EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOKLAHOMA CITY -- Victor Wembanyama dressed quietly in a corner of the visitors locker room at Paycom Center following the San Antonio Spurs' 127-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night.After pulling on a pair of size 20 all-white Air Force 1 sneakers, Wembanyama slipped out of the locker room to the nearest exit down the hall and into the night.A team spokesman said Wembanyama would be unavailable to speak to reporters, nearly an hour after Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said "we're going to need to" get San Antonio's generational superstar going to stave off elimination Thursday in Game 6 with the Thunder now leading the series 3-2."He's got to take more than 15 shots," Johnson said. "Even with the [12] free throws, he's going to have to score more than 20 points for sure."Wembanyama shot a postseason-career-low 27% but connected on 12-of-12 free throws and grabbed six rebounds with three blocks as San Antonio dropped back-to-back road games for the first time since a three-game skid in January.Asked if Wembanyama's performance came because of his aggression or the team's game plan, Johnson said it was a combination of the two."OKC did a good job. We've got to do a better job," Johnson said. "That's probably the easiest in terms of when you [look at] surface-level stuff that he'll definitely need to take more shots. But there's a lot of things all over the place. Even when we had advantages, we just didn't make simple plays and take advantage of the opportunity, that possession. In this type of game, you've got to be sure of everything you're doing in a very secure, mature way."Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 18,023, San Antonio knew it needed to get off to a fast start against an Oklahoma City team led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but missing two of its key offensive creators in Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (calf).In a back-and-forth first quarter that the Thunder won 29-27, Wembanyama fired only two shots and finished the opening half with 11 points on six field goal attempts. With the Spurs trailing by 11 points to start the second half, Wembanyama took only three shots in the third quarter. He launched six shots in the final frame and made one, but missed all five of his shots from 3-point range in the game."I think they send so many bodies towards him, it's hard at times," second-year guard Stephon Castle said. "I think he just wants to make the right play and wants to win. So, it's tough. But yeah, he's our best player. We need him to be aggressive. I feel like him being aggressive opens up shots for other guys."In the Spurs' two wins in the conference finals, Wembanyama racked up 41 and 33 points, respectively, making it clear how much the team needs him to shine.Oklahoma City big men Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein combined for 26 rebounds. Wembanyama finished the first half with one rebound, which tied the second half of San Antonio's Game 3 loss for his fewest rebounds in a half in the playoffs.Despite three blocks and two steals, Wembanyama also struggled somewhat on defense. Oklahoma City shot 49% with Wembanyama on the court in Game 5, the highest field goal percentage a team has shot against him in the postseason.After San Antonio fell in Game 3 on Friday at home, Wembanyama said, "We're going to see what we're made of."Surely, that applies for Wembanyama and the Spurs in Game 6 with elimination on the line.San Antonio trailed by 18 points early in the second half Tuesday, when Wembanyama delivered an impassioned speech during a team huddle. Veteran guard De'Aaron Fox was asked what he said."We don't want our season to end this week," Fox said. "You don't want to get down, but we got down. You have to be willing to fight back because you lose today, then lose in two days, your season is over. We don't want that to happen."
