After a Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs, the OKC Thunder are firmly in the Western Conference Finals driver's seat.
Now they head back to San Antonio on Thursday night in need of just one more win, and they're doing so with valuable knowledge of their opponent's plan of attack.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson may have flashed his inexperience by tipping his hand following Game 5 on Tuesday.
When asked about superstar Victor Wembanyama's lackluster performance, Johnson left nothing up to interpretation.
"We're going to need to [get him going]. He's got to take more than 15 shots, even with the free throws... He's going to have to score more than 20 points, for sure," Johnson said.
When asked a follow-up question on whether Wemby's subpar night was a product of a lack of aggression or an issue with the game plan, Johnson admitted it was a combination of both.
Thunder know exactly what they'll be getting in Game 6
With his comments, Johnson has made his intentions for Game 6 crystal clear. Given how the series has shaken out, it's no surprise this was the conclusion the second-year coach came to.
To this point, Wembanyama's success has been directly correlated with San Antonio's wins and losses.
In the two wins against OKC, he has averaged 37.0 points on 23.5 shots and has added 16.0 rebounds in the process.
In three losses, however, he is scoring 22.3 points on just 15.3 shots, and his rebounds have dipped to 9.0 per game.
These numbers should be obvious to Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, but there is an underlying theme between the two splits that makes Johnson's next move obvious.
If the Spurs want to unleash Wemby again, they need to get him closer to the rim.
In their two wins, the Frenchman has taken 16.5 shots per game within 10 feet of the basket.
In losses, that number has plummeted to 7.0.
It's no mystery why San Antonio needs him to play closer to the hoop. Even from the eye test, his presence has drawn defenders into the paint like moths to a flame, opening up the floor for the rest of the team.
Whether it's because of Wembanyama's youth and immaturity or coach Mitch Johnson's inexperience, San Antonio has been unable to establish this in three of the five games so far, and it has cost them dearly.
Game 6 will likely be determined by how much of a force he can be inside the paint and how well Mark Daigneault can counteract such an attack.
One thing is certain: the Spurs will not go down without a fight in what has already been a back-and-forth series.
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