Watch: Keldon Johnson bullies Kevin Durant to make school ground play as Spurs complete 20-point comeback
The San Antonio Spurs secured their second win of the season at the expense of Kevin Durant choking at the end of the game. With the Spurs down by three with 6.7 seconds left, Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson willed their team to steal the victory on the road with back-to-back baskets. The final score settled at 115-114.
With the Phoenix Suns leading most of the game and leading as much as 20 points, we are reminded that an NBA game is played for 48 minutes and anything can happen.
The Suns were exactly leading by 47 minutes and 58.8 seconds when the Spurs found a way to take home the win. Wembanyama had a follow-up basket after Devin Vassell missed a 3-point shot with 6.8 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. In the blink of an eye, Johnson managed to snatch the ball from Durant to score the game-winner.
With 1.2 seconds left, Kevin Durant missed a 10-foot jumper near the baseline in a desperate chance to reclaim the game for the Suns.
Kevin Durant won the individual matchup but Victor Wembanyama takes home the win
The Phoenix Suns come in this game as the favored team to win over the young Spurs rebuilding around Victor Wembanyama. With fewer expectations from the Spurs, the focus shifted to the French big man taking on his childhood idol, Kevin Durant.
As the game finished, Durant won the individual matchup with 26 points, seven assists, two rebounds and two steals while Wembanyama tallied 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. However, the last laugh came from Spurs head coach Greg Popovich as he taught his team to never give up at the last second.
Keldon Johnson led all scorers with 27 points while Devin Vassell added 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Zach Collins also had a notable night chipping in 14 points for the Spurs.
On the other side, Bradey Beal and Devin Booker did not play in the game. Eric Gordon tried to pick up the slack with 20 points while Grayson Allen was not far behind with 19. Nusuf Nurkic contributed a double-double of a dozen points and rebounds.
The San Antonio Spurs will face the Phoenix Suns again this coming Thursday, Nov. 2, but this time both teams will meet inside the walls of the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs and the Suns share a record of 2-2 after the first four games of the season.