Spurs need Victor Wembanyama to stop playing like a co-star vs. Thunder in Game 6

MVP trophy be damned, Victor Wembanyama is seeking the crown as the best player in the world. For many, he's already there, proving it this postseason with some of the most ridiculous performances you'll ever see, especially from a 22-year-old. He didn't provide one of those in Game 5. In fact, he turned in one of his more disappointing games purely based on effort and stakes.

The Alien only took one shot in the first nine minutes of the ball game and finished with 15 attempts. Julian Champagnie and De'Aaron Fox took the same number of shots. That can't happen in a road playoff game that the team desperately needed to win.

Now San Antonio is on the brink of elimination. The greatest players rise to the challenge in these moments. Wembanyama must deliver one tonight or see his first playoff run end at the hands of his biggest rivals.

Wembanyama can't play passively for the rest of this series

Oklahoma City has two chances to send their younger rivals home, whereas the Spurs will only have one such opportunity to end the Thunder's season. Thursday night, the Silver and Black are fighting for their survival, and the alpha must stand on the frontlines. This isn't the time to try to establish the other guys before taking control of the madness. Wemby must assert himself early in the ball game.

San Antonio can beat this team; they've done it six times this season, and the formula has been relatively simple. Play harder. Mitch Johnson called it being a "step slow" after their Game 5 debacle, but I call it not playing with enough effort. Whatever the label, it can't happen again. That starts with the 7'4" guy forcing OKC to contend with his size in the middle of the paint.

There was a moment during Tuesday night's contest when NBC broadcaster and former player Jamal Crawford pointed out that Wemby hadn't gotten below the free-throw line very much. Most of his catches and shots were coming above that area on the floor, and that bails his defenders out. But even worse, his passiveness turns the Spurs from a special team into a normal one.

Wemby's aggression has a psychological impact the Spurs need

This is a two-pronged attack for Vic. When he's in go-mode early, defenses begin to compromise themselves. If you get them into a scrambled mindset in the first quarter, it can give the Spurs enough momentum to carry the game. As much as his dominance terrifies the opponent, it emboldens his teammates. They feel invincible when their superstar plays like the monster he is.

When Wembanyama plays as he should, everyone leaves the night asking the same exact thing: "What are you even supposed to do with that?" If we're not hearing that question from TV hosts and talk show panelists in the immediate aftermath of the game, Vic didn't put the stamp on it he's capable of.

It doesn't matter if it's 35 points and 15 rebounds or 27 points and 7 blocks; the NBA world needs to see Victor Wembanyama leave everything on the floor.

OKC is a great team. They're the defending champs for a reason; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP, and their roster is deep with talented players who can hurt you in different ways in big spots. They may win the game despite a big night from Wemby. But it needs to be that way.

The best player in the world can't go out with a whimper, and hopefully, he makes sure the Spurs don't go out at all and force a Game 7 back in Oklahoma City.

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