Following an electric offseason, the Spurs are heading towards their first playoff berth since 2019. While it’s no guarantee, the stars have aligned for San Antonio to make the comeback. If the Silver and Black’s dreams do come true, we will get the honor to witness Victor Wembanyama’s postseason debut.
With Wembanyama’s absurd talent and hasty arrival to superstardom comes high expectations for postseason success. As he absolutely dominated in several high-stakes regular-season games, the same results should be possible in the playoffs. Additionally, the bar will be set high for an entirely different reason. Vic will be chasing Tim Duncan for the rights to the best playoff debut in Spurs history.
Tim Duncan was destructive in his playoff debut
Duncan wasted no time in acclimating himself to the playoff arena. Just days before his 22nd birthday, the Big Fundamental went off against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1998 NBA Playoffs. Even as a rookie, he was not afraid of the bright lights and came away with one of the most impressive playoff debuts in NBA history.
In this game, Duncan posted 32 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. The Big Fundamental was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball and was nearly unstoppable on offense. The Suns had no idea what to do with him. The rookie outdueled greats Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson, earning his Spurs the W. It was a true spectacle.
Can Wembanyama match or exceed Tim Duncan’s playoff debut?
It is clear that the standard is exceptionally high. Wembanyama will have the world watching him, and the fate of his team will rest on his shoulders. But if you know Vic, you know that he is not afraid of the big moments.
Take the 2024 Olympic Gold Medal game, for example. Matching up against a USA super team, Wembanyama was fearless. The Frenchman gave it his all and nearly willed his lesser squad to victory. With an even greater set of eyes on him, he was electric offensively and did everything that we expected of him.
The NBA Playoff stage is debatably less frightening than the Olympics. His competition won’t be so fierce, and he could potentially draw a very favorable defensive matchup. Let’s say the Spurs matchup against the Nuggets, the Alien would be able to put on a clinic against Nikola Jokic and have plenty of room to succeed.
Averaging 24.3 points last season, Wembanyama can pile up the scoring numbers. With several games over 30 points in his first two seasons and an additional handful over 40, the sharpshooter can heat up at any moment. This could very well happen in his playoff debut.
Wembanyama is more than capable of matching or one-upping Duncan’s legacy game. That is no slight to the Hall of Famer, but rather a testament to our current superstars’ greatness. There is nothing that he can’t do, and the playoffs surely won’t slow him down. Mark your calendar for the playoffs and get ready to witness one of the most memorable Spurs playoff games in history.