Keldon Johnson emphasized team unity after the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 107-91 on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. “We just come together, stay together as a team… keeping the main thing the main thing and what our goals are as a team,” Johnson said.
The Spurs swingman acknowledged the season’s ups and downs. “It’s a long season… Those games and those losses build character. It really shows you what you’re made of through the tough times,” he added.
Johnson called the win over the Lakers a “quality win” against a top Western Conference opponent. “It shows that the run we made in the start of December wasn’t… we got to keep building those type of games,” he said.
He described his approach to lifting the team when the offense struggles. “Double down on the energy, double down on being that vocal leader, double down on all the little things… just continue to encourage my teammates,” Johnson said.
Facing Luka Doncic presented a challenge, but Johnson credited preparation. “He’s the leading scorer in the NBA… We just stuck to the game plan and tried to make him work as much as possible,” he said.
Johnson downplayed individual accolades in favor of team success. “If I do, I do. If not, winning is the most important thing right now,” he explained in reference to the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Reflecting on his career progression, Johnson described the impact of team support and role clarity. “My teammates believe in me, my coaches believe in me… Playing for a bigger purpose, playing for my teammates, it pushes your mindset to a different level,” he said.
He also reacted to Wembanyama’s unusual warm-up feat of kicking basketballs out of the hoop. “I absolutely cannot do that… That was crazy. It was pretty cool. But that’s Vic for you,” Johnson said with a laugh.
Johnson credited the Spurs’ culture and philosophy for shaping his development. “It takes a lot to be able to sit back and understand, ‘What do I need to do to contribute to this team?’… All the hard times, it’s worth it,” he said.
On the court, Johnson led San Antonio with 27 points, helping the Spurs overcome a poor 3-point shooting night and control the paint alongside Wembanyama’s 16 points and 14 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox contributed 14 points, and Stephon Castle added 15 as San Antonio held the Lakers to 40 percent shooting.
Despite Luka Doncic’s triple-double of 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, Los Angeles, missing LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura, could not keep pace. San Antonio improved to second place in the Western Conference and will face Boston on Saturday.
