San Antonio is being pushed to take Luke Kornet out of the rotation for Game 6 against Oklahoma City, a move that would change how the Spurs try to survive an elimination night. The case against Kornet is blunt: the Spurs have been outscored by 52 points in his 54 minutes in the series, and their best minutes have come with Victor Wembanyama on the floor, where they have won by 42 points.
That is why Kornet is being searched now. Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals has turned his spot into the key lineup question for Mitch Johnson, because the Thunder’s speed and athleticism have made the usually sturdy rebounder and rim protector a non-factor. In Game 5, Kornet had one rebound and three fouls in eight minutes, and San Antonio lost those minutes by six points.
The suggestion is not simply to replace him with another center. The Spurs’ other options at the position — Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo and Mason Plumlee — are not viewed as workable in the way the game is expected to be played, which is why the idea has shifted toward a small-ball group. That lineup would lean on Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson.
Harper, a 6-foot-5 guard, is being asked to carry more of that burden than his role usually suggests. He is described as a strong rebounder and playmaker, and San Antonio needs him to step up on Thursday night if the Spurs are going to stretch Oklahoma City and give Wembanyama enough help to rest without breaking the game open.
Kornet remains Wembanyama’s backup, but the series has made that label feel less useful than it once did. San Antonio cannot ask its star to play 40 minutes, yet every minute Kornet has spent on the floor has gone against the Spurs, leaving Johnson with a choice that could decide how long this series lasts.
The unresolved question now is whether Johnson actually cuts Kornet loose for Game 6 or keeps him in reserve and hopes the matchup changes. On the numbers, the pressure points are already plain, and the Thunder have given the Spurs little reason to believe the old rotation will hold.
