Hear from Wemby and SGA after the Spurs win Game 1 of the WCF in 2OT 🗣️ — SportsCenter

[0:00] I feel like it was a great effort from everybody, you know, 1 to 15. [0:10] Physically, I'm feeling tired, honestly, but not as much as you would expect, honestly. [0:14] It's probably the adrenaline. [0:15] It's going to come down a little bit. [0:17] I'm probably going to sleep pretty well tonight. [0:20] Victor, I heard you tell the TV broadcast that it felt at times like you weren't thinking [0:24] during that late part of the game. [0:28] Can you kind of expand on that, your mentality, and also the pull-up three-pointer that you [0:33] hit with 30 seconds left, what were you thinking for that one? [0:37] For that one, I was just thinking to take my time, but for the rest, you know, there are [0:45] some plays I wish I were thinking more, like the, I think it was the regulation last shot. [0:52] I had an open look, you know, on a way smaller defender, so I should have just taken it, but [0:58] it's an experience we learned, you know. [1:00] Mitch was saying that it's a pretty natural response for a competitor to see another competitor [1:05] get something that he wants, you know, whether it's the MVP trophy or whatever it might be. [1:08] And I'm just curious if that was in your mind at all, knowing that Shea had got that award [1:12] and you were in the top three for it, and, you know, did any part of tonight feel personal? [1:17] Some of your facial expressions kind of looked like you were really, really going for it. [1:21] Yeah, for sure. [1:22] Everything you just said. [1:24] What does it feel like to see someone else get the MVP trophy right before you step into, [1:30] I guess, what is basically the biggest game of your career and then to have the best performance [1:34] of your career? [1:42] Feels like I still got a lot to learn, and I want to get that trophy, you know, many times [1:53] in my career. [1:55] We talked a lot about winning an MVP and, you know, what goes behind it, whether it's [1:59] political, things of that nature. [2:00] Do you feel like, especially after this game, that you're the best player in basketball? [2:06] Do I feel like it right now? [2:08] I feel tired. [2:09] But it's not a question I'm wondering right now. [2:14] We'll see, you know. [2:17] The world is 8 billion people, so it's 8 billion opinions. [2:21] Victor, tonight almost felt a little bit symbolic, the MVP ceremony for SGA before the game, and [2:30] then you have a big response tonight with your performance. [2:34] If your performance tonight had a message behind it, what would that message be? [2:41] The message would be that we as a team are ready to go in any environment, in any place, [2:49] against anybody. [2:50] And even though we still got a lot to learn, our effort should be over anybody else's, and [2:56] tonight we were relentless. [2:59] Victor, a lot of guys took turns on SGA. [3:02] What did you think of the play of the guys, perimeter guys on him? [3:07] No, they were great. [3:09] They were great. [3:09] It's a team thing. [3:10] Everybody was very connected today. [3:13] We need to be, we need to keep being connected, and I don't know how we're going to, probably [3:17] not going to practice tomorrow. [3:18] But we're definitely going to meet, and talk about, and anticipate for next games. [3:25] There's going to be adjustments on both sides. [3:27] Vic, you've said a couple of times now that you're tired, which makes a lot of sense. [3:31] I imagine there's a mental toll during a game like that as well. [3:35] Can you just explain what that game was like to be a part of with the amount of hits you [3:40] took and to continue to keep going? [3:43] It's something, you know, the relentlessness is built as well. [3:48] Well, first of all, the first thing is physical ability, you know, getting stronger as the [3:53] years go on, and the mental toughness. [3:56] You have to have it all the time. [3:57] And as you said, yes, it takes a toll, but we will rest in July. [4:02] You talk about the relentlessness, the physicality you have to play with tonight. [4:05] When you have such an emotional and physically taxing game like this one, how important is [4:10] it for you all to be able to close it out there in the second overtime? [4:12] It's everything, it's everything, and I feel like it takes a lot of guts, it takes a lot [4:19] of experience as well, but tonight, I mean, a game like tonight is the best way to get [4:26] experience. [4:27] We played five quarters, so we're learning, and by the time we get the experience, we'll [4:35] compensate with our effort. [4:37] Victor, I asked Mitch, I'd love to hear it from you as well, even though we didn't see [4:42] De'Aaron tonight. [4:42] Can you talk about his veteran voice and how much it helped carry you guys through this [4:45] win? [4:45] It matters a lot, you know, obviously you said talking, and he sees a lot as a point [4:52] guard, and his guidance with the young guys is just great, and I knew they were going to [5:00] have his back. [5:01] Vic, you've referenced many times, both in round one and round two and even tonight, that [5:07] this is a team that's still learning, that you're still learning. [5:11] How do you marry the fact that for a group that's learning, and many of you haven't been on [5:16] the stage before, you look extremely comfortable in this moment? [5:21] How, how, learning tends to be awkward. [5:24] You guys are not awkward with this. [5:28] Yeah. [5:31] You know, it's, we want to, we want to win everything, and we have the chance to have [5:41] people above us in the organization that know how to do that. [5:45] And so far, it looks like they've put the right people together to give us a chance, because [5:54] right now we've got a chance. [5:56] We've still got a lot to do, a lot to learn, a lot of trials to go through that we don't [6:01] even know of. [6:02] But we have a chance, and that's because they've built the team like this. [6:08] He got the MVP trophy pre-game. [6:12] Not sure he played like the MVP in-game. [6:15] New on SportsCenter, it's SGA. [6:28] Shea, you guys had chances tonight. [6:30] What did you make just of the battle that this was, and some areas for improvement moving [6:36] forward to Wednesday? [6:37] Yeah, quality opponent. [6:40] We knew it was going to be a dogfight. [6:43] We just got to be better. [6:45] Me in particular had to play better, especially against a team of this caliber. [6:49] Yeah, nothing more than that. [6:51] How did you feel about just pace, tempo, both up the floor and in the half court offensively? [6:57] Yeah, exactly what I expected. [6:59] Fast. [7:00] They played very fast. [7:03] Yeah, exactly what I expected in the game. [7:05] Just got to be better out there. [7:07] Shea, it looked like you were maybe a little more hesitant than usual, attacking early on [7:11] and then got more aggressive as the game went on. [7:14] Obviously, they pose a huge challenge defensively. [7:17] What's your process of feeling out a game like that and how they're playing you? [7:21] Yeah, I just try to take what the defense gives me. [7:24] I think earlier they were heavier in the gaps, and I had a lot of sprays for open shooters [7:31] more so. [7:32] And I think they loosened up as the game went on, and I was able to find my cracks. [7:37] Yeah, it's got to be better when I get those cracks, I think. [7:41] You talked before about enjoying finding ways to get better as a player, but also just throughout [7:45] a series, how much do you enjoy the problem-solving aspect of finding ways to be effective against [7:50] a specific team like this? [7:51] Yeah, that's what it's about. [7:53] That's what this time of year is about. [7:55] It's the highest level of basketball, and you're going to find out exactly what type of player [8:00] you are, what type of competitor you are, and exactly what you need to get better at. [8:05] And it's no different this time of year around. [8:07] You talked about the problem-solving. [8:08] Mark mentioned, obviously, Wimby's not an easy guy to go against, but you guys playing [8:13] them that early in the season, you found a bit of a groove of sort of understanding how [8:16] to attack him a little bit better. [8:18] Is there like a feeling out process or like an adjustment period against a shot blocker [8:22] like that? [8:24] Yeah, you just got to be aggressive. [8:26] Also, just be smart, I think, more than anything. [8:32] He, yes, obviously is very big at the rim. [8:34] But we still found cracks tonight at times. [8:38] We just got to be willing to work possessions and make sure we get the best shot each time [8:42] down, and just be patient with that. [8:45] Shea, I'm not sure what was more impressive, Alex's defense on Wimby or his shooting tonight. [8:51] What did you like better? [8:53] Ooh, I can't pick either. [8:56] It was a great game from Alex. [8:58] Sad it went to waste. [9:00] But yeah, he played his butt off tonight. [9:03] I'm proud of him. [9:04] But I expect that from Alex, especially this time of year. [9:06] He always brings it. [9:08] The way he played, the way Jalen came back, first came back after the hamstring, to have [9:13] the guys around you have some encouraging games, and you guys go to double overtime, even on [9:19] a night, you're not pleased with your performance. [9:21] Is that sort of encouraging to you? [9:24] Yeah, absolutely. [9:25] I know what my teammates are capable of, what we're capable of as a team when we bring it. [9:32] It's just unfortunate I wasn't able to bring my best game tonight. [9:36] That's how it goes sometimes. [9:37] Sometimes you're your best version, sometimes you're not. [9:39] You've got to roll with the punches, don't get discouraged, and stay true to who you are. [9:44] You mentioned you found your cracks a little bit later. [9:48] How tough is it to shoot over a guy with that kind of length? [9:50] And one, the things that you did find, is that something you think you can take for the rest [9:55] of the series with you? [9:58] The second part of your question, I probably wouldn't want to say in public, just because [10:01] I don't want to give any answers away. [10:04] But yeah, it's obviously challenging. [10:08] It's very tall, very long. [10:10] It deters a lot of things in the rim. [10:12] Like I said before, you've got to be smart when you go in there. [10:14] Be patient, but also be aggressive and don't be too timid in there. [10:21] I think you get caught worrying about it too much and you lose aggression, and that's [10:25] where they really stranglehold on the game. [10:27] You've got to be able to be aggressive, but also be smart. [10:30] Obviously, the wounds are still fresh from this game, but how do you sort of bounce back [10:34] or how do you use the experience you guys had last year in sort of similar environments, [10:37] game one against Denver and Indiana, where sort of similar games where it comes down to [10:43] the end and it just doesn't go your way? [10:45] Yeah. [10:47] Yeah, I mean, we've been in this situation before, so this feeling is not really new, [10:53] but it's also a completely different basketball team. [10:56] But I think that the thing that remains the same is we have to get better with each game. [11:00] We have to learn the mistakes from the wins and the losses, tonight the losses, and continue [11:05] to get better. [11:05] We did that in the previous two when we lost game one. [11:08] We have to do so again in this series if we want to give ourselves a chance. [11:12] You mentioned that obviously you guys have been here before. [11:14] What do you remember about your first playoff loss of your career and just how your mindset [11:18] has shifted since then? [11:20] I honestly don't even remember. [11:29] My first loss was to Golden State with Steph and Katie, but I don't really remember how [11:33] it went, to be honest. [11:37] Yeah, I honestly don't remember, but I've changed a lot since then. [11:46] Shea, you mentioned you can't let Wimby take your aggression away. [11:51] What got you going midway through the fourth quarter? [11:56] Honestly, I feel like they loosened up a bit in their coverages, and I just felt it was [12:06] what the game needed to try to be aggressive, touch the paint, make plays. [12:11] Didn't make enough of them tonight, personally, but I think that's what the game needed. [12:17] The Thunder's nine-game playoff win streak, which goes back to Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, [12:23] has obviously now come to an end. [12:24] It was their longest streak since moving to Oklahoma City, which was back in 2009. [12:28] They will look to bounce back. [12:31] Game 2 coming your way Wednesday.