The San Antonio Spurs narrowly beat the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night, winning 119-115. The Spurs, despite being 2.5-point underdogs, are the better team especially with Zion Williamson out, but have struggled with injuries of their own all season.
However, a win is a win, and the final score is really all that matters. The Spurs were led by 22 points from Devin Vassell, but it was the bench that saved the day, with Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan, and Sandro Mamukelashvili all recording double digits.
Amid an impressive individual run, one Spurs player should be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year.
Since the All-Star break, Johnson is averaging 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He is shooting 44.9 percent from 3-point range and 59.7 percent from the floor and is playing the best basketball of his career.
Amid players who have come off the bench in at least 10 games since the All-Star Game, Johnson is second in scoring behind only Keyonte George.
The longest-tenured Spurs player is not only playing excellent basketball, but he's been the ultimate hustle player for San Antonio, winning rebounding battles against larger opponents and diving on the floor for extra possessions.
"I love KJ," said Vassell. "The energy that he brings every night is just contagious."
Johnson was included in his fair share of mock trades and rumors this season, but he seems to be in San Antonio for the long haul. While he's still a divisive player in the fanbase, his teammates have long made it clear that he's their favorite player.
"I'm just glad that he's playing confident and playing aggressive, because when he's playing like that, he's unstoppable," Vassell continued.
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As the Spurs look ahead to next season, this version of Johnson will likely play a massive role off the bench for the Silver and Black.
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This story was originally published March 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM.