Wembanyama Shrugs Off Draymond; Warriors Win

Merlin sees the Spurs lose 109-108 to the Warriors, but the headline is Victor Wembanyama refusing to take Draymond Green’s bait on a fourth‑quarter inbounds play. Green muscled him for position, Wemby spun, caught the lob and had the dunk nullified by a foul — “you have to respond a certain way,” he said — and finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Merlin notes this is classic Green chess: get under a player’s skin to tilt the game; even Green admitted, “I respect the way he responded.” Wembanyama’s calm was a small prophecy of growth. These meetings (Feb. 11 and April 1 at Chase Center) will show if San Antonio can translate composure into consistent wins.