Wembanyama unleashes his inner Olajuwon mode and takes the Spurs to the brink of glory

Victor Wembanyama is no longer just the future of the NBA. He is starting to seriously resemble his most dominant present. On a night of maximum pressure, physically exhausted and battered after a constant battle against the toughness of Minnesota, the star of the San Antonio Spurs turned to the teachings of a legend: Hakeem Olajuwon. And the result was devastating.

Wembanyama delivered a monumental performance in the 115-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. The Frenchman finished with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks, entering a club reserved for historic giants. Since blocks became an official statistic, only Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had achieved a playoff game with at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks.

"It's great to be mentioned alongside those giants," confessed Wembanyama. "I had to resort to some things that Hakeem taught me in the fourth quarter."

And he indeed used them. With the game wide open, the Frenchman dismantled the defense of Minnesota in the crucial minutes. First, he nailed a three-pointer from over seven meters after an assist from Devin Vassell to make it 109-103. Shortly before, he had punished Rudy Gobert with a spectacular fadeaway turning over himself, a trademark move of Olajuwon.

"Especially that turnaround fadeaway over Rudy," acknowledged Wembanyama when asked about his mentor's teachings.

The performance held even more value due to the stage. Minneapolis had become a nightmare for the Frenchman. He had lost his previous four visits to the Target Center, and the Spurs hadn't won there since October 2022. But this time was different. Wembanyama dominated every corner of the court.

He shot a spectacular 72.2% from the field, made 3 of his 5 three-pointers, added a steal, and only turned over the ball once. Additionally, he became the first player since LeBron James in 2012 to record at least 35 points and 15 rebounds with a 70% accuracy in playoffs.

"He totally imposed his presence on the game," explained San Antonio's interim coach, Mitch Johnson. "He dominated the paint and the hoop on both ends of the court. When he does that, everything opens up for him and his teammates."

Minnesota reacted after a terrifying start. The Spurs began with a 14-1 run while the Timberwolves missed their first eleven shots. But Anthony Edwards kept the locals afloat with 32 points, including a spectacular buzzer-beating three to close the first quarter. Still, the night belonged to Wembanyama.

The Frenchman scored over all of Minnesota's rotation defenders and, defensively, turned the paint into forbidden territory. The Timberwolves only made 4 of the 21 shots they attempted when he was the primary defender.

Wembanyama begins to master the playoffs

But beyond the numbers, the feeling was different: that of a player starting to understand how to dominate playoff games.

"It was more a matter of keeping the ship afloat," explained Wembanyama. "We didn't need to do incredible things, just avoid mistakes. These are situations I hadn't experienced much yet, but I know this is what happens in playoffs."

San Antonio, led by an increasingly unstoppable Wembanyama, is now leading the series. And the NBA is beginning to discover something unsettling for the rest of the league: Olajuwon's protégé learns too quickly.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Wembanyama desata el modo Olajuwon y lleva a los Spurs al límite de la gloria