Victor Wembanyama adds another historical accomplishment to dominant playoff run

Victor Wembanyama is putting together one of the greatest first postseason runs we've seen in the history of the league. And I'm not just making that statement on a whim. There are some impressive, historical numbers to back that up.

Here's the best way to define this: no player in their first ten playoff games has been more impactful on the court for their team than Victor Wembanyama.

It's refreshing to know that the stuff he's shown us through his first three years isn't just for the highlight reels. He's translating his production over to the biggest stage in the NBA, leading the Spurs to monumental success.

Wemby's defense has been otherworldly this postseason

I'm going to be honest, I was a bit curious about Victor's defense coming into the playoffs. Over the years, coaches have gotten creative about exploiting shot-blocking big men, so there was some reason to wonder whether Wemby's attack on that end would face any challenges.

Fast forward to today, and I've yet to see anything exposed. His defensive impact has been unmatched this postseason. He's posting four blocks per game, and we saw the Spurs eradicate Minnesota's paint offense in his minutes.

You could see the night-and-day difference in San Antonio's defense with Victor on the court versus off the court. The moment that the substitution buzzer sounded for him to check out of the game, the Timberwolves gained a boost in confidence with their paint attack. When he was back on the floor, they second-guessed every single drive to the rim.

Wemby's interior dominance on the defensive end is a massive factor in his otherworldly plus-minus through his first ten playoff games. It's a trend that the Spurs need to see continue into their Western Conference Finals matchup against OKC.

Wemby's offense has been an important weapon for San Antonio

Victor Wembanyama hasn't exactly been elite as a scorer through this postseason, posting just 20 points per game, which is five points below his regular-season average. But that doesn't mean he isn't creating substantial value on the offensive end.

It's been said ad nauseam, but Wemby's gravity really does open up so much of San Antonio's scoring. Whether he's spacing the floor to open up driving lanes or using his interior presence to draw help defenders off of shooters, the Spurs' offense is on an entirely different level when he's out there.

He's also been reliable at times with his passing and playmaking. Game 5 was a perfect example, as he made a handful of beautiful, timely feeds to set up easy opportunities for his teammates.

The Spurs are just a better two-way team when Victor's on the court. Even if you're skeptical about using plus-minus metrics to define a player's value, you can't deny that Wemby passes the eye test. What San Antonio can do on offense and what they allow on defense are significantly impacted by his presence.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow