LAS VEGAS — There was a moment in the NBA Cup Final when the Spurs were winning, but Victor Wembanyama was sitting on the bench, looking dejected. Hours later, when Wembanyama answered the opening question of his news conference, tears began to well in his eyes.
He paused, looking down to the floor with his hand resting on his brow. What at first appeared to be disappointment over losing to the New York Knicks, 124-113, had clearly revealed itself to be something worse. Then his attention returned to the media gathered in front of him and the cameras broadcasting him out to the world.
“Sorry, I just lost somebody today,” he said through tears.
On Tuesday morning, Wembanyama learned that his grandmother passed away in France, a team source told The Athletic.
He said he would take one more question, did so professionally and thoroughly, then walked off. There were no further details available as of Tuesday evening, but the pain was evident.
In a game that had so many positive moments but ended poorly, Wembanyama was carrying more than the weight of the Cup on his shoulders. Perhaps it could help explain why the Spurs’ connectivity faded in the closing moments, or why Wembanyama struggled to put his stamp on this game.
It was a reminder that even the most apparently superhuman player in the league is indeed human, a 21-year-old man with a loving family. Though this game didn’t go the way he wanted it to, that he played through grief speaks to how badly he wanted this one. It speaks to how badly he wants to be great.
Some players choose to step away from work when grieving, while others choose to play through it. The only right choice is what’s right for them.
Now the Spurs must process the loss of this game. After a triumphant crunch-time performance vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals, San Antonio didn’t have the answers late against the Knicks. This is the reality of a long season: Some days you’re on top of the world, then fatigue, strategy, luck or even tragedy can knock you back down.
The Spurs arrived in Vegas with their full lineup healthy for the first time this season and a chance to test it on the biggest stage the regular season has to offer. The trip went well overall, until things fell apart in the fourth quarter. It was a reminder that there are many steps they still have to take in their evolution this season.
“I guess this is the best practice for important games because we, of course, our focus is already on the playoffs,” said Wembanyama, who had 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting and six rebounds in his second game back from his month-long absence with a calf injury. “The playoffs are going to be the biggest time of the year. So I guess it’s good that we get this experience today.”
The game fell apart for the Spurs early in the final quarter, when they gave up an 8-0 run and suddenly went from being a few possessions up for most of the night to a few possessions down. That’s when coach Mitch Johnson noted that they lost sight of valuing each possession.
The offensive rebounds pile up, the defensive intensity wanes a bit and momentum can swing just like that.
“You’ve got to make sure that when there is a moment where the game feels like it’s getting away from you, that’s when you sometimes need to make a stand,” Johnson said.
This team has been consistent because of its depth and competitiveness across the roster. Johnson has put together lineups that have a healthy mix of explosive guards, rebounding and shooting wings, and a center who can bring it all together.
The Spurs didn’t even have that big of a lull in this game, just one long enough to ruin their advantage against a high-caliber opponent.
In crunch time, with Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell on the floor, the offense sputtered. Wembanyama forced shots and never found a rhythm with his teammates. The guards couldn’t get downhill into space and the drive-and-kicks hardly materialized. The Knicks locked the paint down, and the Spurs couldn’t consistently find a way in.
One positive was Harper’s knockdown shooting, as he went 5-of-7 from deep. If he can become a reliable outside shooter, that makes this closing lineup significantly more viable. The lack of quality shooting was glaring for most of the night, and Harper was the only Spur who had it going.
“It’s our second time all being out there together,” Harper said. “Just finding out how to play with each other at a high level, I think, comes with time and comes with experience. We don’t got a lot of that. I think over the next course of the season we are going to see a lot differently when we get to close games and stuff like that.”
Dylan Harper was one of the bright spots for the Spurs in their NBA Cup final loss to the Knicks. (Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Overall, that closing lineup combination is showing plenty of promise. Castle and Fox combined for 21 assists against New York, and there were times when everything was humming. It’s still early days of getting all the pieces together, but Fox is already liking what he is seeing.
“I think there’s been a lot of good. It definitely makes our offense better. We’re just getting into paint, we’re getting 3s out of that,” Fox told The Athletic. “We’re creating for one another. I think the defense is really getting after people, turning guys over a little bit, just being able to pick up full court. I think that’s been good for us.”
The Spurs need many more reps to find their rhythm and purpose in the fourth quarter with this group. Wembanyama changes so much when he gets involved, but San Antonio has been inconsistent about putting him in positions to succeed in crunch time.
As great as the glory of the Cup may be, along with its hefty prize money, the Spurs might have gotten what they needed most in the long run.
“Probably that word, more than anything, experience. Second game all together,” Mitch Johnson said. “Playing really competitive games against really, really good teams. Seasoned, experienced teams that have been in similar situations. I’m not sure about all the Cup experience of all teams. But to be able to feel those games, work those games, be in the moment in those games, I think, is a valuable experience.”