Despite trailing by two games in the series, San Antonio will look to head to New York unfazed. Coach Mitch Johnson insists rediscovering the team’s elite identity is the key to silencing a hostile Garden.
After losing Game 2 of the NBA Finals in heartbreaking fashion to the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs will be heading to the Big Apple to try and salvage their championship hopes.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson made it clear that panic is not setting in inside San Antonio's locker room. Instead, the focus remains on rediscovering the level of basketball that carried the team to the league's biggest stage.
"We don't feel like we played well or up to our standard in the last two games," Johnson said in his postgame interview. "New York's played very well, and they're a part of that. But we're going to go into game three, and if we play our brand of basketball up to our standard, we'll be just fine."
Johnson's comments reveal a team that believes the series is far from over despite the difficult position. While the Knicks deserve credit for gaining an advantage through the first two games, the Spurs are looking inward rather than dwelling on the scoreboard.
San Antonio has spent the entire season building an identity around ball movement, defensive intensity, and unselfish play. Through the opening two games of the Finals, those strengths have only appeared in stretches. Too often, the Spurs have looked out of sync offensively and unable to sustain momentum when opportunities have presented themselves.
Even so, Game 2 showed just how narrow the margin has been. The Spurs were within striking distance throughout the contest and nearly stole a win despite not performing at the level Johnson expects.
Victor Wembanyama had a shot to win it at the buzzer, but missed the mid-range that would have evened up the series. And especially after his turnover that led to the Jalen Brunson free throw that gave New York the lead. Wemby himself knows he can play better.
But one encouraging thing is how he got better over the course of the game. Wembanyama had just seven points and had only shot four times at the half, but he finished with 29, showing that he wants to be more aggressive going forward.
The challenge now shifts to Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will attempt to take full control of the series. The atmosphere will be hostile, and the pressure on the Spurs will only increase.
Still, Johnson's comments suggest San Antonio views Game 3 as an opportunity rather than a desperation situation. The Spurs know they have yet to play their best basketball in this series. If they can finally reach the standard they hold themselves to, they believe the Finals could look very different by the time the series returns to Texas.
