Here’s what Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs had to say after picking up a win in Brooklyn.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs beat the Brooklyn Nets on the road 96-87 Friday night. The win snaps their 2-game losing skid.
Victor Wembanyama led the team with 19 points and six blocks. Stephon Castle had six points and two rebounds, and Chris Paul had five and five assists.
Jeremy Sochan added 12 points and 14 rebounds, Devin Vassell recorded 10, Keldon Johnson had 15 and one assist, and Julian Champagnie finished with 18 and two rebounds.
Head coach Gregg Popovich was also out due to illness. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson assumed head coaching duties for the game.
The Spurs are 16-15 this season and will visit the Timberwolves on Sunday.
Here’s a sample of what the teams said after the game.
Mitch Johnson:
“I thought the sluggish start on both ends was disappointing. I thought Julian [Champagnie], along with Tre [Jones] and Keldon [Johnson], brought some energy off the bench, and some guys followed. Julian was great on both sides of floor. It’s funny, sometimes when you put yourself into the game with effort and energy, the ball finds you, you make a shot, you get a whistle.”
Champagnie:
“The guys always are telling me to shoot the basketball. So anytime I feel like I have an open shot or I can get the ball off, I’m going to shoot it. But shots just fell. I got the first one and got some rhythm.”
Wembanyama:
“I guess, maturity. Being able to prepare leading up to the game mentally. To give the same kind of effort. Talking to myself, my family here, most of us had our families, and we had a lot on our minds with Christmas. Maybe that’s a maturity thing, to be able to focus on the game and to answer to the game plan on any night.
“We got to be better than that. Defensively, just everything. Even hustling. They [Nets] were being more physical [in the first half]. I think in the second half, we put an emphasis on staying up in them and respecting the opponent. Just doing what we need to do to be successful. Obeying the basketball gods.”
See what Nets head coach Jordi Fernández, Keon Johnson and Shake Milton had to say: