Spurs' Mitch Johnson calls out team after embarrassing 42-point loss to Warriors
03/31/2025 07:35 AM
Following a full time-out just four minutes and 23 seconds into a contest vs. the Golden State Warriors, the overwhelming majority of the San Antonio Spurs who walked onto the court had not yet set foot on it. Two of those four players have only recently found their way into the team’s rotation—mainly because of key injuries—and another one of them still doesn’t play much. All of them joined a fellow reserve who had already been subbed in. For acting head coach Mitch Johnson, though, it wasn’t about X’s and O’s.
“For us, we have to be better,” Spurs veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Mitch called us out, and I thought the group that came in responded with more energy.”
When Sandro Mamukelashvili, Blake Wesley, Jordan McLaughlin, and Julian Champagnie entered the game following what was already a second time-out called by the Spurs less than four and a half minutes from tip-off, it was what it appeared to be.
“Just trying to get some energy, grab some guys attention,” Johnson confirmed.
Down 11 to 5 with 8:47 still to go in the first quarter, the 38-year-old coach called time. One minute and ten seconds later, Johnson stopped the clock again so that he could communicate with his team beyond words.
“We were trying to keep our grips on the game as early as we can to just get settled,” he admitted.
It proved not to matter in the end of a 148-106 loss.
Mitch Johnson sends message to Spurs amid tough weekend
The Spurs headed into the match-up with the Warriors less than 21 hours after having competed with the Boston Celtics in the final quarter at the Frost Bank Center. Tired legs may have been a reason for the sluggish start vs. Golden State. Stephon Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and company certainly played a part. Either way, Barnes understood what Johnson’s motive was behind taking him, Stephon Castle, Chris Pau,l and Devin Vassell out with 7:37 remaining in the first quarter after fellow starter Jeremy Sochan had been lifted a minute before.
“That we need to play hard,” is how Barnes responded when asked what signal Johnson may have been trying to send with the hockey style substitution.
“As starters, you start off the game, and there’s a lag, and that sets the tone,” the 32-year-old forward continued.
Only one Spurs starter finished with more than nine points (at that, Vassell scored 12) for a squad that stood at 31-43 after the blowout. Conversely, four reserves reached double figures, including three of the aforementioned players who entered the game very early.
“Yeah,” Johnson stated about the messaging aspect of his move while also specifying a certain aspect.
“It wasn’t anything individually. You know, it was a hard fought game last night, the team we were playing tonight, we knew there was zero margin for error.”
The loss to Golden State represented San Antonio’s most lopsided loss of the season, surpassing a 38-point drubbing in February at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in France. That one followed a Spurs win against those same Pacers in Paris. This one marked a fourth straight loss as they limp to the finish line.
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