Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals saw star big man Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secure their third victory of the series. Now, with a 3-2 lead, the momentum lies firmly in Wemby’s hands to close the deal and advance for a Western Conference Finals showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tonight, with his team on the cusp of a major milestone, the young center spoke up about the team’s progress and expressed pride in how they responded to their first real adversity of the playoffs.
“I’m not going to reveal anything, obviously, but he made his talking even more impactful by being there,” said Victor, via Carolina Teague. “But he gives feedback, talks to us regularly. As always, when he speaks, everybody listens.”
For Victor, tonight was an important swing game in the series. Back home, it was important for the Spurs to seize control and put pressure on their opponent to stave off elimination. That came out firing out of the gate to secure a 12-point lead at halftime, which steadily grew throughout the night (126-97).
“We did what we were supposed to do at home,” said Wembanyama. “Came out, set the tone. We won, so that’s the point. Job’s not finished, we need one more game to get to the Conference Finals.”
Despite the victory (and the good vibes that followed), Victor’s violent incident in Game 4 still lingers. It was so out of character for him to do so, and many critics still want answers for what happened and why the league did not issue a suspension. Nevertheless, Wembanyama has already moved on from the incident, as he told reporters on Monday.
“It’s been two games ago. It’s the playoffs,” Victor said, via Maxime Aubin. “I was focused on my game that day, and now I have to focus on Game 6 in Minneapolis in three days. It’s the playoffs. You have to move forward, and I have to think about my team.”
Victor was the leading scorer for the Spurs tonight with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks on 9-16 shooting and 2-5 shooting from three. He was +24 in 33 minutes, making his presence known in various ways on the floor. It was a reminder of what the Spurs missed when he was ejected in the last game, and it gave Anthony Edwards the full clearance to take over.
This time, however, Victor kept his composure and carried the Spurs to a dominant victory. Still, the job is not yet done, and the Timberwolves will not give up so lightly. With two days off before the next game, Edwards and his teammates will be prepping hard to extend the series and force a Game 7. The road ahead won’t be easy, but the Spurs only need one more win to make the Conference Finals, where their toughest test awaits against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now is not the time to get caught up in the past, and Victor won’t let any distractions get in the way. From now until the end, it’s full steam ahead, and the Spurs will do everything they can to tip the odds in their favor.
