Spurs Coach Mitch Johnson Demands 20-Point, 15-Plus-Shot Game From Wembanyama in Game 6
Updated
Updated · Thunderous Intentions · May 28
Spurs Coach Mitch Johnson Demands 20-Point, 15-Plus-Shot Game From Wembanyama in Game 6
6 articles · Updated · Thunderous Intentions · May 28
Game 6 now comes with San Antonio's plan in plain sight: Mitch Johnson said Victor Wembanyama must take more than 15 shots and score more than 20 points after his quiet Game 5.
Those comments point to a clear adjustment near the rim, where Wembanyama has been far more effective; in Spurs wins, he has averaged 37.0 points on 23.5 shots, versus 22.3 on 15.3 shots in losses.
The biggest split is inside 10 feet, where Wembanyama has taken 16.5 shots per game in San Antonio's two wins but only 7.0 in its three losses.
Oklahoma City returns to San Antonio needing one more win to reach the Western Conference finals, leaving Mark Daigneault with a straightforward challenge: blunt Wembanyama's interior attack before it opens the floor for everyone else.
Can Victor Wembanyama handle the public pressure from his coach and save the Spurs' season?
Is a coach's public game plan reveal a brilliant mind game or a fatal strategic error?