Thrilling Wembanyama return answers Spurs fans' most pressing question

While of course Spurs fans wanted to win this game, the most important concern coming in was about Victor Wembanyama's health. You wanted to see Wemby be Wemby, so you know there are no lingering effects from slamming his noggin into the hardwood so viciously; many people thought he may have broken his jaw, too. Well, he looked pretty good out there in that second half.

Had the second 24 minutes gone the way of the first, there would have been cause for concern. Not just because Vic was missing shots; he seemed tentative. There was a lack of aggression on both sides of the ball. Quite frankly, he missed some rejection opportunities in the opening two quarters. He could have had 10 blocks. But as the saying goes, it's not how you start; it's how you finish.

Wembanyama did what a superstar is supposed to do

This wasn't a one-man effort, by any means, but winning in a team sport never is. De'Aaron Fox stepped up in the midst of extensive criticism from everyone, including myself, after his disappointing Game 3 performance. Obviously, San Antonio still walked out with a victory, but that doesn't excuse a bad night from a star when expectations are at their highest.

He bounced back this afternoon, particularly in the second half, going 7/10 from the field and 3/6 from three for 18 points. And Wembanyama did what he does—he dominated on both sides of the floor, leading by example and showing an unwavering drive to win after his team went down by nearly 20 points.

The Alien was only 4/12 in the first half but went 5/5 in the second. His shot selection changed, and that shift made things difficult for Portland. Two things can be true at once: when Wembanyama is shooting too many threes and missing them, it's letting the defense off the hook. When he's on fire, he can do no wrong because the combination of his inside/out game is unguardable at that point.

Game 1 was an example of that, but things weren't going the same way in the first half. He was 1/4 from deep, and the Trail Blazers were having their way with San Antonio. Then Vic flipped the switch. He didn't take a single three in the second half, and his tuned-up aggression led to dunks and free throws.

Wembanyama went 8/8 from the free-throw line, taking his second-half point total to 18 to go along with his 5 blocks and 3 steals. It was a complete takeover. Fans can now be certain that the French superstar is okay, putting the Spurs right back on track to make history.

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