Fox & Wemby's massive blow to Celtics should terrify championship contenders

Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox are tightening up their chemistry at the perfect time, and that's just a shame for the NBA. The Celtics tried several defensive tactics, and whether they were playing man-to-man straight up, packing the paint, or deploying a zone, the Spurs figured it out and made them pay. So what do you do when both of San Antonio's all-stars are on fire? You lose.

All Wembanyama did was take what the defense gave him

Wembanyama was one-point shy of his season high with 39 points. He threw in 11 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Alien played 36 minutes, and he was efficient. 55% FG and 53% 3PT when taking 15 threes is tremendous work. However, you shouldn't be impressed merely because he had the touch last night; you should be more interested in why he took as many as he did.

The Celtics dared him to shoot early. Their game plan was clear: make Wemby beat us from the outside, and it's another one Spurs fans should expect to see from opponents in the playoffs. Boston's variation was exaggerated. Whenever one of San Antonio's ball-handlers tried to penetrate, they squeezed the paint hard, leaving Vic wide open for target practice.

I don't want to slight Beantown's boys. The Silver and Black's MVP candidate will terrorize you in the paint, but the nature of being an extraterrestrial is unique in that ordinary game plans don't work against him, and it should be obvious at this point. You can't just leave Wembanyama open. If you dare him to beat you with his jump shot, he will.

Wembanyama has drilled 8 threes in a single game on three different occasions through his young career so far. He's made 5 or more threes 17 times. For someone who routinely racks up 4+ blocks, that's unheard of. Yet it's the NBA's reality.

Detroit tried to get physical with him, and he almost got Jalen Duren fouled out. Houston tried a mix of coverages, and he clowned them all night in the paint. Boston conceded the three, and he turned into prime Steph Curry. After the game, Mazzulla said when dealing with Wemby, "You have to be constantly assessing what do you want to live with, what do you want to take away."

That's fair. But at the end of the day, each strategy is resulting in losses for these teams, and to make matters worse, De'Aaron Fox is showing off again.

Fox is manipulating defenses like an all-star should

The time to lie dormant has obviously passed for Swipa because he's been making teams look silly. Over the past four games, he's averaged 23 points, nearly 8 assists, and 1 steal a night. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper still get ample opportunities to initiate the offense, but Fox has stepped to the front as the Spurs head down the home stretch, and it's only helping the team prepare.

The Celtics received all of that and more last night. Fox gave them 25 points and 9 assists on 11/14 field goals and 2/3 threes. He fed the Vic and the rest of the offense plenty when the defense collapsed the paint around him, and when he saw his chance to eat, he ate. It was and has been a masterful performance from the two-time all-star.

I also want to note how poised this Spurs team is. They know how to keep their emotions in check, despite their youth. Jaylen Brown struggled with that and cost his team a potential win by getting ejected.

San Antonio players rarely get techs, let alone get booted from the game. Wemby took a palm strike to the nose in the first quarter and didn't come close to losing his mind. That maturity bodes well for the playoffs. Just another reason to tip your cap to Mitch Johnson and his staff.