Still short-handed
» Walker to miss his ninth straight game tonight.
Demar Derozan can’t wait for the Spurs to have their roster fully healthy again.
“It’s a confidence thing, knowing you have all your guys and the camaraderie of playing together back,” he said.
Unfortunately for the Spurs, that day apparently is still down the road.
Lonnie Walker IV will miss his ninth game in a row when the Spurs face the Nuggets tonight in Denver, according to the injury report the club released Tuesday.
The Spurs have been without the third-year wing and his 11.4 points per game since March 24.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before Monday’s 125-101 loss to Cleveland that he hoped Walker would return “sometime” during the five-game road trip that kicks off with a pair of games in the Mile High City.
Walker’s teammates also have their fingers crossed.
“A very good basketball player who can go out there and help us offensively and on defense,” Rudy Gay said of Walker. “Lonnie has made some strides this year, and it’s great having him out there. We need to get our team back. We haven’t had everyone back in a while.”
On a positive note for the reeling Spurs, who are 2-8 in their past 10 games and have lost three in a row, they could get starting point guard Dejounte Murray back tonight.
The Spurs upgraded Murray to questionable after he missed Monday’s game with a sore right foot that Popovich described as a short-term injury. Murray averages 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and a team-best 1.5 steals.
Forwards Trey Lyles (sprained right ankle) and Keita Bates-diop (strained right hamstring) will miss their fourth and 14th consecutive games, respectively.
Newcomer Dieng is back in action
Spurs big man Gorgui Dieng saw limited action against the Cavaliers after returning from an injury that forced him to sit out the two previous games.
Back from the sprained right shoulder he suffered in the first quarter of his debut as a Spur last Wednesday against Sacramento, Dieng scored five points, committed four fouls and recorded a steal in nine minutes.
“He’s a physical guy. He’s skilled; he can shoot,” Popovich said of Dieng, who was 1 of 3 from the field, with his only bucket coming on his first attempt of the game, a 3-pointer in the first quarter. “He understands how to play; he’s a pro.”
The Spurs signed Dieng, who is in his ninth season, March 29 after Memphis bought him out.
“It sucks that he got hurt in his first game, but once he gets more time out there he definitely is going to fit in on both ends,” Derozan said.
23-season streak in serious jeopardy
With a 12-17 record at the AT&T Center after Monday’s loss, the Spurs are in danger of their first losing season at home since 1996-97.
The Spurs entered 2020-21 with 23 consecutive winning seasons at home to rank fifth all-time in the NBA. At 31 consecutive seasons, the Indiana Pacers are the only team with a longer current streak.
The Phoenix Suns top the list with a streak of 34 seasons.
The Spurs’ final seven home games are against Portland, Miami, Detroit, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Phoenix twice. The Pistons are the only team in that group with a losing record.
Spurs helping foes cure what ails them
Monday’s loss marked the fourth time during the Spurs’ nine-game homestand that an opponent beat them to end a losing streak.
The Cavaliers had lost five in a row before routing the Spurs. Charlotte had lost three straight before winning 100-97 on March 22, Atlanta had dropped two in a row before a 134-129 victory in double overtime last Thursday, and Indiana was on a three-game slide before a 139-133 win in OT on Saturday.