After losing Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Spurs had to conduct their final media obligations of the season, knowing the kind of celebration underway by their opponents. It’s a feeling they’re not likely to forget, Jeff McDonald writes for the San Antonio Express-News.
“It hurts a lot. Hearing that right now, seeing them storming the court on our home court, it’s tough,” Devin Vassell said. “We know we’ll do everything we can — scratch, fight — to get back into this position and have a different outcome.”
For the second-youngest Finals team in league history, the way the series played out is sure to leave a lasting impression, but also valuable lessons for how a team that wants to win it all needs to prepare itself, emotionally and physically.
“All five games in the series had the same scenario,” Victor Wembanyama said. “How relentless we were in our mistakes and (how relentless) they were in punishing them.”
Head coach Mitch Johnson is hoping that the experience only makes them hungrier to get back to the Finals and avenge this loss, a sentiment echoed by the team’s young star center.
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- Keldon Johnson had a strong season for the Spurs, winning Sixth Man of the Year while averaging 13.2 points per game. However, he was unable to get going in the Finals, as his scoring dropped to just 4.4 points per game. He’s trying his best to learn from the disappointment and come back a better, more prepared player. “When you get in the playoffs, every game is different,” he said. “Every possession matters. You can’t look forward through things. You got to be locked in every possession, every detail, and take that in. Every game is different. Every game may need something different. And that’s what I feel like my biggest takeaway is from playoffs.”
- The Grizzlies are in the early stages of their rebuild, coming into the offseason with an interesting young core highlighted by breakout rookie Cedric Coward and the number three pick in the 2026 Draft. Despite their age and flexibility, they likely won’t be a cap space team this summer, Yossi Gozlan notes in his offseason preview for The Third Apron. That will allow them to take in more money in a trade than they send out, give them the freedom to pursue sign-and-trades, and give them access to both their $15MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception and their $5.5MM biannual exception. Finding an end to the Ja Morant trade saga will also be key to laying the foundation for whatever comes next.
- After a first-round loss in the 2026 playoffs, the Rockets enter the offseason with real questions on how to elevate the team into more of a true contender. They will have to be somewhat careful in terms of negotiations with restricted free agent Tari Eason, Keith Smith writes in an offseason preview for Spotrac, but retaining him should still be a priority. They can also renegotiate Fred VanVleet‘s contract. The veteran point guard’s importance was clear in how much Houston struggled to form a cohesive offensive identity. Any real changes would likely have to come through the trade market, with players like Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Steven Adams potential additions to any star package. Smith speculates that a five-year, $185MM extension makes sense for Amen Thompson, an elite defender who should be able to play a role he’s more comfortable with when VanVleet returns to play.