Wembanyama and original projected starters make explosive statement

You knew early that Victor Wembanyama was about to have one of his "unknown life form" type of nights when he came out ablaze in the first quarter. He was knocking down threes, getting to the free-throw line, and blocking shots—giving Atlanta the whole experience.

The Spurs finally put their preseason projected lineup on the floor, and the results were exactly what fans hoped for. The first substitution came with about six minutes left in the opening period. The score was 20-12 in favor of the Spurs, and they looked good on both sides of the ball. They played well together, the ball moved, the spacing was there, and they watched each other's backs.

Hopefully, the first quarter will deter the detractors, but it probably won't. Some have gotten stubborn with their opinion that Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan should remain on the bench, but that was never going to happen. San Antonio didn't pay Vassell $135 million over five years to be a 16-point-per-game scorer off the bench, and fans shouldn't want that anyway.

Spurs need a dynamic starting lineup as teams reach midseason form

San Antonio rolled out the starting five as it should be against the Atlanta Hawks. Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Chris Paul, Jeremy Sochan, and Harrison Barnes are the best players on the team, and the bench players aren't good enough to bring the consistency needed to help this team hit its peak this season.

Sure, Vassell was playing "fine" off the bench, but you don't settle for fine in the NBA. The Spurs could bring more production to the starting unit, and that's what Vassell does. The other team has to respect him more than they respect Julian Champagnie or Stephon Castle due to his efficient shooting and versatile game.

The coaches can still stagger minutes so that Victor or Devin share minutes with the bench players, but the goal should always be to start games off on the best foot possible. You can only do that with your best players on the floor.

When Wembanyama was drafted, fans were excited about the notion of a strong two-man game between Wemby and Dev. Only one season later, it feels like that train has left the station. It's way too early to abandon that plan. The Spurs are not giving up on it, and neither should the analysts or fans.

A few weeks ago, an advanced stat was shared revealing that the Spurs' starting lineup was among the best in the league. The problem with stats like that is that they can't tell you why a lineup is working so well. When you watch the games, it's easy to tell that most lineups with Victor Wembanyama on the floor look good because he's that good.

Let another night from the Alien with an insane stat line be a reminder of that last point. He put up 42 points, five assists, six rebounds, two steals, and four blocks. Most lineups with a player who can do that will look good. 23 from Vassell on 16 shots is what you want, at a minimum, from him. He shot 71% from three and 56% from the field. That's a presence that needs to be a starter every night.

Sochan also showcased his worth with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks. It took a complete effort from San Antonio's best players to pull this overtime game out 133-126. It's the first time the Spurs had their full roster together, and they showed a ton of potential. They can build off it on Saturday when the Silver and Black face the Portland Trail Blazers at home.