The San Antonio Spurs are staring down an 0-2 deficit against the New York Knicks after another 105-104 defeat on Friday. The heartbreaking loss makes their NBA championship dream that much harder as the series shifts to Madison Square Garden.
Victor Wembanyama delivered an impressive performance with 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 11-of-21 shooting from the field. However, it wasn’t enough for the French phenom and his squad to pull off the victory.
Brian Windhorst Reveals Gregg Popovich’s Message for Spurs After Game 2 Heartbreak
After a 105-95 Game 1 loss, the Spurs remained confident about turning the tables in Game 2. But the mood in the locker room dampened following the one-point loss in Game 2.
Before boarding the flight to New York, former Spurs head coach and current team president Gregg Popovich spoke with the young roster to help refocus their mindset. ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst revealed what the Hall of Famer’s message was.
”After Game 1, the Spurs were very confident. They weren’t beating their chest, but I think they were like, ‘Yeah, we’re not worried, we’re fine.’ The mood today was of missed opportunity. They understand that they’ve that it slipped through their fingers,” said Windhorst.
“Gregg Popovich spoke to the team before they got on the plane, and he basically told them… ‘Don’t think about [Games] 1 and 2. Don’t think about the opportunities that you’ve had lost. Think about the opportunity that you have.'”
Popovich is a franchise icon in San Antonio. As the NBA’s all-time winningest head coach, he boasts 1,422 regular-season victories and five rings. He may no longer command the team from the sidelines, but he knows what it takes to win on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Windhorst noted that the two-game deficit would be an uphill battle for the Spurs to overcome, especially given the Knicks’ ongoing momentum, but the series isn’t over.
“The Spurs have the opportunity to score one in the belly of the beast… to answer back. If they somehow pull out a win, then that would change the balance of the series,” he said. “And if they lose, then it will be verified over.”
The Knicks have now won 13 consecutive playoff games and are two wins away from their first NBA championship since 1973. For the Spurs, they must listen to Popovich: don’t worry about what’s already happened, and focus on the upcoming games.
The losses at home have definitely put pressure on the Spurs, but they have an opportunity to fight back in a crucial Game 3 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
