see if Wembanyama can continue this next year as well.