Mitch Johnson’s hilarious response to Spurs-Thunder WCF intensity question

The San Antonio Spurs started their 2026 Western Conference Finals journey in an incredibly memorable manner.

Playing in enemy territory against the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City in Game 1, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs passed the early test with a huge 122-115 double-overtime victory.

One can just imagine the intensity of that contest between two juggernauts, each led by a 2025-26 NBA Most Valuable Player Award finalist.

Just before Game 2 of the series on Wednesday, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was asked about the intensity of the series opener compared to when he called the shots for 9-year-olds.

“I mean the parents are worse,” quipped Johnson, who has big shoes to fill as the Spurs mentor (via Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder).

Johnson, who is still just 39 years old, is the Spurs’ head coach of choice after Gregg Popovich left the role he held for 29 seasons.

Despite his relative youth and inexperience, Johnson has the Spurs rolling. They took care of business in the first round of the 2026 playoffs by dismantling the Portland Trail Blazers in five games before eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round in six games.

The Thunder are a completely different animal that Johnson and the Spurs are looking to tame. At the same time, they know what success feels like against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company, having defeated the Thunder four times in five meetings in the regular season.

The Spurs are also eyeing a 2-0 series lead over Oklahoma City before heading back to San Antonio for Game 3 and Game 4 of this edition of the Western Conference Finals.

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