Victor Wembanyama breaks postseason single-game blocks record vs. Timberwolves

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksLatest Mock DraftWhat Makes Up Championship DNA?Player Poll: Who is the MVP?Player Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Playoffs San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama blocks Minnesota's Terrence Shannon Jr.'s layup during the first quarter of Game 1 of the teams' Western Conference semifinal Monday night. Ronald Cortes / Getty Images Share article3Victor Wembanyama growled in frustration as he punched the air. Presumably angry at himself. With about a minute left in the first half, Minnesota’s Naz Reid drove from the left wing and scooped a finger roll high off the glass. Wembanyama, coming over from the weakside, barely missed Reid’s lofting layup. It was one of the few Timberwolves shots in his vicinity that he didn’t get to in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday. The San Antonio Spurs star and freshly crowned Defensive Player of the Year set a new NBA record with 11 blocks in a single postseason game. Wembanyama tied the previous figure of 10 blocks at the 2:54 mark of the third quarter on a layup up attempt by Minnesota’s Bones Hyland. In one jump, Wembanyama took two swipes at the scoop shot, first with his left and then with his right. He broke the record at the 8:26 mark of the fourth quarter. Anthony Edwards, driving down the right side, split a pair of defenders and tried for a layup. But Wembanyama slapped it against the backboard and started a Spurs fast break. With the play, Wembanyama had a new career-high, regular season or postseason. Three players shared the previous record for blocks, which became an official statistic in the 1973-74 season. Utah’s Mark Eaton was the first to do it in 1985 — against Houston’s twin towers of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Olajuwon, the Hall of Fame center, did it next in 1990 against the Lakers. Andrew Bynum matched the feat for the Lakers in 2012 against Denver. Eaton was 28 years old. Olajuwon was 27. Bynum was 24. Wembanyama is 22. Minnesota upset Denver in the first round last week thanks to a scheme of attacking the interior of the third-seeded Nuggets. Their main offensive strategy was driving into the paint — because “they’re all bad defenders,” per Jaden McDaniels — and put pressure on the rim. While San Antonio is one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Timberwolves didn’t change their previous strategy. But it wasn’t Nikola Jokić waiting for them in the paint. Wembanyama made his presence felt 22 seconds into the game. Minnesota guard Terrance Shannon Jr. — the third-string guard thrust into the starting lineup because of injuries and gave Denver trouble with his explosiveness — tried to set the tone early for his team, but Wembanyama ended up dictating that. He blocked seven shots in the first half. Nearly half of Minnesota’s 18 missed shots in the first 24 minutes were Wembanyama rejections. That changed Minnesota’s approach. The Timberwolves became much less aggressive in the paint knowing Wembanyama lurked. It took four minutes into the second half for him to get another block. McDaniels lost Spurs point guard DeAaron Fox with a nifty move in the post, only to have Wembanyama emerge from the weakside to swat it away. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms