San Antonio Spurs Tekuk Oklahoma City Thunder Melalui Perpanjangan Waktu Ganda

San Antonio Spurs berhasil mengalahkan tuan rumah Oklahoma City Thunder dengan skor 121-115 melalui babak perpanjangan waktu ganda (double overtime) pada laga pertama Final Wilayah Barat NBA di Oklahoma City, Senin malam waktu setempat.

Kemenangan tipis tersebut diraih melalui pertarungan sengit yang menguras fisik dan mental, di mana kedua tim saling bergantian menunjukkan ketangguhan untuk tidak menyerah hingga detik terakhir pertandingan.

Pelatih kepala San Antonio Spurs, Mitch Johnson, memberikan pandangannya mengenai jalannya pertandingan yang sangat kompetitif dan ketat tersebut setelah laga usai.

"It was a competitive game," ujar Mitch Johnson, Kepala Pelatih San Antonio Spurs. "It felt like both teams just kept doing enough to not be put away and kept doing enough to let the other team know they were trying to pull away. It got to the point at the end of the fourth quarter where it felt like it was a war of wills, and there’s a level of mental toughness that was exuded by both teams. We needed every second from everybody that played — that was a heck of a game to be a part of."

Meskipun kehilangan De'Aaron Fox yang dinyatakan tidak bisa bermain satu jam sebelum pertandingan dimulai, dua Garda muda San Antonio Spurs, Stephon Castle dan Dylan Harper, mampu mengisi kekosongan tersebut dengan performa gemilang.

Dylan Harper berhasil menyumbangkan 24 poin, 11 rebound, enam asis, dan tujuh steal, sementara Victor Wembanyama tampil mendominasi dengan mencetak total 41 poin dan 24 rebound.

Victor Wembanyama menyatakan kesiapan timnya untuk menghadapi situasi pertandingan di mana saja dan melawan siapa saja.

"We, as a team, are ready to go in any environment, in any place, against anybody," kata Victor Wembanyama, Pemain San Antonio Spurs. "And even though we still have a lot to learn, our effort should be over anybody else’s, and tonight we were relentless."

Rekan setimnya, Carter Bryant, turut memberikan komentar kepada Yahoo Sports mengenai bagaimana para pemain muda Spurs mampu mengatasi kesulitan dan berkembang sepanjang musim ini.

"They stayed with what they’ve been doing all year," kata Carter Bryant, Pemain San Antonio Spurs kepada Yahoo Sports. "Obviously you want to have everyone healthy, but there were times where we didn’t have Vic, De’Aaron, certain guys that were key members of this team. Throughout the year, guys had to figure out and go through struggles and growing pains, understanding how to play with the ball more and be valuable in your minutes. It’s showing as the postseason has progressed, we’ve just played our ass off no matter who’s out there on the floor. We trust our work so much and do a great job respecting the game of basketball."

Victor Wembanyama juga memberikan dampak besar melalui tembakan tiga angka dari jarak 28 kaki saat babak perpanjangan waktu hampir habis serta sebuah blok krusial terhadap Jalen Williams.

Mitch Johnson kembali memuji ambisi dan hasrat langka yang dimiliki oleh pemain asal Prancis berusia 22 tahun tersebut dalam menghadapi momen-momen besar.

"He has a rare desire to step into every moment that’s in front of him," kata Mitch Johnson, Kepala Pelatih San Antonio Spurs.