After losing in only five games against the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs want to close the gap. The standards are higher for the Spurs now, and that is what head coach Mitch Johnson wants to see.
As the Spurs have played in preseason ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, it seems Johnson is unhappy with what he has seen. Considering they are playing against their Western Conference Finals rivals, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Johnson wants more.
Mitch Johnson wants to see more from the Spurs ahead of the 2026-27 season
As one of the favorites in the Western Conference, the Spurs now have to meet and surpass lofty expectations. They caught everyone in the NBA by surprise in the 2025-26 season; now, they have to live up to these sky-high expectations.
Alongside the Thunder, they are the favorites to take the Western Conference by storm. It will be quite challenging for the Spurs to live up to the hype, but that is certainly what Johnson wants to see from his players.
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After years of enjoying the Spurs’ success under Gregg Popovich, the fans will want to reach that same level of success under Johnson. It will be a massive test for the team, especially with how they have looked in preseason.
“Tonight would not be up to the standard that we want, and we just have to make sure we take care, take advantage of the opportunities in front of us. We play opening night in 10 days; tonight would not feel like we are ready to go,” Johnson said after the Spurs’ second preseason game.
The Spurs’ head coach brings up some good points because the team must live up to expectations now. If they are not fully locked in ahead of a massive matchup against the Thunder, their chances of succeeding in the long-term future could get bleak.
