Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs pass their entrance exam
The first series for this version of the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Playoffs went about as well as could be expected. Victor Wembanyama and company took down the Portland Trailblazers with authority but avoided having a total cakewalk. Emmet Ryan on how this was the right kind of prep for the next big test.
You don’t get to choose the type of series you get in the NBA Playoffs. You just hope that it’s one that you can win and get the right type of work in before going to the next one. That’s what Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs got in the first round.
The Portland Trailblazers are unquestionably inferior to whoever the Spurs face next. That’s ok. Whether it’s the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio didn’t need a war. They needed to sharpen their tools.
A Goldilocks series
Winning a series 4-1 without it being a gentleman’s sweep is about as good as the San Antonio Spurs could have asked for. A 4-0 or gentleman’s sweep would have been too easy for them. This unit is new to the NBA Playoffs, especially together. Some work was necessary.
At the same time, being forced to grind it out over six or seven games would have equally served them ill. This is a side that needs to lean on its freshness in the next round against whoever survives between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. The Spurs aren’t going to win that series with experience but by leaning into their strengths.
That’s why this was also a fine series for Victor Wembanyama to get acclimated. In his third season, he got a good understanding of what playoff basketball involves. Wemby would have known that there’s a shift from his time in France. This series with the Portland Trailblazers was about learning how that shift works at the highest level.
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A good arc
As this is his first time in the NBA Playoffs, that series with the Portland Trailblazers was also a first chance to see how his stats adjust to the change in style. His minutes were effectively identical to the regular season, which proved quite useful for a baseline.
As expected, given the drop in possessions expected in the postseason, Wemby’s points, rebounds, and assists all dropped slightly compared to his regular season averages. Crucially, these drops were only in counting stats as his efficiency in shooting was up across the board.
Defensively he was also very impressive. Wemby’s steals per game dropped a negligible 0.2 per game. The number of blocks jumped up substantially from 3.1 per game in the regular season to 4.4 in the series with Portland. Granted, he closed out with 6 in the Game 5 win for the San Antonio Spurs but only Marcus Smart has more stocks (steals & blocks) per game than him.
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Now comes the big test
At the time of writing, the Minnesota Timberwolves hold a 3-2 series lead over the Denver Nuggets. Whoever the San Antonio Spurs face in the next round of the NBA Playoffs, they can expect a tougher test. No disrespect to the Portland Trailblazers but making the main stage of the postseason was their ceiling.
For Victor Wembanyama that means either squaring off with Rudy Gobert, which would be a straight battle of defensive juggernauts, or Nikola Jokic, arguably the greatest player alive today. Either way, Wemby will need to learn that winning the individual battle is about more than one on one superiority.
Despite his youth, Wembanyama is the one to set the tone for San Antonio. He’s the player that makes those around him recognise they can compete at the very top level in this sport. Wemby is otherworldly in his talents and needs to keep raising those around him. This next series promises a great opportunity to do just that.
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