The San Antonio Spurs are officially title frontrunners, and people around the NBA are willing to ignore one major concern.
As the San Antonio Spurs push towards the playoffs, they can't shake one nagging criticism.
"Oh, they're good, but they've never made it to the playoffs before, and they aren't prepared for what the postseason will bring."
People are saying that, but does anyone actually believe it? The folks who watch their games certainly don't, and it seems to be the only criticism an increasingly negative national media can tout.
The people who have to face the Spurs see them as legitimate contenders and expect a seven-game series to be lopsided, no matter who they play.
Spurs to Give Opponents 'Nightmares'
It's true, this current version of the Spurs has never made the postseason, and the experience on their roster is fairly limited. Up until this season, Victor Wembanyama had never played meaningful NBA basketball.
Don't expect that to stand in his way.
"They're my favorite now," an NBA scout told ESPN's Brian Windhorst. "I've been thinking a lot about it. His game is going to be even more dominant in the playoffs, and every game he's going to get more and more into your head. In Game 1, your players will think about him on some of their shots. By Game 4, they'll be having full-on nightmares."
Wembanyama is a defensive menace who should be able to thrive with the increased physicality allowed in the postseason. He has already made a career for himself breaking open opponents' game plans, and in the postseason, with little room for error, expect him to continue to improve his game.
Imagine this: in Game 1, he finishes with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. That's a pretty average night for him at this point in his career, but in the regular season, teams can simply move on to the next game on their schedule.
In the postseason, teams have to play against him three more times. Will they get savvy and figure him out? Or will they simply be demoralized and play uninspiring basketball for the rest of the series?
"Do you think Victor is going to be intimidated by the moment?" asked a different executive. "Good luck with that."
After seeing him celebrate even the smallest wins this season, and recalling how emotional he was during the 2024 Olympics, it's safe to say that the postseason will bring about an even more intense version of The Alien.