The San Antonio Spurs had not lost three consecutive games all season. Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder threatened to start that streak. San Antonio surrendered a 15-point lead and lost 123-108, a result that left the series at 2-1 in Oklahoma City’s favor and prompted an unusual response from one of the most iconic figures in franchise history.
Gregg Popovich walked into the locker room.
It was the first time he had done so all season.
Popovich Delivers Stern Message After Game 3
GettyFormer San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
Popovich retired as head coach last summer following a stroke but has remained deeply involved with the organization as team president. His presence has been felt throughout the playoffs, from shoot-around sessions with Victor Wembanyama to postgame conversations after difficult moments. But he had not entered the locker room immediately after a game until Game 3.
De’Aaron Fox described what happened on the NBC postgame show after Game 4. Popovich came in and made his feelings clear without mincing words, telling the group “Nah, that’s BS, that’s not how we play basketball,” Fox said. Fox added that Popovich had choice words for the team and that everyone in that locker room felt it. The 77-year-old made his point and the Spurs carried it into Game 4.
Wembanyama reflected on what Popovich’s presence means to this group. “As always, when he speaks, everybody listens,” Wembanyama said, capturing the weight that comes with every word from the Hall of Fame coach.
“That was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, ‘Nah, that’s BS. That’s not how we play basketball.’ Obviously, he had some choice words for us.”
Spurs Respond With Dominant Game 4
Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs celebrate during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals.
The response was emphatic. San Antonio went on an 18-0 run during the first quarter, building a commanding lead they never relinquished. The final score was 103-82, holding Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason scoring total and leveling the series at 2-2.
Wembanyama dominated in three quarters, finishing with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals before sitting out the fourth with the game well in hand. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting. The Thunder, already without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell due to injury, shot just 33 percent from the field and went 6-of-33 from three.
It was a statement performance from a team that had been challenged by one of its own legends a couple of nights before.
Popovich’s Lasting Influence on the Spurs
GettyThe San Antonio Spurs celebrate with the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy.
The relationship between Popovich and this roster goes beyond the head coaching role he no longer holds. Rookie Carter Bryant has spoken openly about the access he has to Popovich. The legendary coach texts him after nearly every game. They speak on the phone multiple times a week. For a 20-year-old navigating his first playoff run, that kind of mentorship is difficult to quantify.
Wembanyama has benefited similarly. Photos emerged before Game 3 of Popovich sitting with Wemby at shoot-around. Their relationship was built over just one full season together before Popovich stepped back from coaching duties. The impression it has left on the franchise’s centerpiece is clear.
(via @leomargo)
Final Word
Popovich does not need a coaching title to command respect in that locker room. He earned it over five decades.
When he walked in after Game 3, everyone felt it. When the Spurs took the floor for Game 4, everyone showed it.
The series is tied 2-2. Game 5 is next. Pop’s message has been delivered.
Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Reveals What Gregg Popovich Said After Game 3 Loss