Skid 2nd worst in club history
Rout sends San Antonio to 11th consecutive loss
The rebuilding Spurs are losing in historic fashion, but the coaching staff insists the players continue to approach each game as if they were in the playoff hunt.
“That locker room is amazing,” assistant coach Brett Brown said. “Those guys are high-character, young men that just want to get better.”
But considering how badly they were beaten Sunday, those “young men” could be forgiven for leaving the AT&T Center depressed for a change.
Deandre Ayton scored 25 points and Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges each finished with 20 as the Western Conference-leading Phoenix pounded the Western Conference cellardwelling Spurs 133-95 to extend their losing streak to 11 games.
The Suns led by 30 points at halftime.
It's the second-longest skid in Spurs history. If they lose their next two games — against Houston at home on Thursday and at Miami on Dec. 10 — they'll match the 13-game streak recorded by the 1988-89 team.
Brown filled in for Gregg Popovich for the second straight game. Popovich, 73, is recovering from what the club called a “minor medical procedure” he underwent on Friday.
Asked before Sunday's game if it looks positive that Popovich will return to the bench Thursday, Brown said, “We believe so. He is fine. That's what people should hear the loudest. It was just a minor situation.”
Keldon Johnson had a gamehigh 27 points for the Spurs, who fell to 6-18, including 3-10 at the AT&T Center, and are 1-16 in their last 17 games.
The Spurs were outscored 36-11 in the second quarter to trail 71-41 at halftime. The 41 points matched their lowest scoring output for a first half this season and the 11 points were the fewest they've scored in any period this year.
The Spurs were without injured players Jakob Poeltl, Jeremy Sochan, Doug Mcdermott, Josh Richardson.