San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Team eager to move past Friday’s flop
SAN FRANCISCO — The Spurs quickly tried to turn the page after their disappointing, lackluster performance in Friday’s 124-91 home loss to New Orleans.
“They outplayed us in almost every way you can imagine,” coach Gregg Popovich said.
“Take your pick. Write it up. It’s one of those games you won’t watch the film. Lose them together, win them together and move on.”
Coaches and players from both teams talked beforehand about the need to win a game loaded with play-in implications, but only one backed up its words.
The Pelicans (29-41) led 35-10 after the first quarter and enjoyed a 40-point cushion in the second half while handing the Spurs (27-44) their worst loss of the season.
The Spurs committed six of their 16 turnovers in the opening frame, leading to 10 points for New Orleans. They also allowed seven offensive rebounds, which led to 18 second-chance points for the Pelicans.
“They were hungry,” said Devin Vassell, who had a teamhigh 18 points for the Spurs. “They came out with the first punch. They wanted that game and you could tell. From the first possession, from the first whistle, they wanted that game. We came out flat, and it’s tough to come back from that.”
Both teams entered the game short-handed, with the Spurs missing Doug McDermott (ankle), Josh Richardson (hamstring) and Keita Bates-Diop (back) and the Pelicans without leading scorer Brandon Ingram (COVID-19).
Things got worse for the Spurs when Lonnie Walker went to the locker room in the first quarter with lower back spasms sustained in a collision with New
Orleans’ Willy Hernangomez. Walker did not return, placing his participation in Sunday’s game at Golden State in doubt.
In the second quarter, the Spurs lost Popovich, who picked a fight with official Bennie Adams. After Adams ejected him, Popovich winked before leaving the court and turning the team over to assistant coach Becky Hammon.
With CJ McCollum scoring 20 points and Jonas Valanciunas contributing 16 points and 12 rebounds, the Pelicans moved 2½ games ahead of the Spurs for the 10th seed in the Western Conference and the final play-in spot.
New Orleans shot 50 percent from the floor, including 41.2
percent from 3-point range. The Spurs connected on just 36 percent from the floor and 25 percent (11 of 44) from beyond the arc.
The Spurs were grateful they don’t have to wait long to try to make amends for their flop. Sunday’s game kicks off a fourgame road trip that includes contests at Portland, New Orleans and Houston.
“On to the next one,” Keldon Johnson said. “Can’t really hold onto it. We didn’t hit shots. We didn’t get stops. On to the next one. It’s just one of those nights.”
Hammon in charge now nothing new
When Hammon took over the
reins after Popovich got tossed on Dec. 30, 2020, she made global news as the first woman to act as head coach during an NBA regular-season game.
When she took over Friday, nobody blinked an eye.
“Becky always does an amazing job,” Johnson said. “She earns her respect. We didn’t listen to the hype around it
(when she took over for the first time). Respect is respect. She’s getting the respect she deserves. She works hard. She (earned) her stripes. We all know that.”
Hammon’s time with the Spurs is dwindling down. She is set to move on to Las Vegas at season’s end to coach the WNBA’s Aces.
Popovich was asked recently for his thoughts on Hammon’s character.
“She’s a tough nut,” he said. “She’s a committed, serious, take-no-prisoners sort of human being. She has a great sense of humor and she understands the game, all those things you need to be a head coach, but she doesn’t suffer fools very well.”
Hammon was a six-time AllStar during her 16 seasons as a WNBA point guard.
“If you are serious about it, or if you want to be a hell of a player, or you want to have a heck of a te]am, she’s your coach,” Popovich said. “And that’s what people really don’t know about her. They just see her and decide what they want to decide, but there’s no way they can know that about her. But our guys do. They know it.”
Johnson continues support of Lanier
Johnson teamed with Spurs Give, the charitable arm of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, to present Lanier High School with a $10,000 check before Friday’s game.
It’s the latest gift from Johnson to the Voks and the West Side community.
In June 2021, he donated a $10,000 shooting machine to the Lanier basketball program. He also dressed as Santa Claus in December to hand out gifts to children on the West Side.
Johnson bonded with the Voks after they allowed him to use their gym for workouts.
“They’ve been a big part of my success,” he said. “I’m glad to be able to call them family. They always welcome me. They’re hands-on and vice versa. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help those kids. That’s bigger than basketball. We’re a family now. Any way I can, I’m willing to help out.”