The San Antonio Spurs entered this season with something they haven’t had since the late Tim Duncan years: momentum, expectation, and genuine urgency. Victor Wembanyama ’s third year in the NBA began with thunder. A 40-point, 15-rebound, three-block masterpiece in a blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks reignited the idea that the Spurs’ rebuild might accelerate faster than anyone expected.

The Spurs opened the year with a flawless 5-0 start , and in those early weeks, the Wembanyama leap felt inevitable. He was no longer just a phenomenon but a player shaping the outcomes of games by his presence alone.

But basketball seasons are not linear arcs. Two straight losses brought the Spurs back to earth . Wembanyama’s past two outings, 19 points against the Lakers and nine points ag

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