Why the Spurs disagree on a big takeaway from weekend series vs Nuggets
01/06/2025 02:56 PM
Three different San Antonio Spurs, including acting head coach Mitch Johnson, took the post-game podium following a second straight game vs. the Denver Nuggets. Johnson, Victor Wembanyama, and Harrison Barnes all had different thoughts on splitting against a squad regarded as one of the best in the NBA. Johnson saw the good. Wemby saw the good and the bad. Barnes saw the ugly.
The night before a 122-111 overtime loss at the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs had come up with a 113-110 win in Denver that might serve as their best of the season.
But with a fourth-quarter lead in San Antonio, the Spurs blew a chance to follow up a signature road win with a victory that would’ve cemented their most impressive weekend of the season.
Spurs offer differing views on mini series vs. Nuggets
The team’s interim head coach since Gregg Popovich suffered a mild stroke in early November, Johnson chose to look at a bigger picture when examining the Friday and Saturday contests against the squad that won the NBA championship two years ago.
“I think all of its partially true. Frustrating loss, especially when you felt like you had some control late in the game like we did in the fourth quarter. But you don’t play a team of that caliber two nights in a row as well as we did without saying you’re doing some good things. So it’s that never-ending battle of improvement and perfection, and growing.”
On the other end of the result vs. reality spectrum was newly acquired forward Harrison Barnes. The 13th-year forward is averaging 10.9 rebounds and 3.8 rebounds per game while providing much-needed veteran leadership.
"We have a lot of belief in our locker room and every night we have an expectation to win. I think, for us, there's no moral victory,” the University of North Carolina product said.
“There’s no solace in splitting a back to back. For us, we felt that both games were winnable, we felt like we put ourselves in position to win both. It’s unfortunate that we let go of the rope a little bit there in the fourth and in overtime. So just something to watch for and regroup."
Straddling the fence, though leaning in Barnes’ direction, was the young man who had his 21st birthday spoiled by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Victor Wembanyama scored 20 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and blocked 4 shots to counter Jokic’s 46 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds in their second straight meeting.
“Of course, it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s enough,” Wemby responded when asked if his team’s two showings vs. Denver proved a positive.
“One win is better than zero, but it’s worse than two.”
The reigning Rookie of the Year then invoked his other veteran teammate.
“Chris [Paul] said something very interesting, that I really agreed with. He said, ‘We’re not here to play good games, we’re here to win games.’ We could get satisfied with saying, ‘Yeah, we played them to overtime and good one fellas,’ but that’s now what we want,” the Spurs leading scorer added.
Wembanyama had essentially matched Jokic statistically the night before in a Spurs victory. Though, just like Saturday’s game result, it was overshadowed by what the Spurs didn’t do.
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