Victor Wembanyama was at a loss for words after the Spurs blew a 29-point lead Wednesday in what observers are calling the worst flameout in NBA Finals history. But he didn’t make excuses for the team’s collapse.
The Spurs carried a crushing advantage into the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals, only to have it evaporate. The New York Knicks’ 107-106 win leaves San Antonio with just one more shot at staying in contention.
“Can’t really explain it right now,” Wemby told the media after the game. “Execution, greediness of some sort. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”
He added: “We work too hard and give up our leads, you know, just as simple as that. … It just hurts.”
Hurts indeed.
Spurs fans watched in shock as the team, which was on fire through the first two quarters, made one blunder after another following halftime. Shooters settled for rushed three-pointers instead of attacking the paint, and Wemby missed two consecutive and crucial free throws.
De’Aaron Fox — who signed a contract extension last summer worth up to $228 million — was responsible for multiple fourth-quarter turnovers. And after pulling a rebound in the final seconds, the veteran guard added insult to injury by failing a layup attempt instead of drawing contact and earning a trip to the free-throw line.
“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization,” commentator Charles Barkley said afterward. “The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game.”
CBS Sports’ Chris Walker went after Coach of of the Year finalist Mitch Johnson for the loss, attributing the team’s floundering to the “dumbest coaching I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Despite his blunt assessment of Wednesday’s disaster, Wemby voiced hope the Spurs would learn from the loss and respond.
“What’s going through my mind right now is gonna go one of two ways. A bad one and a good one,” he said. “The bad one would be giving up, the good one would be getting stronger through this”
Saturday night will show which path the young team takes.
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