Spurs' Sochan downplays confrontation with Lakers' Vanderbilt - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan downplayed the severity of a postgame incident Wednesday that involved Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt poking him in the face after the buzzer of San Antonio's 107-91 win at Frost Bank Center.

«I must've said something to him during the game, and maybe it wasn't very nice,» Sochan said. «He must have taken it in the wrong way and told me to see him after the game. So, I did. And we just had a polite exchange. I was, I think, intact and very joyful and the other person wasn't. Yeah, he just wasn't emotionally stable in that moment. So, it's something he has to work on. It's just life.»

As the teams exited the court after the game, the forwards briefly exchanged words, with Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox stepping between them to deescalate the situation. Fox grabbed Vanderbilt to walk him away, but the Lakers forward quickly jabbed Sochan in the face with his left index finger.

Spurs forward Julian Champagnie immediately pushed Vanderbilt as Fox remained between the players, trying to keep them separated. The Lakers' Luka Dončić quickly stepped in along with Jaxson Hayes to assist Fox in calming the situation as Sochan and Vanderbilt continued to trade verbal barbs.

Vanderbilt did not speak to reporters in the Lakers' locker room after the game.

As Sochan discussed Champagnie stepping in to help, the latter jokingly pounded his chest in solidarity from his locker just a few feet away as he ate a postgame meal.

«My guy,» Champagnie said.

On the floor, Sochan scored six points on 2-of-2 shooting with one assist in 11 minutes in a Spurs victory propelled by Keldon Johnson's 27 points off the bench. The performance marked Johnson's fourth game this season with 25 points or more,