The San Antonio Spurs lost 105-95 in Game 1 and 105-104 in Game 2, a highly contested loss. Victor Wembanyama has welcomed the pressure that they will face after two straight losses in the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.

While the Spurs appeared to gain momentum in the fourth quarter of Game 2, with Wembanyama scoring 22 points, they couldn't turn the game around. Amid the loss, Wembanyama seems keen on the comeback.

"I think the key is acceptance," Wembanyama said during the post-game interview on June 7. "A lot of times, it’s about taking a step back and realizing the journey that’s behind us, what’s ahead of us, and just being okay with who I am, where I am, and what I’m doing. At the end of the day, this is everything that I wished for."

Wembanyama has been a juggernaut in the NBA Finals so far, averaging 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.5 blocks per game. Wembanyama also spoke about the media pressure and scrutiny.

"There’s really no reason to overthink it,” he said. “This is what I’m built for. It could be overwhelming, but isolating myself is something I’ve practiced over the years, and I think I’m good at it. So it’s not really a problem. This is similar, media-wise, to something like the Olympics."

Wembanyama put up 29 points, with 22 coming after halftime and 10 in the fourth quarter during San Antonio’s comeback. Still, the Spurs were outrebounded 44-42 at home again this postseason.

While Wembanyama looks ready for the third game between the Knicks and the Spurs on June 8, pressure is building up.

Transition Struggles Emerging as Key Issue for Victor Wembanyama And The Spurs

With two straight losses in the Finals, the Spurs became only the third team to lose the first two games of the NBA Finals at home. The other two teams that walked the same path were the 1993 Phoenix Suns and the 1995 Orlando Magic, both of which lost the Finals.

Spurs need to focus on their transitions, as they have had 57 transition possessions over the first two games. They haven't been able to capitalize, scoring just 0.84 points per possession in transition. This stat was earlier 1.14 per possession in the first three rounds.

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson also emphasized the need for improvement, noting that the team did not meet its usual standards.

"We don’t feel like we played well or up to our standard, at least, in the last two games," he said. "New York has played very well, and they’re a part of that. But we’re going to go into Game 3; if we play our brand of basketball up to our standard, we’ll be just fine."

The Spurs will need to respond quickly, with a matchup against a Knicks team that has won 13 consecutive postseason games and will be backed by a loud home crowd.

Can the Spurs make an iconic comeback against the Knicks? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Dhruv Singh

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar