Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson is having a rough NBA Playoffs thus far, potentially forcing San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson's hand. Johnson has simply reverted back to the player of old, with him having tunnel vision when attacking the paint and making careless mistakes.
Being relentless is what got him Sixth Man of the Year, but being careless didn't. Against the Knicks, and really throughout the playoffs, he had been making boneheaded mistakes.
Whether it be attacking one vs. three on offense or fouling anything that moves when the Spurs' opponent is in the bonus, resulting in free throws for the other team.
Even while his 3-point shooting has mostly held up in the playoffs, his offensive rebounding is down, which was a big part of his value in the regular season.
Mitch Johnson must slash Keldon Johnson's minutes
At Johnson's best, he is a bruising wing who can attack the paint, finish at the rim with terrific efficiency, hit corner threes, and crash the offensive glass for easy putbacks. The player we've seen against the Knicks isn't him.
In his defense, he was a +14 in Game 3 and was helpful on the glass when the Spurs needed players other than Victor Wembanyama to chase down rebounds. However, he just hasn't been all that effective during the postseason outside of a few games.
The problem Mitch Johnson has is that there aren't a lot of other alternatives. He played all five of his starters at least 33 minutes in Game 3 with Devin Vassell playing 38 minutes.
We have seen Johnson's minutes decrease in the playoffs, but the Spurs should go even further.
Keldon Johnson hurts the Spurs more than he help against the Knicks
San Antonio closed Game 3 with De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Vassell, and Wembanyama. That five-man lineup has the perfect combination of passing, slashing, defense, and shooting.
Actually, they should look to close both halves that way for the remainder of the NBA Finals. With the Spurs technically playing Vassell in the spot Johnson normally plays, it would further decrease his minutes. They can also up Carter Bryant's minutes or play Harrison Barnes more.
That comes with its own risks. Bryant can be foul-prone as well, but he's a far superior defender and has shot the ball well when open. Barnes might be the worst of the three defensively but is the best shooter and has more size, allowing him to better guard Karl-Anthony Towns.
Frankly, either might be a better option to absorb Johnson's minutes. Doing so could dramatically increase the Spurs' chances of beating the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
