Wembanyama's "positionless" mentality is biting the Spurs at the worst time

Victor Wembanyama is posting 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and 2.0 steals per game in his first-ever NBA Finals, and the world is looking at the 22-year-old kid and telling him it isn't enough. They're absolutely right, and he'll tell you that himself.

It's not the raw numbers that need adjusting; it's everything else, including the willingness to look across the floor and take his matchup with Karl-Anthony Towns personally. Players used to take pride in outplaying guys at their position every night, but with Wembanyama's belief that he's not a true center, it's hard to tell if he thinks about his opponents that way. It certainly didn't sound like it after Game 2.

This isn't a "we" situation. It's a "he" situation. And he, as in Victor Wembanyama, must figure out how to outplay the center on the other team. Towns is averaging 19.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game in this series on 55.6 FG% and 42.9 3PT%. Wemby is the Defensive Player of the Year. He must put an end to his counterpart's efficiency and raise his own.

Wembanyama isn't playing like the best in the world

Basketball is a team sport, and coaches are there to steer players in the right direction, but there comes a time when individuals must step up and get the job done. Too many of KAT's buckets have come with Wembanyama as his primary defender. He's gotten rebounds over the Alien and defended him well when Vic's had opportunities for revenge. This theme cannot continue.

Most of Wemby's issue seems to be a lack of certainty. He doesn't seem as confident in how he wants to attack the Knicks on offense or defense at times. It's holding him back from playing how he normally does. His isolations are also taking too long. He needs to get the ball and make a decision quickly instead of giving the defense a chance to load up on him.

The hesitance has been a killer, and not taking advantage of opportunities to dominate the paint when they're available is hurting his team's chances of winning games. It's the NBA Finals. Getting a high-percentage look each and every time down the floor is more important than ever. For example, he's hit that game-winning attempt before from that spot, but there was space to attack the rim.

When you watch the clip above, you can see there's a ton of space in the paint for Wembanyama to roll hard after setting the screen for De'Aaron Fox. If he dives to the basket and goes up strong, he has a great chance of getting the bucket or at least drawing a foul. If Wemby has to make a couple of free throws to win the game, Spurs Nation is okay with it.

Instead, he opts for the Kevin Durant-style jumper; it hits off the back of the rim, and it's game over. The Knicks have disrupted many of Vic's rolls to the basket, but they weren't in a position to do that on the final possession. Wemby has to remember that he's a 7'4" center when it matters most, and there's no time more important than the NBA Finals.

That means taking offense to the Finals MVP-worthy performance Towns is putting on at his expense at his position and upping his game by taking advantage of the large frame he's been given. If Wemby plays like a big man, he can pull off a historic comeback, or he can lose because he's shooting 40% from the field, playing like an inefficient guard. He must make a choice.

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