San Antonio (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama says the San Antonio Spurs have shaken off the biggest single-game collapse in NBA Finals history and are ready to do what needs to be done against the New York Knicks on Saturday. The Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to hand the Spurs a crushing 107-106 victory in game four on Wednesday and can capture the best-of-seven series for their first title since 1973 with a game-five win in San Antonio.
“There were a thousand ways we could have not lost that game,” Wembanyama admitted, but added: “It felt like there was a time to process this, to really dwell on it, but not anymore. We’re over it,” he told reporters at the Spurs’ practice on Friday. “It’s the playoffs. There’s no time to regret things for too long.”
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That, he added, also goes for having had eggs thrown at him and a water bottle tossed at the team bus in New York. “I didn’t really think much of it,” he said. “Obviously it’s not good at all. But it doesn’t bother me.” The 7-foot-4 (2.24m) French center said players are “at this point where we can really empty the tank,” but “Wemby” played 44 minutes on Wednesday and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was concerned he left his 22-year-old star in too long.
“I have to make sure I help him have the energy required to finish the game as strong as he needs to finish the game,” Johnson said. “Looking back on the game, I could have done better in that regard.” Wembanyama himself vows fatigue will not be an issue in a must-win contest. “It’s the playoffs. Everybody’s just as tired. It shouldn’t even be a factor in the game,” he said. “It’s not going to be a factor.”
Defiant Spurs players noted that LeBron James rallied Cleveland from 3-1 down in 2016 to win the NBA title. “Everybody thinks, everybody knows, we’re going to do it,” said Wembanyama.
– ‘We can do it’ –
Leading in every game has taught the Spurs valuable lessons about what not to do when it comes to holding a late lead. “We haven’t skipped any steps because we’ve made almost every mistake we could have possibly done, and we’ve learned from them,” Wembanyama said. De’Aaron Fox, who struggled late in game four, said there was confidence to take even in defeat.
“Every game we’ve had some sort of a lead and we’re down 3-1. We have to figure out how to sustain those leads. We have to figure out how to finish games,” Fox said. “These games have showed us we have a chance. It’s not like we’re going out there and getting steamrolled. We still have that belief we have a chance to win.”
Spurs guard Stephon Castle echoed that confidence. “Each game we’ve been up and pretty much controlled the game for most of the game,” Castle said. “We’ve had a 10-plus-point lead in every single game. Just trying to stay poised throughout that and keep our foot on the gas.”
“We’ve made history all year,” Castle said of a Spurs team that ousted the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference finals. “We’ve proven with our backs against the wall we can step up, so I don’t really expect this to be any different.”
© 2024 AFP
