Victor

Wembanyama

Wembanyama qualified for a five-year max extension worth 30 percent of the Spurs’ salary cap, but his decision to go with a max that takes up 25 percent of the cap gives the team a little more flexibility. The 7-foot-4 phenom helped lead San Antonio to the NBA Finals this season, and at 22, Wemby still hasn’t reached his full potential. Friday’s news will remove any potential financial drama, and the Spurs can now focus on taking care of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in the coming years. Fantasy-wise, Wembanyama is right there with Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the most valuable players regardless of league format.

While he had moments of dominance in his first NBA Finals appearance, Wembanyama’s conditioning and the Knicks’ ability to limit his effectiveness at times were issues. Dominant as a rim protector in Game 5, the 7-foot-4 center was unable to assert himself consistently on the offensive end, even with Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble for most of the night. These finals will serve as a learning experience for Wembanyama, who will have an argument to be Pick 1.1 in fantasy drafts next fall. Also, keep in mind that he won’t turn 23 until January. There’s a lot more for Wembanyama to learn before he reaches his prime.

Kornet, who logged four minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s Game 4 defeat, is dealing with an illness. His potential absence from Game 5 would not significantly affect the Spurs’ rotation, given his limited playing time. It’s possible that Carter Bryant would get a few more minutes off the bench, especially if the Spurs looked to keep Victor Wembanyama’s playing time in check after he logged 44 minutes in Game 4. However, given what’s on the line, it’s unlikely that Wemby would play more than 40 minutes once again.

Wemby logged 44 minutes on Wednesday and put forth a strong effort. Yet, he shot inefficiently both inside and outside the arc, and couldn’t stop the bleeding well enough to prevent the Knicks from completing nearly a 30-point comeback. The Defensive Player of the Year did control the paint on that end of the floor while performing well on the glass — well enough to earn his second double-double of the series. San Antonio will likely need even more production from him on Saturday if it wants to keep its season alive.

When asked about dealing with the pressure of being down 0-2, Wembanyama said that “this is what he’s built for.” He talked the talked and then walked the walk. It was exactly the type of performance the Spurs needed out of their superstar after digging themselves a big hole by dropping the first two games at home. They’ve won on the road throughout the postseason, including Game 7 against the defending champions in the series prior to this one. They did it again, and they’ll need to win at least one more in New York in order to win the series. The Spurs could even the series and reclaim homecourt advantage with a win in Game 4 on Thursday.

Wembanyama was excellent in the second half as he scored 22 of his 29 points after halftime. The 22-year-old center came up short in the final minute of regulation, though. After grabbing a rebound and with the game tied, Wembanyama passed the ball to an unsuspecting Stephon Castle. The turnover was corralled by Jalen Brunson, who Wembanyama promptly fouled. Brunson made one of two free throws to give the Knicks the lead and Wembanyama missed a midrange jumper as time expired. Now the Spurs trail 2-0 as the series shifts to New York for Game 3 on Monday.

Despite pretty good counting stats on both ends of the floor, Wembanyama struggled to find a rhythm and make his usual impact on the offensive end in Game 1. His offensive shortcomings consisted mostly of inefficient shooting both inside and outside the arc, as well as six turnovers in his 38 minutes. Wemby ultimately tried to will his team in the fourth quarter by tallying 11 points in the frame, but the Spurs ultimately couldn’t stop the Knicks’ comeback. San Antonio could benefit from a stronger performance from Wembanyama on Friday.

Thought to be a year away from truly contending, Wembanyama and the Spurs are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. While his stat line wasn’t the gaudiest, the 7-foot-4 sensation’s fingerprints were all over Game 7. Wembanyama thoroughly outplayed Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and finished with a complete stat line. Next up for San Antonio are the Knicks, with Game 1 of the NBA Finals scheduled for Wednesday night.

Wembanyama said in his postgame interview that the Spurs haven’t done anything yet. He means that the Spurs haven’t won the series yet, but San Antonio played a nearly flawless Game 6 just to stay alive in this series. The Spurs led wire-to-wire and dominated from the outset, winning the first quarter 35-22. Coming out of halftime, they outscored the Thunder 32-13 in the third quarter. Wembanyama’s 28 points were a game-high. He and the Spurs will play in the NBA’s 160th Game 7 on Saturday.

Wemby logged one of his least impactful performances of the postseason on Tuesday. In the loss, he missed all five of his three-point attempts, shot his worst field goal percentage of the playoffs, and finished with under 10 rebounds for the third straight game. Over half of his points came from the charity stripe, further emphasizing his struggles to get things going from the field. The Defensive Player of the Year also had a modest five stocks during his 38 minutes. The Spurs will more than likely need more production from Wemby on Thursday to keep their season alive and force a seventh game.