Victor Wembanyama wrote his name into NBA history in a way that doesn't get written often. The Frenchman recorded 12 blocks in the opening game of the second-round playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves - a new record for most blocks in a single playoff game, breaking a record that had stood for 41 years.

Until Tuesday night, three players shared the record - Andrew Bynum (2012), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990) and Mark Eaton (1985), all with 11 blocks in a single game. Wembanyama set himself apart by blocking Anthony Edwards with just over 8 minutes left in regulation. After that 11th block - and until he added one more - the stat line was more than history. It was a statement that the new era of the big man starts now, not tomorrow.

By half-time he already had 7 blocks - the second-highest half-time tally in a playoff game in the era of advanced stats, one block behind the legendary Dwight Howard's record. Alongside the 12 blocks, Wembanyama finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds - a defensive-flavoured triple-double.

Ironically, San Antonio lost 102-104. Edwards and the Timberwolves found a way to steal the game even though Wembanyama had shut the paint and the free-throw line. One block doesn't bring you a win, but three records in one night brings you a reputation.

What this shows isn't just one good game - it's the template of a player who is rewriting the rules of how defence is played in the NBA. The DPOY trophy has been in his hands since last season, and if San Antonio loses the series, no one will remember it for longer than three weeks. The number 12, however, will sit in the books long after most of us are no longer in shape to read them.