The Towns-Wembanyama matchup is shaping the Finals.
San Antonio has a minus-11.4 net rating over 221 possessions with Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns sharing the floor. The Spurs have scored 105.9 points and allowed 117.3 per 100 possessions in those minutes.
The picture changes when Wembanyama plays without Towns. Across 90 possessions, San Antonio owns a 133.2 offensive rating, a 95.1 defensive rating and a plus-38.1 net rating. The difference is 49.5 points per 100 possessions.
That split does not prove Towns created the entire gap. It does show the matchup has been far harder for San Antonio than expected.
Both teams have held the other to its worst playoff offensive rating. Wembanyama troubling New York is no surprise. Towns doing the same to the Spurs is.
Resting Wembanyama is not an easy answer. San Antonio is minus-25.7 without him in this series and was minus-20.7 against Oklahoma City. He is averaging 40.3 minutes, his highest mark in any playoff series.
For Game 5, the Spurs need to change the Towns matchup. The Knicks need Towns on the floor, attacking San Antonio's defense consistently and staying away from foul trouble.
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