“I think we felt what road NBA basketball looks like against good teams,” said Mitch Johnson.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road 112-110. The team is now 1-2 to the Wolves this regular season.
Victor Wembanyama led the team with 34 points and eight rebounds. Harrison Barnes had 24, and Chris Paul had six and 14 assists.
Jeremy Sochan added five points and four rebounds, Devin Vassell recorded 22, Keldon Johnson had 13 and six rebounds, and Charles Bassey finished with four.
Head coach Gregg Popovich was also out due to illness. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson assumed head coaching duties for the game.
The Spurs are 16-16 this season and will host the Clippers on Tuesday night.
Here’s a sample of what the teams said after the game.
Mitch Johnson:
“They (Wolves) are elite. I felt them in the second quarter the most with the 12 points. They did a good job. They’re physical. They’re athletic. They have good individual defenders. They’re connected as a team. I was happy to our response to the second quarter in the first half but they are a great team. I think we felt what road NBA basketball looks like against good teams.”
“I think it’s our late-game execution; it’s an area of improvement for us, putting us in position, battled for 44 or 46 minutes to give ourselves a chance to win, and then just finishing out games is something we can get better at.”
Chris Finch:
“I thought we did a good job of taking away their primary, and then you know, it was a two point game so, Wembanyama (Victor Wembanyama) rolling clean to the rim, Rudy (Gobert) had to make a decision and go and he made the right one, he went with Wemby and then you left the non-shooter open and that’s what you gotta do in that moment, you gotta make your choice.”