Wembanyama is already making MVP voters look foolish (and it's only getting worse)

Since February 1, the Spurs have only lost three games Victor Wembanyama started and finished. That's not normal for a 22-year-old, but it's the reality of the value the 7'4" member of Area 51 provides for his team. Counting stats be damned, the playoffs are highlighting the impact Wembanyama makes on every single possession, and it's MVP-level stuff.

Now, we know that the voters are likely handing that award to the flopmaster himself, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, again, but they should be wondering whether they did the right thing. He's a deserving winner if you're judging off stats. However, there's more to what value truly means, and the Timberwolves are getting a masterclass lesson in what impact truly looks like.

No player is more important to their team than Wembanyama

The deeper the postseason goes, the more difficult it becomes to defend any MVP argument that ignores how vital Wembanyama is to San Antonio's success. Minnesota is looking for and trying to actively avoid him on every single offensive possession. They can't do it because of how much he warps the space on the court in SA's favor. He's also too smart for that.

The Timberwolves have tried everything. It doesn't even matter when they try to put Wemby's assignment on the other side of the floor—something they've tried several times. When Rudy Gobert is on the floor, their space is just bad, and San Antonio's resident xenomorph can roam as much as he wants.

When Chris Finch goes with a small lineup, Vic can mostly keep himself on the low weak-side block, making it easier to close distance and help when necessary. Other than the three-point-happy Boston Celtics, most NBA teams will try to control the lane.

Unfortunately, the paint belongs to Wembanyama in the same way the darkness belonged to Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. The search for a safety net when faced with overwhelming odds is expected and commonplace, but sometimes, there's only an illusion of security. Reality can hit hard, and in this case, that manifests in the form of a 7'4" extraterrestrial dominating the inside on both ends.

He doesn't give us the Game 3 offensive performance every night, but he shouldn't have to. If you've been watching the playoffs, you've noticed that OKC still dominates without SGA in the game. He elevates an already elite machine. Victor Wembanyama is the machine. Just about every single advanced playoff stat you can find backs that up.

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