San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama is just the second player since 1973-74 to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks through his first 10 playoff games, the NBA announced on Friday night.
Wemby has tallied 203 points, 107 rebounds and 41 blocks through 10 games against the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves, making an impressive start to his postseason career. The third-year big man has incidentally joined franchise legend David Robinson in the elusive list, per the NBA.
HISTORY FOR WEMBY 👽
Victor Wembanyama joins David Robinson as the only players since 1973-74 to average 20+ PTS, 10+ REB, and 4+ BLK over the first 10 postseason games of their career.
Wemby Dominates Defensively
The Frenchman produced another defensive clinic on Friday, as the Timberwolves were allowed just three made baskets in the paint in the first quarter of their 139-109 loss. Although Minnesota ultimately scored 52 points in the paint — a lot of which came in garbage time — Wembanyama set the tone by patrolling the middle in the early goings of the game, which enabled the Spurs to take a 74-61 lead into the halftime break.
Wembanyama finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks as the Spurs beat the Timberwolves on the road to advance to the Western Conference Finals, setting up a mouth-watering clash against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After the game, Anthony Edwards tipped his hat to Wemby’s defensive performance.
“Defensively, man, he’s incredible,” the All-Star guard said of Wemby.
“He changes every shot at the rim. … It’s kind of tough to go to the rim against a guy that’s like 7-foot-6.”
Wemby ‘Excited’ for West Finals
In just his third season, Wemby has not only ended the Spurs’ six-year playoff drought but has also led the five-time NBA champions to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2017.
The Frenchman praised Stephon Castle, who had a game-high 32 points on Friday, and his teammates for helping re-establish the Spurs’ winning culture.
“The way this team is built, they were trying to take me away from the rim and just grab me,” Wembanyama said, via ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“There’s no other way to fight that than just fight it with physicality. [Castle] was amazing. Just the composure to make the late choice and to push the defense in as far as they can go to take care of our strengths, he was great. He shot the ball when he should have, made the shots, and passed when he should’ve passed it.”
Meanwhile, All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox is not surprised by the Spurs’ meteoric rise, noting he expected Wemby and Co. to compete for championships the moment he arrived from the Sacramento Kings via trade a year ago.
“Having guys who are this talented and have watched me throughout my career, then we get to be in the same locker room, get to be on the court together, it’s something that I love,” Fox said. “I want them to feel that success from as early as you can get it in your career because you never know when those things can come back around.”
Spurs vs. Thunder Game 1 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday.
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