Sheer dominance and utter destruction. These are words one would ascribe to Godzilla, King Kong, or even the Thanos of Avengers: Infinity War. But in this case, we’re simply talking about Victor Wembanyama. 

Wembanyama was a nightmare for the Portland Trail Blazers, who had to contend with his long limbs and tenacious instincts on both ends of the floor. He snuck past defenses for easy baskets in the paint and swatted shots away with ease, finishing with three times as many blocks (six) as Portland had for the entire Game 5 (two). 

Even if there is already an air of inevitability in his game, Wembanyamna continues to find ways to mesmerize fans, opponents, teammates who have seen him on pretty much a daily basis, and even his own flesh and blood.

The fact that Wembanyama was able to breeze past the concussion protocol and average 22.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and an insane 6.5 blocks in his two games after returning points not just to his talent, but also his drive to get back and perform at a high level. 

There were moments where it seemed like the San Antonio Spurs could handle the Blazers as Wembanyama worked his way back, but in reality, the Spurs are clearly much better with him on the court. San Antonio’s perimeter players are among the most talented in the league, but they get more open shots when Wembanyama draws defenses. Beyond the gravity, Wembanyama is both a shot finisher and shot creator for himself and his teammates. This makes the Spurs more dynamic and creates mismatches especially when their ball movement is crisp. 

With every high flying act and heavy-usage game, there is a part of the San Antonio office that worries about Wembanyama suffering a freak injury. But then, another part of them is elated that he is more than willing to sacrifice his body to win games. It’s a delicate balance, one the Spurs management has been able to master with each passing season, partly because they have been able to understand how the French big man’s body operates and also because of how he has handled his recovery process. 

Ending the series in five games should also be helpful for Wembanyama and San Antonio, especially as their potential opponent in either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves will likely take their series to the distance. There are benefits to coming into a series having just played some games, but the Spurs are great at keeping their players engaged even during long breaks. 

Victor Wembanyama can use the rest after an eventful few days. After all, a beast kept in chains for a time becomes all the more dangerous when unleashed.