Victor Wembanyama finally reveals why Karl-Anthony Towns is causing him more problems

The San Antonio Spurs are down 0-2 in the NBA Finals, and the biggest reason isn't Jalen Brunson. It's the big man Karl-Anthony Towns who has been the gravitational force across both games, keeping the Spurs, and specifically Victor Wembanyama, off-balance in ways no opponent has managed all postseason.

Towns finished Game 2 with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists on 8-of-12 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three. Before foul trouble slowed him in the third quarter, he was simply having his way.

In the first half alone, Towns posted 17 points with a plus-13 plus-minus as he headed toward the locker room at halftime, ABC broadcast cameras caught him saying about Wembanyama, "He can't — with me." The unanimous Defensive Player of the Year had no answer.

That mismatch didn't go unnoticed by Wemby himself. After San Antonio's one-point loss, the 22-year-old was direct about what makes this matchup unlike anything he faced in the Western Conference, including the seven-game war against OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.

"It's very different from previous series," Wembanyama said. "It's bringing us into difficult areas because they're good players. He's a good player. We need to figure it out."

Towns poses a structural problem for San Antonio that goes beyond raw talent. Victor Wembanyama usually thrives by roaming the paint as a rim protector while his guards funnel driving players toward him. This system breaks down against KAT. 

When the Knicks use a five-out lineup with Towns at center, Wembanyama must guard the perimeter, which pulls him away from the basket and removes his biggest defensive impact.

This shift stands in contrast to where Towns was earlier this year. In February, Shaquille O'Neal criticized him on ESPN's postgame show for playing soft. O'Neal told Towns, "You need to be great for you guys to win the championship. You played well, you played in the paint — that's how you should play. You should always play great." 

When Towns responded that winning a ring mattered more to him than individual credit, O'Neal pushed back, responding, "It's about mentality. When I tell you you gotta do this and do that, don't respond by saying you're trying to look out for everybody. You gotta be great."

Four months later, Towns is delivering and Wembanyama has not found an answer. Through two games, the Knicks have limited Wembanyama to 40.5% shooting and forced 10 turnovers, with Towns anchoring the effort on both ends of the floor. As the series moves to Madison Square Garden on Monday, San Antonio is running out of time to fix the matchup.

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