{"id":336312,"date":"2026-06-14T20:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T20:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/336312\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T20:31:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T20:31:13","slug":"the-3-reasons-why-victor-wembanyama-and-the-spurs-lost-the-nba-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/336312\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 reasons why Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs lost the NBA Finals"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the road in San Antonio<\/a>, the New York Knicks<\/a> ended their 50-plus year drought to win the 2025-26 NBA<\/a> championship.<\/p>\n

While the 4-1 scoreline will in the future make it look like New York<\/a> dominated the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> in the final round of the playoffs, that couldn\u2019t be farther from the truth. San Antonio had sizeable leads in almost every single game of the NBA Finals<\/a> and once again squandered a double-digit lead to succumb to the Knicks on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

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So, in every autopsy of a team eliminated, what went wrong?<\/p>\n

I might not be a doctor, but here are my three main reasons why the Spurs couldn\u2019t get it done against the Knicks.<\/p>\n

More news: The New York Knicks Are No Cinderella \u2014 They Can Win It All<\/a><\/p>\n

\"SANSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS \u2013 JUNE 13: Victor Wembanyama<\/a> #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the second quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

More news: OG Anunoby Just Had the Most Iconic NBA Shot of the Decade<\/a><\/p>\n

Inexperience<\/p>\n

This team, for a lack of a better word, was immature in the NBA Finals. When they got leads, they had no idea how to close out a game. In the final minutes of the game, clutch time, the Spurs juggled between mindless and arrogance. From missed passes, to poor decision making, to just not making the shots when needed, San Antonio couldn\u2019t close out a game to save their life this series.<\/p>\n

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And it wasn\u2019t only the players who looked out of their depth.<\/p>\n

Mitch Johnson<\/p>\n

When you have a youthful team, you look towards the coach to be that calming presence. The person that when things go sideways they can plug up the holes in the ship and make sure the vessel gets to its port. Mitch Johnson did not of that this series.<\/p>\n

Every game was a repeat of the last, with the Spurs getting out to an early lead before doing nothing once things stopped working in the second half. He\u2019s only 39 so Johnson, like Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the young Spurs players, will grow from this.<\/p>\n

One player, though, might never get a chance to redeem himself in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

\"NEWNEW YORK, NEW YORK \u2013 JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and De\u2019aaron Fox<\/a> #4 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello\/Getty Images)De\u2019Aaron Fox<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to be very clear on this subject: If De\u2019Aaron Fox played below average these NBA Finals, the Spurs win, even with Johnson\u2019s rigid coaching and the team\u2019s immaturity.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s how bad the almost decade veteran was in this series.<\/p>\n

He was unfathomably bad.<\/p>\n

In Game 4, if Fox simply held onto the ball in the final seconds instead of going for a layup that got blocked, the Spurs almost assuredly win and go back to San Antonio tied. And on Saturday, in his chance to change the narrative, he shot 3-15 from the field and continually tried to play hero in the final minutes of the game, missing every shot he took.<\/p>\n

The worst part of this for the Spurs is that they have two incredible young guards in Stephon Castle<\/a> and Dylan Harper<\/a>, while Fox is set to be paid $50 million for the next four years. A contract, that even with picks attached to it, seems impossible to move this offseason after his abysmal performance throughout the playoffs.<\/p>\n

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Fox played like he wanted to be the Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, or LeBron James<\/a> of an NBA title-winning squad.<\/p>\n

Instead, he played like a fan who ran onto the court and chucked up a shot that bounced off a guy\u2019s head in the third row.<\/p>\n

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