San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson highlighted Victor Wembanyama’s second-half performance after Saturday’s 100-95 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
“Yeah, I think when he was under control, he’s so dynamic when he has the ball. He can dictate the tempo or the pace of the game,” Johnson said, noting Wembanyama’s ability to shake off double teams and impact the game late.
Johnson emphasized Wembanyama’s growth as a 21-year-old adjusting to increased playing time. “Sometimes he’s trying to get right to it. It’s just a continued growth opportunity for him and I thought obviously when it mattered the most he was at his best.”
The Spurs coach also praised Julian Champagnie’s all-around effort. “Julian embodied what we were trying to do… putting our energy into the right places and not allowing outcomes or shots to dictate that energy,” he said.
Johnson addressed coaching adjustments during high-pressure moments. “In the fourth, the game got a little frantic… you could see where the tank was getting low. We probably could have called a timeout to keep them under control, but in those situations they’ve got to play through it.”
The game featured a key lineup adjustment with Luke Kornet providing constant rim protection. Johnson explained, “It’s very valuable when you have a good team with players that have a lot of talent and someone that continuously just fills in the blanks where you need, and he does that quite a bit in a lot of different ways for us, which allows us to be very creative.”
Wembanyama sealed the Spurs’ victory with a left-wing jumper with 19.2 seconds remaining, finishing with 21 points, 16 of which came after halftime. De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and played a pivotal defensive role down the stretch, while Keldon Johnson recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Celtics, led by Derrick White’s 29 points and Jaylen Brown’s 27, struggled against San Antonio’s size and defensive pressure, shooting just four free throws in the fourth quarter and finishing 0.5% behind the Spurs in rebounds, 52-53.
The Spurs improved to 27-11, earning their second straight win after a two-game skid, while Boston falls to 25-13. San Antonio continues its road swing Sunday at Minnesota, and the Celtics travel to Indiana on Monday.
