Best of The Herd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd delivers a scathing critique of the San Antonio Spurs' collapse in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, arguing that the loss wasn't just due to youth or talent, but a catastrophic failure of coaching and player management. Cowherd zeroes in on head coach Mitch Johnson's inability to adjust during the second half, particularly the decision to keep 7'4" Victor Wemby on the floor for 44 minutes despite clear signs of exhaustion, and the failure to rest him even during a 27-point lead. He calls out the Spurs' continued reliance on three-point shooting in the fourth quarter when they were in the bonus, the lack of offensive design for young guard Dylan Harper, and the dangerous defensive mismatch that allowed OG Anunobi to score the game-winning tip-in. Cowherd frames the series not as a tale of young talent versus experience, but as a clash between wisdom and inexperience, where the Knicks' maturity, situational IQ, and cohesion—especially in clutch moments—proved decisive. The episode builds to a powerful indictment: in the modern NBA, where 20-point leads evaporate in minutes, coaching isn't just about strategy—it's about managing energy, making intentional substitutions, and knowing when to stop playing the game you're winning.
Coaching is more critical than talent in close games—San Antonio’s youth and star power couldn’t overcome poor in-game decisions by rookie head coach Mitch Johnson.
Victor Wemby played 44 minutes in Game 4 despite being gassed; his conditioning and minutes management were a team-wide failure, not just his own.
The Spurs’ decision to take 12 three-pointers in the third quarter while leading by 27 was a strategic error that cost them momentum and control.
Dylan Harper had zero shot attempts in the final 10 minutes—despite being a key young talent—highlighting a lack of offensive design and trust in the system.
The Knicks’ victory was fueled by hustle plays, not star power: OG Anunobi’s game-winning tip-in was the culmination of relentless effort, not a single highlight.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Spurs' Collapse: A Coaching Catastrophe
“You've got Wemby. By the way, Wemby played almost the entire second half. He was completely gassed. You have a double figures lead, one day's rest on the road, find him three and a half minutes into the third quarter.”
The Knicks' Run: IQ, Hustle, and Cohesion
“There's a connectivity between fans, team, veteran. A lot of this is IQ and situational to me.”
Wemby’s Conditioning: A Team Failure
Cowherd emphasizes that Wemby’s poor performance in the final minutes wasn’t just fatigue—it was a failure of the organization to ramp up his minutes during the regular season. He argues that a 7'4" player needs to be conditioned for 40+ minutes in the playoffs, and the Spurs didn’t prepare him.
The Real Difference: Coaching IQ vs. Youth
Cowherd contrasts the Spurs’ inexperience with the Knicks’ maturity, arguing that veteran teams like the Warriors or Celtics win not because of talent, but because of coaching wisdom, situational awareness, and the ability to manage pressure. He calls out the Spurs’ lack of a clear offensive plan in crunch time.
The Inbound Play: A Tactical Disaster
“If somebody was guarding him on the inbounds pass, then at least you could have prevented him even for a split second from having an open pat to the basket, that could be the difference between winning and losing.”
“You've got Wemby. By the way, Wemby played almost the entire second half. He was completely gassed. You have a double figures lead, one day's rest on the road, find him three and a half minutes into the third quarter.”
“If somebody was guarding him on the inbounds pass, then at least you could have prevented him even for a split second from having an open pat to the basket, that could be the difference between winning and losing.”
“The real problem is over the course of the last several games, the Spurs were getting better shots than the Knicks for a long time there. It wasn't until that final lineup with Jose Alvarado where I was like, oh man, the Knicks are getting some really good looks.”
Host
Guests
victor wemby
person
colin cowherd
person
mitch johnson
person
iheartradio
organization
jalen brunson
person
de'aaron fox
person
og anunobi
person
dylan harper
person
fox sports radio
organization
jason timpf
person
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