Spurs-Timberwolves Game 3: The First and Fourth Quarters Were Ruled by an Alien — Humanity Never Stood a Chance

The final score — 115-108 — looks close. But with Victor Wembanyama on the floor, the game felt different. It was as if the Timberwolves were playing two entirely separate games: one when Wembanyama was on the court, and another when he wasn't.

Split the game into two halves — first and fourth quarters vs. second and third — and they felt completely disconnected from one another. Wembanyama dominated the first and fourth. He opened the game forcing Minnesota to play more than half the first quarter before scoring its first field goal. He then exploded for 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, finishing with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

With Wembanyama on the floor, the Spurs outscored Minnesota by 14 points. That means over the roughly 11 minutes he sat, the Timberwolves had to beat San Antonio by at least 15 just to win — a mountain they couldn't climb. Even as Anthony Edwards caught fire in the middle quarters, with help from Terrence Shannon Jr. and Naz Reid, once cutting the lead to just one point, Wembanyama loomed like an impassable mountain.

He is only 22 years old and 125 days.

To be honest, if Edwards hadn't erupted in the first quarter during Wembanyama's rest minutes, I'd have worried about Minnesota setting a single-quarter record — for all the wrong reasons. The NBA record for fewest points in a first quarter is 7 (and 5 for any quarter). Minnesota went nearly six minutes and 50 seconds before scoring its first point — on a free throw — trailing 14-1.

The Timberwolves eventually found the same kind of resilient spirit that carried them past Denver in the first round. Julius Randle even drove and posterized Wembanyama. At halftime, the game was tied. Outside of Edwards (7-of-13 shooting), the rest of Minnesota's roster shot 10-of-36. Edwards grabbed 9 rebounds by halftime, leading by example on every possession. He finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists in 40 minutes and 33 seconds — a performance worthy of immense respect. But the opponent on the other side was something else entirely.

In the final five minutes, with the officials allowing maximum physicality, Wembanyama hit a turnaround fadeaway and then a three-pointer. Minnesota had no answer. They had tried to use physicality to push him away from the paint, but if he is knocking down deep threes like that — well, there's no answer. Not just for the Timberwolves, but for any team in the league. All they can do is pray.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch made numerous adjustments. Mike Conley was struggling early, so Finch essentially DNP'd him the rest of the way, giving Ayo Dosunmu significant minutes. Minnesota effectively used only eight players — Conley played just four minutes. Finch optimized his seven-man rotation to the extreme, searching for any way to attack the minutes when Wembanyama sat in the second half. He assigned Gobert to Luke Kornet. He cycled through small-ball and big lineups. He left nothing on the table.

But nothing worked. Finch had no answer for Wembanyama's dominance on both ends. The final line: 13-of-18 shooting, 3-of-5 from deep, 39 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks. Just the fourth player in NBA playoff history to record such a stat line, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal.

The NBA is a gathering of geniuses. Victor Wembanyama is a genius among geniuses. His defense has always met expectations. But his offensive development has exceeded everyone's wildest projections. True geniuses never stop evolving — as if there is no ceiling. 

And do not forget: This is Wembanyama's first playoff run. He is 22 years old. And he is already capable of changing everything.