Spurs' tough Clippers loss could trigger changes in San Antonio
Today at 10:09 AM
In falling to the Los Angeles Clippers by 12 points, there is another number that may prove uglier for Mitch Johnson in the San Antonio Spurs loss: 27. That’s by how much the Silver and Black lost the rebounding battle.
The lopsided result comes as the Spurs went to a smaller line-up throughout the 128-116 outcome and featured a starting unit that, while used before, didn’t feature anyone who’d be confused with a “power forward.”
Asked if a lack of size contributed to their rebounding woes, Johnson admitted what other coaches may not. Or may talk around.
“For sure, that is a fair point to bring up with the line ups.”
Spurs small ball my have cost them vs. Clippers
The presence of 7-foot Ivica Zubac didn’t make things easy for San Antonio. That he grabbed 22 rebounds made things downright impossible for a line up whose tallest player for most of the 13 and a half minutes Victor Wembanyama wasn’t on the floor was 6-foot-8 Jeremy Sochan.
“Logically, you would think that would be part of it. I think that margin is probably a lot more a reflection of everybody else than just Jeremy by himself,” Johnson said.
Sochan has started most of the 25 games he’s played this season. Because he’s missed nearly 20 contests with injuries, the Spurs have tinkered with a starting five that has consistently included Wemby, Chris Paul, Harrison Barnes, and Devin Vassell. Rookie Stephon Castle, who was just chosen as an NBA Rising Star for All-Star weekend, has frequently rounded out the unit. With Sochan back ahead of the Clippers, Johnson instead kept the former UConn star in the starting line-up.
“Just trying to look at different combinations,” Johnson revealed.
“I thought he did a really good job,” Johnson added of Sochan. “And even Harrison was guarding Zubac for a time when we wanted some different match-ups with Jeremy.”
“I think Jeremy does a really good job of screening and rolling,” Johnson continued. “He’s had a lot of success with that this year. Just spacing around him is something that we’re looking at it. I thought there were a lot of positives there too when they really ramped up the pressure and tried to turn them over and played a different style of basketball in terms of activity and ball pressure.”
Sochan finished with 7 points, though he didn’t register a rebound in his 26 minutes of action. Of course, Zubac didn’t leave many for the Spurs to get. As a team, they totaled 30 boards compared to his 22.
“A little bit of both,” Johnson responded when asked about the reasons for San Antonio’s rebounding deficiencies.
He credited Zubac while pointing to other realities as well.
“Any time you get out-rebounded by that margin there’s obviously some possessions left on the table where you needed a few more guys to participate,” Johnson said. “Whether that’s when we were a little bit smaller or Victor’s trying to make a play defensively, that’s when guys have got to get grab-backs and participate and gang rebound as a group.”
The Spurs will now try to rebound from a stretch in which they’ve lost eight of their last ten games.
The post Spurs’ tough Clippers loss could trigger changes in San Antonio appeared first on ClutchPoints.
