San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson credited his team’s pace and paint scoring as key factors in their 107-91 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center.
“I think we just continue to double down on the pace… We obviously got to the paint quite a bit and over the totality of the game that I think lent itself in our advantage,” Johnson said.
He highlighted Keldon Johnson’s performance, who scored 27 points in 28 minutes, as a major reason for the Spurs’ consistency this season. “He’s as consistent as it gets… He made half of our threes tonight,” Johnson said, adding that the sophomore could be in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year.
Jeremy Sochan also drew praise for his all-around play. “I thought he competed his butt off… Shot the ones that came to him and he was in rhythm, made them. And other times he made great plays off the basketball,” Johnson said.
Johnson explained Keldon Johnson’s recent surge in efficiency. “In this league, it takes young players a while to settle in. He is as comfortable and content in his own skin in his role as anybody in the league… He plays the game hard and the work he’s put in is paying off.”
Victor Wembanyama, returning from a two-game absence, contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds. Johnson said the team is monitoring his minutes carefully: “He was about at that threshold… We’ll be mindful of his minutes. He’s not going to play 40 minutes anytime soon.”
Johnson emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence during shooting slumps. “Not overthink about it… It’s a rough patch, and that’s why you got to do other parts of the game… We won games tonight because we did other stuff pretty good.”
He also praised the Spurs’ ability to attack the paint consistently. “Keldon and Vic did a great job… Vic did a great job screening. It’s probably underrated, but he’s really improved as a screener, creating advantages for himself and teammates.”
Despite San Antonio shooting just 4-of-25 from three-point range, the team maintained control with strong defensive rotations and ball movement. De’Aaron Fox added 14 points and Stephon Castle scored 15 to support the Spurs’ balanced attack.
The Lakers were limited by injuries to LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura, with Luka Doncic posting a triple-double of 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Johnson noted that even without consistent outside shooting, San Antonio’s depth and paint scoring allowed them to dictate the game.
The Spurs move into second place in the Western Conference and will face Boston on Saturday, while the Lakers host Milwaukee on Friday.
