If there was anything you could do to get on the basketball court under Coach Gregg Popovich's tenure, it was play defense. That was the first major point of emphasis for the San Antonio Spurs during the Tim Duncan era, and from the beginning to the end, playing defense was priority number one. This era is no different, and though it's only been two games, good habits have to start somewhere.
Mitch Johnson has the Spurs paying attention to detail
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Through two games, the Silver and Black have the best defensive rating (101.0) in the NBA. [It's not an accident](https://airalamo.com/wembanyama-sets-aggressive-standard-spurs-season-fiery-media-day-quote). During media day, Victor Wembanyama told reporters, "It doesn't matter your status; defense is non-negotiable." He meant what he said. The guys have been flying around the court, covering for each other, disrupting their opponent's offense, and rebounding.
In the first game of the season, their offense, mostly because Vic elevated himself to a cosmic being, was unstoppable. It overshadowed the 91-point total they held the Mavericks to in their home opener with excitement at a high for welcoming Cooper Flagg. The game was close in the first half, but San Antonio completely smothered them in the second.
Their defense is also what bailed them out in the Pelicans game. It followed a similar script to game one, with the Spurs allowing 58 points in the first half to Zion Williamson and company before holding them to 49 in the second. Unfortunately, they only scored 50 themselves, but that was enough to get the game to overtime, where they swept up without Victor for most of the extra period.
That was another Pop special, but this time it was Mitch Johnson. The performance from the first-year coach gains him even more admiration from the fan base. The Pelicans pulled ahead with Wembanyama on the floor. It was a bench unit that went on a 14-0 run over a four-minute stretch in the fourth quarter to pull Alamo City's finest from the brink of a loss to the steps of victory.
The Spurs shot the ball poorly for the majority of the night. That's going to happen sometimes. When De'Aaron Fox returns, you hope that the offensive droughts will lessen, but it's a long season, and sometimes it's difficult to get the ball to comply. The defensive effort can always be maintained, though. It's within the player's control. That's a message that Coach Pop instilled, and it [continues through Mitch Johnson.](https://airalamo.com/devin-vassell-says-what-spurs-fans-been-dying-hear-about-mitch-johnson)