Following a disappointing loss to the Rockets that resulted in Wemby getting damage, the Spurs dropped their second straight sport on Thursday night time after a heartbreaking remaining minute noticed them squander a possible comeback win.
Wemby’s absence was felt from the beginning. The Kings went to work attacking the paint instantly, resulting in Zach Collins choosing up two private fouls throughout the sport’s first 90 seconds. With out a number of huge man choices, the Spurs elected to sub in Malaki Branham, who continued his robust play and confirmed off his confidence by hitting an off-the-dribble three.
Very similar to their earlier matchup, the 2 groups performed at a frenetic tempo and traded buckets by means of lively chopping and ball motion. Sadly, San Antonio’s sloppy execution and dearth of expertise reared its ugly head within the second quarter. With Devin Vassell on the bench, the Spurs struggled to generate offense and missed their first 5 pictures of the quarter.
Someway, issues have been even worse on protection.
Sacramento scored at will and acted like there wasn’t any Spur defending the paint. On a number of possessions, that was really the case: there have been a lot of performs the place De’Aaron Fox drove proper to the basket with none resistance whereas the Spurs simply stood by and watched. Consequently, the Kings broke open the sport by happening two separate double-digit runs, and the hosts led by as many as 20 at one level.
Even with the Spurs’ wildly inconsistent play, the one factor that’s been a continuing all the season has been their effort. San Antonio has no give up and that was on show in Sacramento, as they began the second half on hearth by hitting a few threes. The offense flowed rather a lot smoother because the Spurs slowed the sport down and performed at a extra methodical tempo, which naturally led to them taking higher-percentage pictures. On protection, San Antonio additionally employed completely different schemes — like full-court presses — to disrupt Sacramento’s rhythm, and the Spurs went into the fourth down by simply 5.
San Antonio’s sizzling long-range capturing continued within the remaining quarter. Having mounted a 20-point comeback, the Spurs’ confidence was by means of the roof they usually took the lead following three fast triples from Blake Wesley and Keldon Johnson. The basketball gods have been absolutely on San Antonio’s aspect at this level, as each 50/50 bounce went within the Spurs’ favor they usually managed to construct an eight-point lead. Up 5 with beneath thirty seconds left, it appeared just like the Spurs had the win secured.
That’s when catastrophe struck.
Sacramento managed to get a fast two after pushing the ball up, and after a botched offensive possession, the Kings then tied the sport on a Malik Monk three when the Spurs have been scrambling to get again on protection. With the rating even, San Antonio nonetheless had an opportunity to regain the lead, however a Domantis Sabonis steal and dunk sealed the win for the hosts.
Merely put, it was a heartbreaking finish to an in any other case exhilarating sport. As has been the case all the season, the Spurs’ sloppiness and inexperience was on full show on the worst doable time, though they performed their hearts out and mounted an inconceivable comeback.
Recreation notes
Vassell’s playmaking continues to impress. The 23-year-old has all the time been in a position to create his personal shot, however the sport appears to have slowed down for him too. Vassell is now doing a a lot better job of surveying the court docket and utilizing his gravity to attract in defenders earlier than dumping it off to a teammate who has a greater look. It’s not a coincidence that the Spurs’ offense was clogged within the second quarter with Vassell on the bench, and he completed the sport with 30 factors on 11-18 capturing and 9 assists.
Collins’ begin to the sport couldn’t have been a lot worse, as he sat on the bench for a lot of the primary half after racking up two fouls within the first 90 seconds of the sport. Fortunately for the Spurs, he managed to regain his composure and performed properly offensively by ending the night time with 22 factors on 8-17 capturing and 2-3 from deep. Even so, it felt just like the Kings scored at will with Collins defending the rim and he must do a greater job of bringing physicality with out being soiled.
Branham isn’t slowing down anytime quickly. He had 23 factors on 6-11 capturing together with 4 assists and performed with an infectious vitality all through all the sport. The 20-year-old made all 5 of his threes and was an ideal 6/6 from the road too. Sadly, Branham was additionally the one who turned the ball over to Sabonis on the ultimate play of the sport, however that shouldn’t take away from all of the positives he delivered to the desk. The Spurs wouldn’t have mounted the comeback with out him, and Branham’s two clutch free throws with beneath a minute left was what gave San Antonio their five-point lead within the first place.
The Spurs one way or the other went an ideal 21/21 from the road. Much more spectacular is the truth that the Kings shot 17/18 too. Seeing two groups mix to make 38/39 free throws doesn’t occur typically, people.
Play of the sport
Classic Spurs ball motion. What’s to not like?
Subsequent sport: @ Golden State on Saturday
The Spurs will look to get again on observe towards a red-hot Warriors aspect within the first sport of a home-and-home baseball sequence.
