Keldon Johnson turned in a rough performance in Game 1 of the Finals, scoring just three points on four shots. Of course, this led to several negative reactions across NBA social media.
No disrespect but how the hell did Keldon Johnson win 6MoY when he's not even the best 6th man on his own team
— FrankyG (@iBeFrankyG) June 4, 2026
Nuance is very important. Two things can be true at the same time. Yes, it's more than fair to criticize Keldon Johnson for his postseason struggles. No one will argue with the notion that he's been inconsistent. But there should be no question about his 6MOY nod. He fully deserved it.
His energy was contagious, and he provided a scoring and rebounding punch off the bench that contributed to San Antonio's dominant season. Sure, it's fair to feel underwhelmed about what he's done in the playoffs, but writing off his overall impact on this team isn't the way to go.
Keldon Johnson critics need to shift their perspective
When watching Dylan Harper adapt to the postseason better than Keldon Johnson, it's very easy to use that as a springboard to downplay Johnson's impact and importance to the team. But people need to look at it differently.
More than anything else, it speaks to San Antonio's depth. They have two perimeter options off the bench who can explode on any given night. Yes, they need KJ to play better, but they're not dead in the water if he can't get it going. Harper can pick up the slack for him and provide San Antonio with some important minutes. We literally saw it this entire postseason.
Again, this is not an excuse for Johnson's playoff inconsistency. His team undoubtedly needs more from him. But there should be a shift in perspective. Instead of trying to undermine his impact, it should prompt more conversations about how unique the Spurs' bench is to have two reliable scorers who can create on their own and pick up for one another.
The Spurs still need Johnson to step up
Now, if the Spurs want their best shot at winning this series, Johnson has to get back to the version of himself we saw throughout the season. They need him to be aggressive and play with poise. Luckily, he's already proven that he can do it on this stage.
The Spurs' Game 7 victory against Oklahoma City wouldn't have happened without an explosive KJ performance. He struck a great balance of aggressive rim pressure and reliable, clutch three-point shooting in that matchup. He's more than capable of replicating this.
Criticizing Johnson for not playing up to standard in the playoffs is an acknowledgement of his regular-season impact. It means we know he can do better; that was on display all year long. He was an efficient double-digit scorer and solid rebounder.
The disappointment comes from the fact that we haven't seen those things consistently in the postseason. If the Spurs want to flip the narrative on Friday night, KJ has to get his groove back.
