The Spurs completed the Rodeo Highway Journey with a loss. A horrible begin doomed them in Boston, as they confronted a Celtics workforce that carved out a giant lead and did sufficient to stop a comeback to safe a 116-103 win.
An even bigger, extra gifted contender limiting the Spurs on protection and scoring on them usually shouldn’t be stunning. The unlucky facet of the primary quarter was how little resistance San Antonio provided. They managed to maintain up initially by hitting mid-range jumpers, however that’s not a successful technique in opposition to a Celtics workforce that averages over 48 threes a sport and tried 55 on Wednesday. As the surface photographs began to fall for the house workforce, their lead began to balloon. The second unit introduced extra vitality than a starter group that stood round on offense and wasn’t lively on protection or the boards, however the jolt didn’t final for the Silver and Black. After one, Boston led by 18.
Because the second body began, a number of the points like dangerous transition protection continued however there was extra of a way of urgency for the Spurs, or a minimum of a few of their gamers. Harrison Barnes, who couldn’t hit threes, began to assault the paint aggressively; Chris Paul, who had struggled mightily defensively in the previous couple of video games, acquired steals and triggered turnovers; Stephon Citadel supplied the secondary scoring wanted for a workforce that didn’t have its two stars taking part in effectively. It wasn’t sufficient to get inside hanging distance, but it surely was sufficient to keep away from what may have been an embarrassingly lopsided rating on the half. Going to the break, the Spurs trailed by 19 after dropping the second quarter by only one level.
Barnes continued to be in assault mode to start out the second half and San Antonio compelled some misses, placing themselves ready to try a comeback. They took benefit of it due to the play of their star guard. Others did their half whereas De’Aaron Fox caught fireplace, ending the body with 12 factors. A lead that reached 24 factors at its largest was minimize to only 10 earlier than the Celtics took benefit of Wembanyama’s relaxation to get some buckets inside and secured some essential offensive boards that allowed them to maintain the Spurs at arm’s size. The Silver and Black dropped 37 factors within the body and trailed by simply 12 heading into the ultimate quarter, which was a greater final result than anybody watching the beginning of the sport would have anticipated.
Alas, the great third interval solely allowed the Spurs to safe a decent defeat as an alternative of struggling a blowout loss. They made it fascinating by reducing the result in eight within the opening minutes however the Celtics responded with back-to-back threes to get it again to double digits and by no means appeared again. It was clear San Antonio simply didn’t have the firepower to go toe to toe with an opponent that even lacking Jaylen Brown merely had extra weapons. It was a low-scoring remaining body by which Boston appeared assured in getting the win whereas the Spurs appeared glad to only be in it, which made sense after the terrible begin and the trouble spent within the third quarter. San Antonio heads to the All-Star escape of the play-in after a tough Rodeo Highway Journey.
Play of the sport
Fox is lethal on dribble hand-offs going to his left. Even when the massive man rotates, he can hit a floater. It’s higher when he dunks on somebody, in fact. Extra of this after the All-Star break, please.
Recreation notes
Victor Wembanyama has shot 29 p.c from outdoors over the previous 5 video games, which embrace a 5-for-8 efficiency in opposition to the Wizards. The skin shot has deserted him, which ends up in a query: does he look gassed at instances as a result of he has to battle tougher for his factors as an alternative of sinking perimeter photographs, or is he lacking these perimeter photographs as a result of he’s drained? Extra regarding than the missed threes are the defensive lapses and lack of battle on the boards. Wemby will take part in All-Star Weekend, however getting a break from aggressive basketball may assist reset his thoughts and physique.
Jeremy Sochan performed simply over 12 minutes. It appears Mitch Johnson doesn’t like what he’s seeing from him, which isn’t stunning since he has Sochan taking part in backup middle, but in addition on the identical time asking him to protect perimeter scorers. Johnson mentioned the All-Star break will enable the teaching workers to have a look at lineups and mixtures. Determining the right way to use Sochan needs to be a precedence.
Chris Paul had his finest sport shortly, largely by making performs on protection and organizing the offense. It nonetheless makes little sense to play him subsequent to De’Aaron Fox a lot. Paul is hitting simply 30 p.c of his spot-up threes this season and isn’t a cutter, so he struggles to make a mark off the ball. Towards the Celtics, he went 1-for-5 from past the arc
De’Aaron Fox is an explosive scorer that the Spurs nonetheless want to determine the right way to use however retains proving to be value what they traded for him, and extra. He completed with 23 factors on 16 photographs and 5 assists.
Stephon Citadel, Fox’s backcourt associate of the long run, had 20 factors on 16 photographs to go along with 4 rebounds, three assists and two steals. He additionally made two threes and is taking pictures a decent 36 p.c on a shade over 4 makes an attempt an evening over the previous 15 video games.
Devin Vassell’s maddening inconsistency might be not his fault. Accidents made him begin the season off the bench and his position has modified a number of instances. On the identical time, when a core participant finishes a sport with eight factors in 12 photographs and it’s not even stunning anymore, there’s an issue. Vassell must step up.
Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson mixed for 12 factors, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and two made threes. Keldon averaged 22 factors a sport two years in the past. Champagnie averaged 13 factors and 5 rebounds an evening whereas providing good protection as a starter earlier within the yr. Smaller roles appear to restrict their effectiveness, which may result in powerful choices within the offseason in the event that they don’t enhance after the All-Star break.
Subsequent sport: vs. Phoenix Suns on Thursday, March 20
The Spurs might be again residence following the break after going 2-4 over their final six, all on the street. The Suns are additionally preventing for the play-in, so it needs to be a enjoyable, hard-fought matchup.
