San Antonio, TX — The NBA has retroactively ruled that Spurs reserve center Mason Plumlee committed a flagrant-1 foul on Thunder guard Jared McCain late in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.
With 1:45 remaining, Plumlee—who had entered only two possessions earlier—drove an elbow into McCain’s back as the rookie attempted to set a screen for Alex Caruso. Officials originally called a common foul; the league upgraded the infraction after review.
Johnson’s rapid rise on the bench
First-time head coach Mitch Johnson, once a low-profile assistant on Gregg Popovich’s staff, has solidified his status in two seasons at the helm. An in-depth Andscape report details how Johnson’s approach convinced management he is the franchise’s long-term choice following years of speculation about high-profile successors to Popovich.
Building around homegrown lottery picks
If San Antonio captures a championship with its current nucleus, it would buck a recent NBA trend identified by ESPN’s Zach Kram, who notes that few top-five draft picks win titles with the club that selected them. The Spurs own three such players—Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper—each chosen with their own top-five selections rather than picks acquired from other teams.
Fox embraces leadership role
At 28, guard De’Aaron Fox has become the veteran voice of an otherwise youthful roster, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. Traded from Sacramento last season, Fox said he initially planned to “fall in line,” but teammates encouraged him to lead. “There are times where I do that, and then there are times where I want to make sure everybody’s touching the ball,” Fox said.
San Antonio faces a must-win Game 6 as the series returns to Frost Bank Center.
Source: Hoops Rumors
