Spurs coach perfectly describes upset win vs. Thunder

11/21/2024 02:00 PM

A home game vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder represented Mitch Johnson’s 10th game as the San Antonio Spurs acting head coach. Some of these contests have featured fantastic individual performances, like Victor Wembanyama’s 50-point outburst, and blowouts against good teams, like a 20-point showing against the Sacramento Kings. Perhaps though, none were as satisfying as Tuesday’s 110-104 triumph vs. OKC.

ClutchPoints posed that very question to Johnson.

Spurs postgame

Asked Mitch Johnson if beating Oklahoma City without Wemby, Vassell and Sochan was his most satisfying win since he started leading the #Spurs

"It's a really good win vs a really good team.."

Full answer #GoSpursGo#PorVidapic.twitter.com/FfvmuA1o5P

— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) November 20, 2024

“It’s a really good win. For sure. It’s great when you have a collection of guys that feel like they participated and I think everybody felt like they participated in the win,” the 37-year-old coach said of an effort that didn’t include Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan because of injuries.

“It's a really good win vs a really good team."

Spurs hold on for big win

Though they were missing a key piece of their own with Chet Holmgren out because of injury, Oklahoma City entered the game with an 11-3 record. Now 12-4, the Thunder sit near the top of the Western Conference standings. It’s not surprising that they nearly erased all of a 21 point deficit vs. the shorthanded Spurs.

“They ramped up the pressure obviously. We knew they were going to make a run and we needed some guys to make plays and those guys stepped up. [We] Had a couple of shaky positions on offense and it’s tough in this league for 48 minutes,” Johnson continued on his opponent.

“It’s a long game and we got on our heels for a little bit, probably lost our pace and weren’t quite as decisive there in the mid to late fourth quarter and I thought those guys made some really good shots.”

Johnson added that his offense hit key shots down the stretch as well.

“I bet when we look back at those possessions, we had a little bit better spacing, a little bit more decisive strong drives and didn’t let them get us on our heels.”

“I thought we did a good job of weathering their storm and we made just enough plays to stay enough ahead to have a little bit of breathing room.”

A total team effort

Keldon Johnson led all San Antonio scorers with 22 points vs. OKC. Harrison Barnes added 20. They were among seven Spurs, including all five starters, in double figures.

“Name ’em,” Johnson responded when asked which players had performed well within the context of the team’s injuries.

“I think as a group they’re motivated,” Johnson added. “I just think they trusted the game plan even when it wavered at times.”

“Good teams make shots and I think they did a good job of not flinching when they made a few shots and probably loosened up our game plan a little bit and continued to try to close off the paint and the driving lanes,” the Spurs acting coach continued. “They’ve got two guys over there in [Shai] Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams who are really hard to keep out of the paint.”

Though it’s believed that Wemby and Vassell are dealing with “bumps and bruises” more so than actual injuries, it appears the Silver and Black will play at least one more game without them.

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