Proud of them they fought their asses off they’re made of the right of stuff they’re 2 rotation players away from dominating the next decade #GoSpursGo #NBAFinals

Down 3-1, the Spurs are facing elimination. Heading into Game 5, the most important space on the floor isn't the 94x50 feet of hardwood—it's the space between the Spurs players' ears as they try to bounce back from a brutal Game 4 loss. But the biggest spotlight tonight isn't on the roster. It's on Mitch Johnson. The onus is squarely on the head coach. Johnson has been far too conservative with his rotations, playing it safe and placing immense wear and tear on his top 6 players. Meanwhile, Mike Brown isn't playing safe at all—his willingness to trust the Knicks' bench to swing momentum has given New York an advantage in this series. The Game 5 Blueprint to Survival: • Trust the Depth: Johnson must have more faith in his bench. Giving meaningful minutes to Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity to keep the starters fresh enough to close out. • Win the Mental War: The physical execution won't matter if San Antonio lets the weight of a 3-1 deficit dictate their poise. They need to play loose, aggressive basketball. • Match the Chess Moves: When Brown goes to his bench to alter the rhythm, Johnson can't hesitate. He has to counter. Forcing a Game 6 would be the ultimate proof of this young team's mental fortitude, toughness, and resolve. Even if they ultimately fall short of their championship goal in this series, pushing it to New York for game 6 would bode well for their long-term future. It's win or go home. #NBAFinals #GoSpursGo #SpursKnicks #Game5

If the Knicks go on to win this series—which is obviously more likely than not—they’ve benefited from having smart, disciplined players, an A coaching change, and, most importantly, time. This will be the worst version of the Spurs we’ll see in the playoffs for the next decade plus. The hard part of the Spurs' rebuild is done. The next step will be adding complementary bench depth that can actually contribute and be more useful than just providing moral support, which is the case now. Think how different things may be in this series if the Spurs had an OKC's Jaylin Williams-type big as an option to both spell Victor and play alongside him to defend KAT in critical moments. This Spurs team is incomplete, yet pushing the veteran, playoff-tested Knicks to the limit in every game. The Knicks very well could be NBA champions in a couple of days, but whose future would you rather have for the next decade: the Spurs or the Knicks?

The Spurs answered the call in Game 3, securing a gritty 115-111 win to breathe life into the Finals (NYK lead 2-1). Before Game 4 tips off, let’s look at the adjustments San Antonio actually checked off our list, and how their unsung heroes flipped the script: ✅ Unlocked Wemby & the Paint: They stopped choking the middle. Spacing Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie on the weak side cleared the lane. Victor had room to operate, punishing the Knicks inside and dropping 6 crucial assists. ✅ Hunted Jalen Brunson: The Spurs finally made Brunson work on defense. Relentless attacking put him in severe foul trouble, disrupting the Knicks' offensive flow and keeping their star guard hesitant. ✅ Fixed the Shooting Alignment: Vassell went nuclear (75% from deep) and Champagnie hit 43% from 3, forcing New York's compact defense to pay for collapsing on the drive. ✅ Playmaker Synergy: De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and rookie Dylan Harper relentlessly touched the paint, generating highly efficient 1.5 points per possession on kick-out 3s. The Game 4 Checklist to Tie the Series: • Keep Hunting 11: Brown will try to hide Brunson on defense in Game 4. The Spurs must aggressively seek him out in screening actions again to repeat the blueprint. • Keep the Floor Mapped: Stick to the weakside corner alignment. Don’t let Castle and Wemby clog the same driving lanes. • Brace for the Response: New York is going to pressure the ball much higher up the floor to stop the drive-and-kick. The Spurs guards must handle the heat. #NBAFinals #GoSpursGo #Wembanyama #Game4

How the Spurs get back into the series 🏀 Slow it down: Spurs guards Castle in particular have been guilty of driving to the rim without a plan leading to over penetration and getting trapped in the paint leading to momentum killing turnovers 👽 Unlock Wemby: Give Victor space to operate clear out a side force help to cover more distance put Knicks in conflict either help or concede open looks 🎯 Target Brunson: Force the Knicks' star into defensive actions to tire him out whoever Brunson defending should be the designated screener on most if not all possessions 🔥 More Dylan Harper: The rookie brings the highest impact. Increasing his minutes from 30 per game to a minimum 38 minutes eliminates a defensive hiding spot for Brunson Both games were decided in the final 2 mins. The Spurs can swing this series if they tighten up the details. #NBAFinals #Spurs #GoSpursGo #Wembanyama #DylanHarper

It’s not complicated the Spurs success or lack there of is directly tied to their 3 pt shooting were unbeaten reg season when shooting 35% shot 29% in gm 5 OKC shot 55% non corner 3’s story of the game

Spurs currently have 3 unplayable bigs on the roster Biyombo, Olynyk & Plumlee there’s no reason to carry that much dead weight into the playoffs

If Castle, Keldon and Fox just go 4/16 from 3 instead of 0/16 from 3 Saturday against the Nuggets the narrative being spun from that game would be so different today

Victor Wembanyama was absolutely special today. He finished with 34 PTS, 18 REB, 7 AST, and 5 BLK. He went blow-for-blow with Jokic (40 PTS), proving once again that he is already at that MVP-caliber level. He did everything he could to carry the load in a hostile environment. /2

"SGA is flirting with unlikability for me." @RandyScottESPN on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming unwatchable after going to the free throw line 25 times last night

Adam Silver watching Wemby’s MVP comments drive engagement

OKC fans flip out in 3-2-1… nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-…

The fact that Wemby is on here At 1 4 and 7 is insane and it Tells you all you need to know. 1. He was Robbed of DPOY in his Rookie season. 2. He's 7th on this list only playing half a season due to Deep Vein Thrombosis 3. This season is his best year yet , and it Shows. And if you need any more proof of Victor Wembanyama and his Offensive presence (which most believe is what is holding him back from MVP) here is more proof. There is absolutely 0 reason why Victor Wembanyama shouldn't overtake Derrick Rose for the youngest MVP in NBA HISTORY. Stop hating on how Wemby answered a question, and actually study and see why Wemby is the True MVP this season.

"This is no debate. This is open and shut, Victor Wembanyama." —@WindhorstESPN on which star he would start a team with 🏀

Couldn’t agree more with Kerr why is an offensive player allowed to make contact in a way that would be deemed a foul if the defensive player did it?