Spurs Coach Sends Clear Message to Victor Wembanyama After Game 2 Loss: "Not Acceptable"
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs endured a heartbreaking finish in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday night, with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year falling short in key moments during both the first half and the closing seconds of the game.
With the Spurs trailing entering the fourth quarter, Wembanyama helped rally the team and tied the score at 104 with 13.6 seconds remaining. He grabbed a defensive rebound after Jalen Brunson missed a shot, but then passed the ball to Stephon Castle, who was not looking.
Brunson recovered the loose ball and, after a collision with the Spurs star, drew a foul that ultimately gave the Knicks the lead when he converted one of two free throws. San Antonio still had a chance to win on the final possession, but Wembanyama's jumper missed the mark, allowing the Knicks to escape with a 105-104 victory. However, it was his first-half performance that left head coach Mitch Johnson disappointed.
Wembanyama struggled through the opening two quarters, recording just seven points and five rebounds with two turnovers while attempting only four shots and making two of them. When asked to explain the performance, Johnson acknowledged that the Spurs needed to do a better job of getting him the ball, but said four shot attempts in a half were unacceptable.
"I have to make sure that there's environments that the ball finds him. I think he's got to make sure that he can't rely on that to get shots as well," Johnson said. "And I think there are times when he was open on the pick-and-rolls around the paint and his teammates got to give him the ball, so it's a combination of all that.
"But yeah, four shots in the half on this stage is not acceptable."
The Spurs took a 34-25 lead in the opening quarter behind strong performances from Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox, but the Knicks seized control by outscoring them 31-18 in the second quarter. While Wembanyama found his rhythm in the second half and scored 22 of his game-high 29 points after halftime, his mistakes in the closing moments ultimately proved costly.
The two-time All-Star was blunt in his assessment afterward and took accountability for the loss.
"I'm still very blurry, and that's the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control over the game," he admitted.
Wembanyama also acknowledged that he "messed up" and cost the Spurs in the closing moments.
"We needed to win that game; this game was ours. But at this point, it's done," he said, before adding, "Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and fuel us into the next game? Absolutely."
While the Knicks continue their remarkable run, with Friday's victory marking their 13th consecutive win and eighth straight on the road, the Spurs now face a daunting challenge heading into Game 3, with no team having won the championship after losing the opening two games at home. Nevertheless, Wembanyama and company will continue to believe as the series shifts to Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 4:00 AM.