The first weekend of the 2026 NBA playoffs is in the books. According to seeds, there was only one upset -- Orlando over Detroit -- but the Lakers beating Houston without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves felt like one, too (even though Kevin Durant didn't play for the Rockets).
There were a number of standout individual Game 1 performances, but we're going to narrow it down to the top five. Starting with ....
Wembanyama was magical in his first career playoff game. He went for 35 points (a Spurs record in a playoff debut, passing Tim Duncan's 32 in 1998) on 13 of 21 shooting. He blocked a couple shots and, as always, changed or deterred a bunch of others.
Look how high Deni Advija has to shoot this layup just to get it above Wemby's reach. The thing damn near goes over the backboard before caroming off the rim.
Look where a 6’8” guy has to attempt his layup against Wemby: very top right corner of the backboard, otherwise it’s getting splattered. pic.twitter.com/yPj89LvQN2
That's not a blocked shot in the box score, but it might as well be. Here Wembanyama puts up a road block on Toumani Camara while hardly having to move, then spikes Jerami Grant's shot without jumping.
Wemby is literally not fair on defense. This is not right pic.twitter.com/KFW7mPPcrd
The dude looks like he's playing with kids. Honest to god, making plays like this at 7-foot-4 is the peak of basketball evolution. I don't know how it can ever get any crazier than this.
WEMBY IN TRANSITION IS UNFAIR 👽Behind the back.Spin.SLAM.He's up to 9 PTS midway through the 1Q in his postseason debut! pic.twitter.com/3XHnoIrxBR
Wemby also made five of his six 3-pointers. That is the second-most 3s made in a playoff debut in league history (trailing, as you probably could've guessed, the great Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Voshon Lenard, each of whom cashed six triples in their playoff opener). Wembanyama hit a bunch of impressive 3s, but flow dribbling into a fading corner job is sick.
Victor Wembanyama dribbles to the corner and DRAINS the fadeaway 3-pointer 😱 pic.twitter.com/FZMTRu6PLw
He also finished three alley-oop dunks, highlighting the outrageous gravity of his rim rolls. It's the reason the Spurs led the league in corner 3-point attempts, because wing defenders are forced to sink down off of their shooters to at least marginally disrupt things like this.
Victor Wembanyama with the alley-oop dunk off a lob by De'Aaron Fox 35 Points for Wemby. pic.twitter.com/rgY8xz7jnx
It's a total pick-your-poison situation. Even when multiple defenders collapse into the paint, all you have to do is toss the ball to the moon and he's the only one who can reach it.
Victor Wembanyama throws down the alley oop jam from De’Aaron Fox.He immediately went to console with his teammates after this. These guys love each other.Spurs up 1-0 in the series. pic.twitter.com/0twlZ83yXo
Indeed, Wembanyama was the best player on the floor in San Antonio's 111-98 Game 1 win. But it wasn't the only playoff debut that went well for the Spurs, as second-year wing Stephon Castle finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Castle didn't shoot it as efficiently, but he was everywhere in this game. The future is now for this Spurs team, and it is impossibly bright.
In terms of importance, you could argue no Game 1 performance ranks higher than Kennard's effort against Houston. Missing the combined 57 PPG that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves averaged this season, the Lakers needed not just a surprise scorer to step up but someone who could do so off some of his own creation.
Kennard provided both. He's always been a more creative scorer than you might realize, comfortable using his motion to get into dribble actions rather than just always catching and shooting. Here he curls around a screen and keeps going downhill for an off-hand scoop.
Here, he comes off the pick and snake dribbles into a fading middy:
No surprise:Luka played the whole 1st and is also the Lakers’ Leading Scorer after 1.Oh, wait…I’m sorry…I meant LUKE.11 pts | 5/6 fgs | 12min pic.twitter.com/S5ppxyGOzB