Victor Wembanyama set an NBA playoff record with 12 blocks, but the San Antonio Spurs came up short in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Heading into their second-round matchup against the Minnesota Timbereolves, the San Antonio Spurs and their fans were well-aware of the fact that the series would be physical and dominated by defense.
From start to finish in Game 1, that was the case. The Spurs lost, 104-102, on Monday night, and both teams set the tone on their first defensive possession. To kick off the game, Victor Wembanyama rejected a Terrence Shannon Jr. layup, and then on the other end, Rudy Gobert sent a Julian Champagnie shot flying.
Gobert and Wembanyama are close friends, with a mentor/mentee relationshop. Gobert helped introduce the American basketball world to Wembanyama when he was just a teenager, but in the postseason, there is no love lost between the French pair.
The Wolves were able to overcome the Spurs' stifling defense, stealing Game 1 on the road.
Wembanyama Sets Playoff Block Record
As if winning the league's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year wasn't enough to cement Wembanyama as the best defender in the world, he decided to make his mark, finishing with 12 blocks, a playoff record.
However, on the offensive end, he came up short, scoring only 11 points on five-of-17 shooting.
Despite Wembanyama's one-way showing, the Spurs were able to keep it close, in large part thanks to Dylan Harper's 18 points.
The Wolves, meanwhile, were led by Julius Randle's 21 points, with Anthony Edwards scoring 18 off the bench. Edwards was initially expected to miss most--if not all--of the Western Conference Semifinals, but "Wolverine" made a much speedier return, playing 25 minutes.
Edward's surprise showing was just what the Wolves needed, and fans can expect him to get better and better and healthier and healthier as the series goes on. The Spurs will face an uphill battle, despite being the higher seed.
In the coming games, the Spurs will need more offense from both big men, as Luke Kornet only added two points to go with Wembanyama's 11-point showing. The Spurs are in real danger to kick off the series, and will look to defend their home court in Game 2 on Wednesday. Both teams struggled to get their offense going, and fans can look forward to an old-school playoff bout for the rest of the series.