The San Antonio Spurs have cited good vibes and a team-first mentality for their success all season long, and that hasn't changed one bit as they kicked off their postseason run.
Two things can be true: the San Antonio Spurs are Victor Wembanyama's team, and the Spurs boast the best "team first" mentality in the NBA.
No one would argue that the Spurs would have found the same level of success this season had Wembanyama not been on the roster, although everyone on the team has bought into their role, understands their job, and is willing and eager to step up or step back on any given night.
In the Spurs' Game 1 and Game 3 wins over the Portland Trail Blazers, it's been a different player leading the show each time. In Game 1, Wembanyama dominated, and Devin Vassell was the perfect sidekick. In Game 3, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper took the lead, with the veterans playing more complementary roles.
For Vassell, who's been on the team longer than anyone aside from Keldon Johnson, the game plans are unfolding perfectly.
Devin Vassell Reiterates Spurs' Mindset
In Game 1, Vassell hit his fair share of big shots to put the Spurs ahead and finished with 15 points. In Game 2, he was much less efficient, but still posted 16 points.
In Game 3, he took a step back on offense, but filled the rebounding void left by Wembanyama.
"Each game is gonna be different," Vassell said after Game 1. "It could be Julian's night, it could be Steph's night, it could be Fox's night. Everybody's gotta be ready to go."
After Game 1, he forgot to list Harper explicitly, although the rookie was on his radar.
"I just want to say a huge shout out to Dylan, because it's tough coming in as your number two pick, and you don't come in, you're not starting, you're not getting those minutes, you're not getting those touches that you want," said Vassell on Saturday. "To be able to come out here and the biggest game of his career, of all of our careers, honestly, and for him to step up like that just shows the hard work and the patience that he's had and the confidence that he has in himself."
In Game 4 on Sunday, Vassell has no idea who will take over, but he's sure it will be someone.
"It's everybody," he summed up. "I don't think it's just one person. We all come together, and it's just a big team thing. Everybody is just one stop at a time."
With tipoff slated for 2:30 CST, the Spurs will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead before the series heads back to San Antonio.