The San Antonio Spurs bounced back from their Game 3 defeat with a composed 103-82 win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.
Victor Wembanyama led the way with 33 points, providing San Antonio with the statement performance they needed after back-to-back losses in the series.
Oklahoma City were also without Ajay Mitchell, a key rotation player, and the Spurs did not miss the chance to take advantage of a weakened opponent.
De’Aaron Fox reveals Greg Popovich’s locker-room message after Spurs defeat
After Game 4, De’Aaron Fox told NBC that Gregg Popovich had entered the Spurs locker room following Game 3, the first time he had done so all season.
Asked by Tracy McGrady about what happened after the defeat, Fox said: “That was the first time he [Popovich] walked into the locker room and was like ‘Nah, that’s b——, that’s not how we play basketball.
“And obviously he had some choice words for us, but that was the first time all season that he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt.”
That mattered because Popovich is no ordinary voice in San Antonio. Even away from daily coaching duties, his standards still define what Spurs basketball should look like.
The response came quickly. San Antonio played with sharper control, Wembanyama set the tone, and the Thunder never found the rhythm needed to make Game 4 close.
Read more: