The San Antonio Spurs had no business winning this game. Trailing after three quarters, outplayed for long stretches, and operating on the road in a hostile Scotiabank Arena, everything pointed to a quiet loss. Mitch Johnson had other plans.
In a fourth quarter that will define the early chapters of his head coaching legacy, Johnson rallied the Spurs to a 110-107 road victory over the Toronto Raptors, outscoring them 32-17 in the final frame to erase what had been a double-digit deficit. It was exactly the kind of gutsy, disciplined performance that has made Johnson one of the most compelling stories in the NBA this season — a young Black coach stepping out of a legend’s shadow and writing something entirely his own.
Johnson, 39, took over the Spurs in 2025 after Gregg Popovich stepped down following 29 seasons. He inherited a roster in transition, a fanbase hungry for relevance, and the weight of one of the most storied franchises in basketball history. He has not flinched once.
Johnson’s Spurs Are Built for Moments Like This
What separates Johnson’s coaching style is a relentless belief in structure and composure. Down heading into the fourth, the Spurs did not panic — they executed. San Antonio’s offense came alive with purpose, finding rhythm in the paint and knocking down timely threes when Toronto could not close out. The Spurs converted 15 points off Raptors turnovers and held Toronto to just 17 fourth-quarter points, a collapse that had Johnson’s fingerprints all over it from the bench.
De’Aaron Fox led San Antonio with 20 points, slicing through Toronto’s defense with the efficiency that has made him one of the league’s premier guards since his arrival in San Antonio. Dylan Harper added 15 points and 7 assists, playing with the poise of a veteran in a game that required every bit of it. Victor Wembanyama had a quieter scoring night with 12 points but made his presence felt with 5 blocks, altering shots and protecting the paint in the moments that mattered most.
Johnson‘s ability to manage Wembanyama’s development while competing at the highest level has been one of the quiet masterstrokes of this Spurs season. His team currently holds one of the better records in the Western Conference — a testament to a coaching philosophy built on accountability, spacing, and clutch execution.
Quickley Fights Hard for Toronto
The Raptors were not without their own star turn. Immanuel Quickley delivered the most complete performance on the floor for Toronto, finishing with 20 points on 50% shooting and knocking down three from beyond the arc. Fast, aggressive, and relentlessly competitive, Quickley gave the Raptors every opportunity to hold on. He kept Toronto in the game through the middle quarters, pushing the lead to 15 at one point and giving head coach Darko Rajakovic reason to believe.
But the fourth quarter belonged to Johnson and his Spurs. No lead was safe once San Antonio locked in defensively and began making the extra pass on offense. Toronto’s offense stalled, turnovers mounted, and the Spurs’ physicality at the rim became the story of the game’s final minutes. Quickley’s 20-point effort was a bright spot in a tough defeat — a reminder that Toronto has a genuine building block in the making.
A Coach Rising on His Own Terms
Mitch Johnson’s story is one that deserves far more attention than it typically receives. A Stanford graduate and former undrafted player, Johnson spent years grinding through the G League and overseas before committing himself to coaching. He built his reputation quietly, winning a G League championship with the Austin Spurs in 2018, earning a promotion to Popovich’s staff in 2019, and developing into one of the most trusted voices in the organization long before his official promotion.
This season, Johnson was named the Western Conference Coach of the Month for December and earned the honor of coaching the Western Conference’s All-Star team at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. Those are not participation trophies. They are the result of a team that has bought into his system completely — a 38-win pace, top-10 defense, and the kind of clutch record that wins playoff series.
The win in Toronto on Feb. 25 was one more data point in a season full of them. Johnson walked into one of the league’s tougher road environments, absorbed a slow start, made the right adjustments, and left with two points in the standings.
That is what elite coaches do. That is what Mitch Johnson does.
