Johnson back after clearing protocols
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson suited up to play in Tuesday night’s game against the New York Knicks after clearing the NBA’S health and safety protocols for COVID-19.
Coach Gregg Popovich said before the game Johnson would come off the bench to “play very few minutes” in what would be his first action since he had 18 points and eight rebounds in a win at Charlotte on Feb. 14.
“This is just a little small workout for him,” Popovich said. “He’s not going to be out there competing for very long.”
Johnson missed three games after entering protocols along with Derrick White, Rudy Gay and Devin Vassell, all of whom remain out.
Getting Johnson and his pergame averages of 14.5 points and 7.0 rebounds back should boost the shorthanded Spurs. His upbeat presence in the locker room will also have a positive impact, Popovich said.
“All the guys that have had COVID, we miss them all ... their personalities,” Popovich said.
The Spurs also played Tuesday’s game without forward Lamarcus Aldridge, who was sidelined with what the team called a stomach illness in its injury report. Aldridge scored just two points in 15 minutes off the bench in Monday’s 124-113 overtime loss to Brooklyn.
It’s the 10th game Aldridge has missed this season. He sat out three games from Dec. 30-Jan. 3 with a sore knee and six games from Feb. 3-14 with a sore right hip.
Last season, his missed six games from Feb. 26-March 8 with an injured shoulder, which eventually required surgery April 24 and forced him to miss the team’s eight games in the Orlando bubble in the summer.
Also Tuesday, the Spurs transferred two-way contract guard Quinndary Weatherspoon to the Austin Spurs in the G League bubble in Florida. Weatherspoon, who last played for the Spurs on Feb. 12 in Atlanta, recently completed the health and safety protocols he entered Feb. 13.
Abbott’s decision baffles Popovich
Popovich called Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the mask mandate in Texas “mystifying” and promised the players would “listen to the NBA, not Governor Abbott” when it comes to COVID-19 precautions.
Abbott’s decision on Tuesday came as health officials warned against easing restrictions. He also announced businesses of any type will be allowed to open 100 percent starting March 10.
"Too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities,” Abbott said. “Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent.”
Popovich said lifting the mask mandate puts businesses “trying to do a good job of trying to keep everyone safe” in a “tough spot.”
“Of course, they want to open up,” Popovich said. “But getting rid of masks just seems ignorant to me. It’s like, ‘We have to have instant gratification? We have to act like the pandemic is over?’ We already went through this once and now we are going to do it again. When you go into those restaurants, you take your mask off anyway when you are eating. So, how hard can it be?”
Popovich said he fears easing restrictions will lead to more infections.
“All of a sudden we act like it is over with when all of the science tells us the opposite,” he said. “It’s basically saying, ‘You get infected, you die. That’s the way it goes. We got to open up.’ That’s not the way to do it. This is really ridiculous.”
Murray’s poise praised in OT loss
The Spurs forced OT against the Nets on an improbable jumper at the buzzer by point guard Dejounte Murray that capped a 10-0 run knotted the score at 108.
Popovich praised Murray afterward for his poise and quick thinking in getting the shot off after he lost possession of the ball near the 3-point line in a collision with the Nets’ James Harden.
Murray went to his knees to gather the loose ball behind him before scrambling to his feet to sink a 21-footer.
“He knew it had to get to the rim,” Popovich said. “He made a good choice getting rid of that darn thing.”
Murray finished with 19 points, six rebounds and eights assists. He entered Tuesday’s game with 707 career assists through 215 games. Only Tony Parker, Johnny Moore, Alvin Robertson, Johnny Dawkins and Willie Anderson have more assists in that span in franchise history.
Murray is averaging 20.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.4 assits and 2.3 steals per game over his last seven games while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the free throw line.
“He’s been playing great all year long and just getting smarter and smarter, feeling more and more confisdent at the position,” Popovich said.