Victor Wembanyama's playmaking will be an every-night part of his game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, but with balance: "He's still got to set screens. He's still got to put pressure on the rim." Stephon Castle said they want Wembanyama "default aggressive."
Every game rookies Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Tarris Reed Jr. play is valuable, even the bad ones, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said: "It's kind of like when your kids start school. Like, every day they get to go, it's something good. If it doesn't go well, it's still good."
Mitch Johnson said the Spurs' Oct. 10 game fell below their standard, and with opening night on Oct. 20, it "would not feel like we would be ready to go." Stephon Castle said the message was physical defense early. Johnson gave no status on Carter Bryant's rolled ankle.
De'Aaron Fox was a late Spurs scratch with "some tightness." Mitch Johnson doesn't "foresee it being anything serious" but will be "very cautious," and didn't say whether Fox travels to Phoenix. David Jones Garcia looks healthy after his ankle injury, Johnson said.
Victor Wembanyama is initiating the Spurs' offense with the ball high after an offseason spent on shot creation. Mitch Johnson said postgame the spacing around him has to improve: "Need to be a lot better than we were at times... of spacing around him and playing off that."
Mitch Johnson on Billy Donovan joining his staff: "He's not kicking his feet up and telling stories. He's rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty." Johnson said teams got physical with Victor Wembanyama most of all, and his young players have since toughened up.