Mitch Johnson defended the Spurs’ final possession after Victor Wembanyama’s late turnover helped set the stage, with San Antonio ultimately falling 105-104 to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals and now trailing 2-0.
For San Antonio, it wasn’t just that the final shot didn’t drop. It was the feeling that the Spurs had the chance to finish things—and still couldn’t find the edge—after a night that already carried a jolt at the very end.
In Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals. the Spurs lost to the New York Knicks 105-104. and Victor Wembanyama’s late backbreaking turnover became the loudest talking point. Wembanyama threw the ball off Stephon Castle’s back. and with more composure. Johnson suggested the Spurs could have attacked instead of turning it into a scramble. The idea was simple: De’Aaron Fox was behind him. and recognizing that would have opened the door to semi-transition offense against the Knicks.
But the Spurs didn’t collapse after that mistake. They still had one more chance. They got the final possession. ran a two-man game between Fox and Wembanyama. and created a look for Wembanyama from midrange. It was the shot the Spurs were hunting for—clean enough to take—but it clanged off the back iron. and the Knicks held on for the 105-104 win.
After the buzzer, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson walked through exactly what he wanted on that last play. In his postgame presser, Johnson said the plan was straightforward:
“Just put Fox and Victor in the pick and roll, Fox made a good pass to him and he caught it with some space, took a good shot,” Johnson said, via Wemby Alien Era on X (formerly Twitter).
The clip captured Johnson’s tone as well as his explanation—pleased with the look they got, even as the result slipped away. The Spurs did exactly what the play asked for: Fox made the pass, Wembanyama caught it with space, and he took the attempt.
There was also a smaller frustration inside the bigger moment. The late possession seemed to lack urgency from Fox as the play was being set up. though it may have been by design to ensure the Spurs got the final look. Even so, the gamble always came with risk. If Wembanyama missed. San Antonio could have been in position for a putback to rescue the game. and that possibility hovered over the sequence once the shot bounced out.
Now that loss carries more than scoreboard pain. The Spurs aren’t just down— they’re playing for their lives in the NBA Finals with the series tilted 2-0 in favor of the Knicks. and the effort they showed late in the fourth quarter is the standard they’ll need to repeat. not something they can treat as a one-off.
The Knicks’ win came at the margins: a turnover that shouldn’t have happened. a final play that created a good shot. and a miss that gave the Knicks just enough to survive. For San Antonio. the lesson is already sitting in the film—because they reached the finish line. and the game slipped away anyway.
Spurs Mitch Johnson Victor Wembanyama De'Aaron Fox Stephon Castle Knicks Game 2 2026 NBA Finals 105-104