There was something exciting about Game One of the Western Conference Playoffs between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trailblazers. It marked the first Victor Wembanyama playoff game ever, and his debut performance did not disappoint fans. The 7’5 Frenchman led all scorers and set a new San Antonio record with 35 points. The previous Spurs record for most points scored in a playoff debut was 32, achieved by Hall of Famer Tim Duncan almost 30 years ago.
Following a disastrous 20-62 season, the Spurs were able to leapfrog Rick Pitino and the Boston Celtics in the 1997 NBA Draft to secure the first overall pick, and the prize of the draft, Duncan. The team went 56-26 the following season, and on April 23, 1998, the rookie of the year went 12/21 shooting in a 102-96 win over the Phoenix Suns. Yesterday, another first overall pick and rookie of the year went 13/21 in his 35-point effort.
Unlike Duncan, who is nearly half a foot shorter than Wembanyama, the latter is an exceptional shooter, especially from deep, where he went 5/6 in yesterday’s win. He also chipped in five rebounds and two blocks, and showed why he is an MVP finalist, along with Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Victor Wembanyama Playoff Game Is An Extension Of His MVP Season
Wembanyama played 64 games during the regular season, as did Doncic, but both players were given exceptions to the league’s 65-game rule. He played 29.2 minutes per game (the fewest among the four MVP candidates), averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assist per game. His 3.1 blocks per game led the NBA, and it is likely that even if he doesn’t win the MVP, Wemby will win Defensive Player of the Year.
The award certainly won’t go to the player who is most valuable to their team, since all four candidates teams had .500 or better records in their absence. The Spurs went 11-7 without Wembanyama. Nikola Jokic should be the frontrunner for the award, despite his team having the fewest wins among the four. He finished the season averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.
Jokic became the second player in history to average a triple-double in back-to-back seasons (Russell Westbrook), and seems like the only way he doesn’t win it is becaiuse of voter fatigue (same reason that Karl Malone got it over Michael Jordan in 1998). Finishing second, third, or even fourth for the award is not a knock on Wembanyama, though. He will be first team All-NBA and All-Defense.
Only one game is down in the series, but the Spurs have to be considered overwhelming favorites to defeat Portland. Could Wembanyama lead this team to an NBA title? Absolutely. The Spurs have a great roster, and when he chooses to be, Wemby is completely unstoppable. It’s highly likely that this story becomes old news after game two, when he drops 50 on the Trailblazers.
The 35 points in a playoff debut is the eighth most ever by a player in NBA history. It surpassed Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, and that’s not to say that Wembanyama is better than either of them, or that he ever will be. It’s still impressive, however, and worth celebrating.
