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SAN ANTONIO \u2014 This was an evening of mantras for the Spurs. Being surrounded by good coaching can result in many tidbits that stick in the mind when the pressure rises. A principle or even a perspective keep players grounded when the speed and layers of the game become overwhelming.<\/p>\n
De\u2019Aaron Fox remembered how Sean Sweeney viewed defense. The Spurs\u2019 associate head coach and defensive coordinator is often calling out assignments and coverages, or pulling players aside to talk them through something. He and Victor Wembanyama check in with each other frequently throughout games. There are many reasons why the Spurs have built the ideal defense around the ideal defender, but Sweeney is high on that list.<\/p>\n
\u201cSweeney always says the way you start possessions is the way you finish them,\u201d Fox said after the Spurs trounced the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95\u00a0to tie the series at 1-1.<\/p>\n
Starting a possession out of position can lead to a series of rotations and help that eventually give a player like Rudy Gobert position for an offensive rebound. Those little things determine whether a defense can generate momentum for an offense and actually pull away.<\/p>\n
All the little things worked for the Spurs Wednesday night. After Fox and Wembanyama combined for 0-for-12 from deep in Game 1, coach Mitch Johnson dialed up a flurry of pick-and-rolls for the Spurs\u2019 All-Star pair out of the gate to get them in rhythm. Fox said he was hesitant in Game 1, but that was mitigated swiftly in Game 2. The Fox-Wembanyama harmony was restored and the Spurs looked like themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s of great, great importance,\u201d Wembanyama said of his relationship with Fox. \u201cAs the biggest screener on the team and the biggest handler on the team, with other guys along with him, we\u2019re going to have the ball a lot and he\u2019s more experienced than most of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson\u2019s fingerprints were all over this game, especially when he was manually controlling impromptu traps of Anthony Edwards right in front of him against the sideline. Traps on Julius Randle against the baseline, too, left open the desirable shooters, showing that the Spurs had the game plan nailed down this time. A lot came down to betting on the Wolves to miss, which they did repeatedly. But there was also a level of intent and coordination, from the guards pressing in the back court to the bigs avoiding any cross matches underneath.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever we\u2019re able to start games off pretty well, we\u2019re usually on the front foot,\u201d Fox said. \u201cWhen we\u2019re the aggressors, we\u2019re able to win most of those games.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Carter Bryant back from a foot injury, Johnson didn\u2019t remove Harrison Barnes from the rotation like he has in the past. Instead, he expanded to a 10-man rotation and kept the defensive pressure ramped up throughout the night, recognizing the Spurs could end the game quickly if they cranked the throttle.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust saying it like it is, I know this team\u2019s capable of doing all of this. To be honest, I\u2019m expecting this kind of response from myself, from my teammates,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cSo I\u2019m not surprised by any means and I\u2019m just going to keep working so we approach more games like we did tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wembanyama was asked about the tension in the series and whether that works in the Spurs\u2019 favor. He tried to search for an answer, but eventually just settled on the obvious. The thing the Spurs just have to embrace as they move forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like, I don\u2019t know, it\u2019s like the playoffs,\u201d Wembanyama said.<\/p>\n
The Spurs will have their character tested every night. They are facing a tough opponent capable of a slew of adjustments and with vengeance on the mind. This isn\u2019t the regular season, or the first round against a Blazers team that did not have the Wolves\u2019 size and scoring. The Spurs won\u2019t always be bad, and they won\u2019t always be great. Game 2 represented their best self and a standard they will continue to chase for the rest of the series.<\/p>\n
In the end, Wembanyama remembered how Gregg Popovich viewed the waves of winning and losing. Johnson\u2019s predecessor, whose current job title is \u201cEl Jefe,\u201d was the first person to walk out of the film room at Spurs practice ahead of Game 2. At some point along the way, his perspective on winning and losing landed with the team\u2019s cornerstone.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Pop says, \u2018When you win, you\u2019re never as good as you thought you were,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cAnd when you lose, you\u2019re never as bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were a little bad in Game 1, despite the final score, and just good in Game 2, also despite the final score. But as long as Wembanyama and Fox can start things off strong, they usually can finish just as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n