SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs greets Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at the end of the game at Frost Bank Center on March 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are set to take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, April 4, on Amazon Prime Video.
While both teams have already clinched the postseason, the Spurs vs. Nuggets game features two of the best centers in the NBA. Jokic has been atop the league over the past few years, while Wembanyama is quickly rising up the ranks, now a top MVP candidate with the second-highest odds for the top award.
It remains to be seen what will happen between two of the top players in the league, along with two of the best supporting casts in the Western Conference; however, one surprising Wembanyama stat, one that proves the validity of his MVP case, could play a major factor in the Saturday game.
Surprising Victor Wembanyama Stat Emerges Before Spurs vs. Nuggets Game
Wembanyama is arguably the best defensive player in the league, currently the favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
But that’s nothing new. At 7’5″ tall, he blocks shots at a higher rate than anyone in recent league history, forcing opposing offensives to change their decision-making every trip down the floor. That’s been a trend all season, and while he continues to lead the NBA in blocks, a new stat emerged on Wembanyama’s true defensive dominance individually, compared to other teams around the league.
According to StatMuse, using the official NBA statistic database, Wembanyama is averaging more blocks per game since the All-Star Break than four other teams are averaging as a whole.
BPG since the All-Star break:
3.9 — Wemby
3.7 — Knicks
3.5 — Magic
3.4 — Bucks
3.1 — Nuggets
@Novig has his O/U at 3.5 blocks vs Denver today.
“BPG since the All-Star break: 3.9 — Wemby 3.7 — Knicks 3.5 — Magic 3.4 — Bucks 3.1 — Nuggets,” StatMuse wrote on X.
That’s right, Wembanyama is averaging more blocks than the Nuggets team since the All-Star break.
While the upcoming Denver vs. San Antonio game could very well be decided on the offensive end, it’s going to be hard for Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and the rest of the Nuggets to match Wembanyama’s impact on the defensive end.
On the season, Wembanyama is averaging 3.1 blocks per game on the season, which, surprisingly, is the lowest of his career. The Spurs are eighth in the NBA in blocks per game at 5.4, while Denver is much further down at just 3.9, the second least in the league.
Victor Wembanyama MVP Odds And Case
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MARCH 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is surrounded by teammates after he scored the game-winning basket against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center on March 19, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
Wembanyama’s defensive prowess is a key reason why he currently has the second-best MVP odds at this point in the season, only behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
According to DraftKings, Wembanyama’s MVP odds are +800.
When making his MVP case a few weeks ago, the French center mentioned that defense is 50% of the game, and while that is true, his impact on that side of the floor is likely more than half of his impact on the court, despite how well his offensive game has evolved this season.
That is shown in his blocks per game, and the statistic about him averaging more per game over the past month and a half than multiple other teams.
But while looking at his staggering defensive metrics could take a long time to comb through, here are his full stats on the season:
Wembanyama is averaging 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.1 blocks on 50.9/35/82.3 shooting splits in 61 games while the Spurs are 59-18 and second in the West.
In the last two official MVP ladders published on NBA.com, Wembanyama has ranked first, over Gilgeous-Alexander. However, his odds according to most major sportsbooks are still second.
Per the ESPN NBA MVP straw poll, a poll that has correctly predicted the award winner over the past few years, he doesn’t have more votes than the Oklahoma City Thunder star.
Regardless, the Spurs vs. Nuggets game featuring Wembanyama and Jokic could be a symbolic passing of the torch, as while the Serbian has arguably been the best center, or even player in the NBA this decade, the French 22-year-old is right on his heels, highlighted by his defensive dominance.
San Antonio has a firm grip on the second seed in the West, but is hopeful to pass the Thunder in the final week of the regular season.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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