The Timberwolves wanted to make Victor Wembanyama feel just as Naz Reid must have felt at the end of his elbow in Game 4. They tried everything. The Wolves poked Wemby early, threw him around like dead weight, and tried to trigger a reaction. But the 22-year-old grew up in the 48-hour layoff between the two games. In Game 5, Wemby was zen. His only focus was to make a statement.
The Spurs’ cornerstone battled through a flagrant foul from Rudy Gobert and Ayo Dosunmu, trying to rile him up just minutes into Game 5. Wembanyama’s reaction in both cases was a smile. He didn’t let any of the Wolves’ provoking tactics affect him. He actually flipped it on Minnesota, going off for 18 points and 6 rebounds in the first quarter.
“Yeah, I feel like the rage baiting would have been maybe one of the strategies. So, I feel like we need to stay composed as a team,” said Victor Wembanyama.
The entire arena knew that it started with him. Wembanyama has faced unnecessary punishment from the Timberwolves during this series. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson didn’t fault the 22-year-old phenom for lashing out in Game 4. But that ‘release’ of pent-up frustrations, and the subsequent consequences of those actions, changed the All-Star center’s entire demeanor.
Imago
He wasn’t complaining when getting fouled or trying to get the referee’s attention if somebody nudged him off the ball. Victor Wembanyama was standing on business tonight in Game 5. He challenged the Timberwolves to try and upset his rhythm. Unfortunately, Minnesota lost sight of the main goal in their attempt to force Wemby into another mistake.
The result was that Wembanyama took all of their attention, and the Spurs demolished the Wolves by 29 points. Victor Wembanyama went off for 27 points and 17 rebounds, ensuring San Antonio maintains the home court advantage in this series. At just 22, the Spurs’ transformative talisman has already taken the next step. He’s speed running through his NBA development, and Mitch Johnson recognised his immediate growth.
Mitch Johnson lauds Victor Wembanyama’s maturity
Wembanyama was facing a lot of heat from the NBA community after his ejection in Game 4. Kendrick Perkins and Stephen A. Smith agreed he should have been suspended for Game 5. Others suggested there needs to be a punishment. None of those things happened, but it would be enough to pull somebody down.
However, the NBA’s blocks leader this season never let opinions seep into his self-judgement. Wembanyama knew what he did was out of order and unusual. So he learned a lesson and moved on. “I’m focused. I was focused on the game today and now I’m focusing on the game in Minnesota in three days. It’s the playoffs. We got to move on and I got to care about my team,” he said about dealing with his Game 4 ejection.
His demeanor particularly impressed head coach Mitch Johnson. He was the first to defend Victor Wembanyama after Game 4, highlighting the league’s failure to protect the 22-year-old. But when Wemby could have easily fed into the notion of trying to protect himself, he just put the moment past him. With a clear head, he pushed San Antonio to the verge of making their first conference finals since 2017.
“The one word I would like to use is ‘mature.’ I think there’s a lot that happened in the last 48 hours and the last game. I think the way that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways, in a variety of situations, not just in terms of his production, was extremely mature,” Johnson said, praising Victor Wembanyama.
The 22-year-old set an example for a team that’s very short on playoff experience. Being young doesn’t mean players have to lose their minds over one mistake. Wembanyama didn’t allow the Game 4 incident to represent who he is as a player. The Spurs’ mainstay responded with a statement on the court. No drama, just pure hoops to will the Spurs to a dominant victory.
