Victor Wembanyama, Spurs 'Putting Minds' Toward Breaking Bad Habits

HOUSTON — For better or worse, everything was as usual in the San Antonio Spurs' locker room inside Toyota Center late Tuesday night.

Desserts from a local Houston restaurant sat on a table in the center while players coped with a blown 16-point lead against a Western Conference opponent. Victor Wembanyama, pacing in circles, had his nose in a book.

"What happened to Spook?" he asked Harrison Barnes, looking up.

Barnes explained the lore of "Mistborn" before Wembanyama made his way to an empty chair, prepared to face questions about the Spurs' 14th loss of the season. He went blunt.

"Same as usual," Wembanyama explained. "Blowing a 15-plus-point lead. The good thing is, we're on to (it). We’re all putting our minds into it, but we're a conscious it is a problem."

Jan 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; The San Antonio Spurs bench watches the Houston Rockets play in the second half at Toyota Center. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

On the road against the Houston Rockets, San Antonio expected the defensive scheme its hosts tossed out. Sending a smaller guard to disrupt Wembanyama's momentum had worked in the past, so the Rockets hoped it would again.

“Wembanyama is a guy that’s continued to grow," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said pregame. "Main thing is being aggressive. Going at him. Not being stagnant."

By the end of the fourth quarter, Houston had overcome a 16-point deficit en route to its third straight win. Wembanyama logged a 14-point double-double, but finished with the game's lowest plus-minus. For all intents and purposes, he was a non-factor.

That's what stuck with Wembanyama most.

"They did what they usually do — what most teams do," the Frenchman said. "I just wish I made more shots. I need to be able to ... help my team even when I don't make shots."

The Spurs' shooting woes followed them closer to the coast, but arrived late. In the first half, Julian Champagnie's six 3s helped create a double-digit lead before regressing to the mean with the rest of his teammates, who missed 64 shots on the night.

"Houston did a heckuva job the whole second half guarding us," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "We had a rough half. We missed some open shots. We weren't strong creating leads ... it was a variety of things all across the board."

Jan 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots against Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) in the first quarter at Toyota Center. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The biggest factor in offensive stagnation came down to pace. San Antonio, which boasts a top-10 offensive efficiency rating this season, often settled for quick 3s in the half court instead of allowing plays to develop.

"We had the game in control," Stephon Castle said. "They went on a run, and we started making some bad plays on our end."

It gave the Spurs another thing to focus on as they continue to improve.

"That's part of us growing up and becoming a better team," Julian Champagnie said. "Figuring out a way to get the best shot for the team ... I think we have to continue to figure out and build out what that looks like."

The Spurs finished the game 14-of-50 from beyond the arc; Champagnie's eight makes eclipsed the rest of his teammates' combined. By the time Reed Sheppard, who finished with a team-high 21 points, got loose, the Rockets had already done the defensive work.

"Our whole team, at times, got rushed," Johnson said. "We got pushed off our spots ... It snowballed. They rolled the momentum and finished the job."

Talked to Victor Wembanyama about the #Spurs not slowing down last night, and what he makes of it. Here's what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/Rv2xSA28BW
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) January 21, 2026

San Antonio hasn't yet felt the impact of its late-game collapses. Sitting at No. 2 in the Western Conference, it remains the team with a target on its back, and some of the subconscious pressure that accompanies that perhaps bleeds into gameplay.

Wembanyama's response is to acknowledge his team's shortcomings.

"The good thing is that nothing makes you learn and makes you mature like 'failure,'" Wembanyama said, using air quotes. "Like losses. Defeat. We're learning quicker, we're taking in a lot ... we're going to figure it out. We need to mature a little bit."

Champagnie looked glum facing the media after his 28-point outing. Keeping honest, the forward admitted he'd rather have gone scoreless if it meant a win for the Spurs. In that sense, he's found the maturity Wembanyama preached about.

"Shots fall, shots don't fall," he said. "That's just part of basketball."

Several times, San Antonio has acknowledged the January "dog days" that befall every team in the NBA. They try not to fall into their trap, but also understand how quickly momentum can turn. It's why "business as usual" wasn't a negative Tuesday night.

Circling the locker room — his nose buried in a book — Wembanyama kept his routine. Keldon Johnson, livening the space with his boom box, did the same.

The Spurs are working to break their bad habits on the court. But not these.

"That's the luxury of the NBA," Castle said. "We get to see them again next week."