The Oklahoma City Thunder were held to just 82 points by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. In a must-win game, Victor Wembanyama showed up for his team, earning big praise from NBA legend Magic Johnson.

The Spurs’ big man was upset with the Game 3 loss and shouldered the responsibility for the loss. In Game 4, the Frenchman dominated the Thunder on both ends of the court. As a result, Magic hailed Wemby’s leadership and performance. 

“The San Antonio Spurs were outstanding on defense tonight, holding NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 19 points in their victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Johnson wrote. “Victor Wembanyama dominated the game with 33 points, but what really impressed me was his leadership and how he communicated with his teammates throughout the entire game.”

Wembanyama had 33 points in 31 minutes and shot 50% from the field. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year also finished the game with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks ‌. 

Magic Johnson also praised Spurs head coach, Mitch Johnson, for coming up with a solid game plan.

“I also have to show some love and credit to Spurs’ Head Coach, Mitch Johnson, who had a great game plan and made major adjustments from Game 3 to Game 4," Johnson added. "The Series is now tied 2-2, and I can’t wait for Game 5 on Tuesday!”

The Thunder failed to look like one of the best offensive teams in the league. They shot 33% from the field and 18% from the 3-point line. 

Victor Wembanyama Sends Message To His Teammates After Game 4 Win

The Spurs started their lockdown defense from the get-go and continued it throughout the game. They allowed only 8 points in the first seven minutes of the game, as the Spurs took a 23-8 lead.

The Spurs dominated in all four quarters as well as both aspects of the game. They also didn’t allow the guests to cross the 22-point mark in any quarter. 

The strategy wasn’t much different from Game 3, when the Spurs had taken a 15-0 lead in the first four minutes. However, they were able to sustain it through 48 minutes in Game 4.

During the post-game media presser, Wembanyama inspired his teammates to keep the same mentality going forward in the series.

“I feel like with who we are, we need to start games like this, but it really doesn’t mean anything for the way it holds," Wembanyama said. "I mean, it helps for sure, but it’s a whole other type of effort to be consistent rather than just hitting first.”

Nevertheless, the Spurs did not have a great shooting night. They shot 39% from the field and 27% from the 3-point line. If they want to win Game 5, their shooting and defense needs to be this elite.

Do you think the Spurs can sustain this type of defense in Game 5?

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Rishab Nandi