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After starting the preseason with an impressive win over Jazz, the Spurs showed they are still in the works when they visit Detroit. Despite strong performances from Keldon Johnson and Bryn Forbes, San Antonio was dominated by the Pistons en route to a 115-105 loss.
Spurs didn’t have Dejounte Murray for this one, which meant Lonnie Walker IV started alongside Derrick White in the backcourt. Walker was extremely aggressive to start the game and helped fuel an attack that couldn’t play with a lot of pace and didn’t look so smooth in the half court. The defense was solid early on, so San Antonio kept pace, but that all changed when the substitutes checked in, as Thaddeus Young – Drew Eubanks tandem struggled mightily to keep the Pistons from scoring and the Silver and Blacks battling it out. Allowed a big race.
With White at rest and Tre Jones injured in the ankle, the Spurs decided to do without a real leader to start the second period. Bryn Forbes took the minutes while Lonnie Walker IV and the greats mostly handled the ball. Forbes was hot from the outside, which again made up for the struggling team-level attack when there wasn’t enough movement. The defense had issues, but once the starters came back it improved, allowing Spurs to play again.
Gregg Popovich decided to experiment to start the second half, as if to remind us all that these games don’t matter. Devin Vassell and Forbes started in place of Walker and Johnson, who then had minutes on the bench. The unconventional unit performed well enough, but the Pistons were able to chase Doug McDermott out on defense and exploit the small mistakes San Antonio made on the rotations, which only got worse when Jakob Poeltl s’ is sitting. Keldon Johnson had some good training in the frame, but Detroit was just a little bit stronger thanks to the play of its veterans.
The Pistons slowly strengthened their lead in the fourth, despite the best efforts of Johnson, who carried the offense with his practices. The energy level was not great after a few minutes in the final period, which is normal for a pre-season game, so both coaches sank into their benches. Luka Samanic, Josh Primo and Jock Landale have had some good times for Spurs, but there has been no comeback. Detroit took the win despite Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham not being available, but San Antonio was able to give 14 players minutes in different setups so I’m sure Pop isn’t too upset with the score. final.
Play Notes
- The defense was not great on this one. Part of that was due to a lack of chemistry, as some of these guys never played together. Young, in particular, looked lost, and the team struggled a lot when Poeltl sat down. The spins were a bit late as well, so the Pistons sometimes got some quality looks from the outside. The potential for good defense is there, so it’s mostly a question of consistency.
- The Pistons were careful with the ball, registering just 10 turnovers, making it difficult for Spurs to pick up the pace. Creating turnovers is going to be key for San Antonio this season, and on Wednesday that didn’t happen. The return of Dejounte Murray will surely help.
- The lack of three-point shooting was a problem. The Spurs tried to drive, but the Pistons quickly realized they could send help without paying. Other than Bryn Forbes, no one had really done it. Derrick White missed all five of his attempts, while Lonnie Walker IV hit one of his eight. Keldon Johnson only attempted two and missed both. Some of them will eventually fall, but starters can’t just rely on Doug McDermott to hit outside shots.
- Young and Aminu got their first minutes as Spurs. As mentioned, Young struggled to find his place. Aminu looked a little more comfortable in a short stint, but with the depth San Antonio now has up front, he’s unlikely to gain any spinning minutes.
Price please
In each match, we’ll pick the top three players, or Spurs Valuable Players, to keep an eye out for those doing well. First place gets three points, second place two and third place one. Here are tonight’s winners:
Third place: Jakob Poeltl (four points, five assists, two blocks)
Lonnie Walker IV has a record for this spot, as he finished with 13 points and two assists, but he made his mark early in attack and then disappeared for the remainder of the game. Poeltl, meanwhile, only played 20 minutes, but was all over the defense during his time on the pitch and distributed five assists to lead the squad.
Second place: Keldon Johnson (18 points, three rebounds, two assists)
Johnson had 18 points, but it took 18 shots to get there, and he did most of his damage in the second half. It is clear that adapting to a larger role that he has to create for himself will be a challenge for him, at least in the beginning. But it’s heartwarming to know that despite a bad first half and a surprising bench at the break, he’s mentally strong enough to always stay aggressive.
First place: Bryn Forbes (20 points on a 6v8 shot from beyond the arc)
Forbes led Spurs in the scoring, but that’s not why he’s getting the green light here. This is because he played his role perfectly. He got off the bench, moved around a lot, aggressively sought his punches and hit them. He also competed in defense. Forbes could earn a rotational spot by playing like this, though it’s not clear if he will beat Jones, who still hasn’t had a chance to play in the preseason, for the playmaker’s few minutes. once Murray is back.
Ranking:
1 – Josh Primo and Bryn Forbes – 3 points each
2 – Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson – 2 points each
3 – Drew Eubanks and Jakob Poeltl – 1 point each
Next game: Vs. Friday heat
Hopefully Murray will be back for that one, but if he misses him, it would be great to have Jones available, to see what he can do. No matter who dresses up, expect a lot of experimentation, as Pop is clearly more interested in finding out what works than just a spin for now.
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