What Spurs’ Mitch Johnson had to say about his questionable challenge

MINNEAPOLIS — The Spurs’ Mitch Johnson acknowledged he can do a greater job when it comes to deciding when to use his coach’s challenge.

Johnson’s recreation administration got here beneath scrutiny after Friday night time’s 115-108 win over Minnesota on Friday in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Johnson challenged an offensive foul referred to as in opposition to guard Stephon Castle with 2:39 left within the first half and the Spurs main 45-43. Upon evaluate, the decision stood, leaving the Spurs with no challenge to use later within the hotly contested recreation.

“We can be better at it,” Johnson informed the media Saturday on the workforce lodge.

“I can be better at it for sure,” he added. “We’ve had some Monday morning quarterback-type stuff. But, again, it’s something we just got to keep committing to trying to get better at and improve upon.

After burning his challenge on the charging call against Castle, Johnson couldn’t challenge the fifth foul called against Victor Wembanyama with 6:18 left in the game.

Johnson said the coaching staff weighs plenty of factors before issuing a challenge, all of which were discussed Friday night before he made the decision to use it.

“There’s positively some issues we talk about by way of what you’ll challenge by way of circumstances of the sport, whether or not it is taking factors off the board, placing factors on the board, fouls, who’s in it, first quarter, fourth quarter, possession, all these kinds of issues,” he said. “So we positively have rather a lot that goes into the choice, however in the intervening time a whole lot of performs are bang, bang, performs.”

It’s not the primary time Johnson’s recreation administration choices have been debated within the playoffs. Critics have pointed to different early challenges and questionable choices concerning the usage of timeouts.