LOS ANGELES -- they may have mentioned the challenges drop on the trail, however no San Antonio Spurs player spoken excuses Thursday night when a sloppy 105-86 loss to the l. a. Clippers.
Fresh off the All-Star break, the Spurs ar within the thick of a six,500-mile road trip wherever extra mileage was tacked on for a few -- coach Gregg Popovich flew to capital of Oklahoma with assistant James Borrego, chief R.C. Buford and forwards Tim Isadora Duncan and David West to attend the ceremonial service for Monty Williams' spouse, Ingrid, World Health Organization died Gregorian calendar month. ten when being in a very automobile accident the night before.
San Antonio trudged through one strange, emotional day on Thursday, that ought to solely create the club stronger.
"They had constant break we tend to did," West snapped once asked whether or not the Spurs fought to shake off rust early in marking thirty four points within the half, before marking twenty nine within the third quarter alone.
"No excuses," power forward LaMarcus Aldridge aforesaid. "We simply had one in every of those nights wherever guys did not play nearly as good as they must have. They undoubtedly competed at a high level, and that we ne'er found our offensive rhythm."
San Antonio's contingent for Williams' ceremonial skipped observe on weekday to fly to capital of Oklahoma. within the hours leading into tipoff on Thursday, it absolutely was unclear whether or not Popovich and therefore the remainder of the Spurs attending the services would create it back in time. In fact, assistant Ettore metropolis was the club's contingency set up at head coach.
The cluster landed in l. a. or so 2 hours before tipoff and received a police escort to Staples Center, with Isadora Duncan creating his manner down a hall to hit the room initial, followed by West and eventually Popovich.
Then, but associate hour before tipoff, the Spurs proclaimed All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard would miss the sport because of tightness in his left calf, associate injury suffered on the primary night of the team's annual rodeo stopover at Miami, in line with Popovich.
"We've simply have to be compelled to be that far more sharp," Aldridge aforesaid once asked concerning the team being understaffed. "We gave up some simple shots within the half, and that i thought that got them going for the last half. we tend to did not execute defensively on some plays, on some pick-and-rolls, and that they got some simple shots. i believed they'd some simple appearance early."
If San Antonio received similar appearance, it actually didn't profit. 3 Spurs scored in double figures, crystal rectifier by Tony Parker with fourteen, West with twelve and Aldridge with ten. however simply 3 players shot higher than fifty % on the night (Kyle Anderson, West and Rasual Butler). Up till the 2:37 mark of the third quarter, Anderson was the sole Spur shooting higher than fifty %.
"Guys have to be compelled to play higher," Popovich aforesaid. "David West had a reasonably sensible game. Kyle Anderson had a reasonably sensible game. everyone else was pretty poor. that's not getting to apprehend tired the NBA. additional guys have to be compelled to play well. that is the bottom line."
The loss to the Clippers goes down as San Antonio's initial during this eight-game road trip when the team secured victories Gregorian calendar month. 9 and Feb. ten at Miami and metropolis. beginning with the second of a consecutive set weekday against the l. a. Lakers, the Spurs shut out the rodeo trip with 5 games over a span of eight days before heading back home March 2 to San Antonio, wherever they will host the Detroit Pistons.
Leonard's potential come back are a game-time call weekday, Popovich aforesaid, and therefore the Spurs ar still missing Manu Ginobili as he recovers from gonad surgery.
But even with the recent adversity, the team is aware of the rodeo trip strengthens the room bonds and courage necessary to burn the competition within the postseason. San Antonio owns a record of 77-35 over the past thirteen seasons throughout its annual rodeo trip.
One loss on one strange night should not amendment something.
"We win along, we tend to lose along," West aforesaid. "The cluster did not play at a high enough level to win a game against a decent team in their building."
Spurs' loss on strange night should strengthen team for postseason
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