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Magic Johnson had a telling remark on why the Spurs lost Game 1
NBA legend Magic Johnson. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Magic Johnson had a telling remark on why the Spurs lost Game 1

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports  |  By Rex Villas  |  Last updated Jun 4, 2026 3:50 PM ET
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Magic Johnson knows a thing or two about sharing the ball, and it’s something he didn’t see the San Antonio Spurs do much in crunch time against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals.

Following the Spurs’ 105-95 loss to the Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar point guard shared his thoughts on the Knicks and the Spurs. He praised Jalen Brunson’s performance, the coaching of Mike Brown and Josh Hart’s gutsiness.

Meanwhile, Johnson lamented an issue he believed caused San Antonio’s downfall in the series opener.

“The Spurs just played too much isolation basketball in the 4th quarter, and it was a key reason they lost,” the three-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player posted on X.

San Antonio built a 14-point lead in the second half, but the Knicks found a way to erase it.

New York outscored the Spurs by seven and 10 points in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

It was a brutal final period for San Antonio, as the team shot just 28.6% in the frame. Johnson surely would have loved to see the Spurs move the ball around for better scoring chances. Instead, San Antonio only had a pair of assists and committed five turnovers in the quarter.

The Spurs are averaging 24.6 assists per game in the playoffs, but they only had 16 overall in Game 1.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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