Spurs turn in lifeless second half in loss to New Orleans

Today at 10:44 PM

The Spurs played one of their worst halves this season in their loss to the Pelicans on Sunday night.

Coming off a loss to the Pistons on Friday night, the Spurs played one of their biggest head-scratching games against New Orleans on Sunday. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance that resulted in a 114-96 loss, including two halves that couldn't be more different.

Right out of the gate, it was evident that no one on the Spurs could guard Zion Williamson. New Orleans' star got whatever he wanted around the rim, as he scored 4 points while grabbing 6 rebounds in just 5 minutes of play. Bismack Biyombo tried his best to be a rim deterrent to no avail, but thankfully for San Antonio, Zion was subbed out just halfway through the first. Biyombo sat then as well, and Charles Bassey made an immediate in his stead by making back-to-back shots to put the Spurs ahead.

It was Julian Champagnie, though, who stole the show early on. "Jules" made five threes off the bench in just the first half, including an incredible turnaround triple to beat the first-quarter buzzer. Biyombo also had a much stronger second quarter, registering multiple blocks and getting his hand in passing lanes. Keldon Johnson continued his strong play, too, by constantly driving and putting pressure on the rim. It's evident that San Antonio's coaching staff has empowered him to stay aggressive, and it paid off to the tune of 12 points and three assists in under 9 minutes of playing time.

Unfortunately, the Spurs went completely cold in the second half. De'Aaron Fox, who struggled with his shot, focused more on playmaking and successfully found teammates for open shots. Those looks, though, simply failed to go down, and on the possessions when Fox wasn't handling the ball, San Antonio forced bad attempts in the hopes that something might fall. Meanwhile, the Pels caught fire from the mid-range and three, resulting in them going on a 13-0 run that made it just a two-possession game.

Things went from bad to worse in the fourth. The Spurs played arguably their worst quarter of basketball of the season, as they only scored three points in the first six minutes of the fourth. That allowed New Orleans to go on another 11-0 run which essentially sealed the game, and San Antonio was outscored 39-17 overall in the final quarter. The team looked lethargic and played with no passion, which was a stark contrast to the first half. Fox tried to rev it up at times but his engine was malfunctioning along with the rest of the team, resulting in a disappointing 114-96 loss that looked like a surefire win at halftime.

Game notes

• Fox had perhaps his worst game as a Spur by finishing with 13 points on 3-16 shooting. However, I thought that he did a good job of getting teammates good looks in the first half when his shot wasn't falling. There were two times in particular where he set up Devin Vassell for a potential open shot, but the pass was just a bit out of reach. It's evident that the Spurs are still adjusting to Fox's style and learning how to play off of him, and the more reps they get, the better the offense will hum.
• Steph Castle definitely had one of his worst games to date, as he shot a horrid 1-10 from the field and finished with just two points. He was barely noticeable on the court, and I wonder if he's got something nagging considering he only played 13 minutes on Friday night too.
• Bassey played 5:49 solid minutes before leaving the game. It's reported that he's experiencing patellar tendon soreness, which is unrelated to his recent sprained MCL, but it's still concerning that he's once again sidelined with a lower-body injury.
• This was the Spurs' third game in four nights, so their lethargic play makes sense. What doesn't is how little fight they showed down the stretch — let's see how they respond in the upcoming games.

Play of the game

Biyombo had a very solid defensive game, and if Bassey's out for an extended period, he'll continue to get a run of good minutes.

Next game: at New Orleans on Tuesday

Let's see how the Spurs bounce back to finish their baseball series again the Pelicans on Tuesday.