The San Antonio Spurs know exactly who they want taking the big shot late in games - Victor Wembanyama. The question is how those moments unfold when the ball is in his hands.
In a 111-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Wemby took a deep three with 27 seconds left on the clock - early in the shot clock, contested, and ultimately off the mark. It wasn’t the look San Antonio was hoping for, but it was part of the design.
“There was a couple of options on the play…
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 31, 2026
that was one…; him coming off the screen, whether he wanted to take the three or curl in, try to get something at the rim”
-M Johnson on Wemby 3-pt attempt w/plenty on shot clock & :27 left in a game #Spurs trailed by 3
Full answer⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yAV0k0ZDXJ
“That was one of the options on the play,” head coach Mitch Johnson said postgame. “Him coming off the screen, whether he wanted to take the three or curl it and try to get something at the rim.”
It’s a decision-making moment that comes with being the face of a franchise. But on this afternoon, Wembanyama didn’t deliver the kind of performance Spurs fans have come to expect.
He finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and, notably, zero blocks - a rare blank in a category he’s usually dominant in. San Antonio was out-rebounded by 15, and while Wemby had his moments, the team’s inability to control the glass was a difference-maker.
“It was disappointing for sure,” Johnson said. “Charlotte’s playing really well, but we won three out of the four quarters.
So that means there were things we were doing well. We just need to do it for more than 48.”
That second quarter? That’s where things unraveled.
The Hornets outscored the Spurs 35-17 in those 12 minutes, flipping a competitive game on its head. Brandon Miller led the charge for Charlotte, pouring in a game-high 26 points and finding just enough space to operate - often because the Spurs lost track of him.
“Our discipline of how we wanted to guard multiple actions was not up to standard,” Johnson said. “We fell asleep a couple times, didn’t stay connected to him, got lost in transition.”
It was a frustrating stretch for a Spurs team that, despite winning three quarters, couldn’t overcome the damage done in just one. Johnson pointed to shot selection and turnovers as key culprits - issues that continue to surface in pockets of play.
“You win three quarters out of four and still lose the game, that means you had a quarter that obviously had multiple things not going well,” he said.
The loss drops San Antonio to 32-16 on the season and, for the first time since December, out of second place in the Western Conference standings. It’s been a bumpy ride since their Christmas Day win over the Thunder - a signature victory that hasn’t quite sparked the consistency they’ve been chasing.
And this one had an odd wrinkle before tip-off. Due to severe weather in the Charlotte area, the game was moved up three hours, tipping off at noon Eastern - 11 a.m. back in San Antonio. It marked the first time this season the Spurs had played a game before noon Central Time.
Still, Johnson wasn’t using the early start as an excuse.
“I don’t think it had much effect to do with the game,” he said.
But the weather did have an impact on the team’s travel plans. With snowstorms grounding flights, the Spurs were forced to stay the night in Charlotte instead of heading straight home to prepare for their next matchup against the Orlando Magic.
It’s a quick turnaround, and with the Western Conference standings tightening, every game - and every quarter - matters. For Wembanyama and the Spurs, the learning curve continues.
The potential is there. But as this game showed, execution - especially in those critical stretches - is what separates good teams from great ones.