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The San Antonio Spurs prevented a furious fourth-quarter comeback for Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans to claim their first victory since their ten-day hiatus. Although the good guys found themselves severely shorthanded due to the same health and safety protocols that had postponed four games, they rose to the challenge and ensured vital saves the entire length.
The Silver and Black improved to 17-12, climbing five games above 0.500 for the second time this season and retaining fifth place in the hyper-competitive Western Conference. While this was by no means a dominating victory, San Antonio showed the value of depth and determination. And the immediate impact of adding DeMar DeRozan to the roster was evident as the veteran swingman put the team on their backs and led them to victory.
Observations
- DeMar DeRozan has earned my respect since joining the organization in 2018. Although the high-scoring swingman didn’t ask for a trade in San Antonio, he conducted himself like a complete professional. in all aspects, never becoming a headache. for PATFO. DeMar has added a new wrinkle to his game each offseason, mentored several young Spurs and has been a constant source of reliable attack for a team that has often lacked a legitimate core element. Despite losing his quarantined father in Charlotte just over a week ago, DeRozan outscored the Pelicans by 32 points and 11 assists on Saturday night. Not only did DeMar show inspiring persistence, but he also showed why his All-Star snub was so irritating to Spurs fans. If other players pull out of the midseason show, DeMar DeRozan is expected to be the first person the NBA calls for a replacement.
- Resilient is the only word I would use to describe this interpretation of Silver and Black. And that resilience is one of the main identifiers that sets them apart from the San Antonio squad that was fielded a season ago. The two have faced a ton of hotly contested showdowns and have given up more than their fair share of double-digit prospects, although the 2020-2021 Spurs have done a great job of avoiding full crisis-time implosions. The Spurs went 13-20 in two possession games last year and turned it to 7-5 this season. Would fans probably prefer comfortable wins over a handful of nail biters? Of course, although they’re unlikely to complain too much as long as San Antonio isn’t the target of too many last-minute heartbreakers.
- Dejounte Murray has been exceptional in his last six appearances. The fourth-year general on the ground averages 20.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists per game on a remarkably effective shot from 50 percent of the field. To put it plainly, Dejounte has been playing like an All-Star since losing 27 points and emptying the Warriors’ three-point dagger earlier this month, and his 2.7 steals per game have made him one of them. of the first two. -way NBA players on this stretch. Murray recorded 18 points, six boards and seven cents against New Orleans and their suffocating defensive backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Lonzo Ball. And the frontman is proving his skeptics wrong while exceeding the high expectations of his contract extension. Hopefully Derrick White will join Dejounte in silencing naysayers once he returns from health and safety protocols.
- There were countless takeaways from San Antonio’s previous outing, but one of the things that stood out to me was how much time their team had spent in the G-League at some point in their careers. . A record 45% of players on the NBA’s early-season rosters were former G-League participants, but that number climbs to 68.8% for Spurs. Tre Jones, Quinndary Weatherspoon, Luka Samanic, Keldon Johnson, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, Lonnie Walker IV, Derrick White, Jakob Poeltl, Dejounte Murray and Patty Mills have all participated in the league’s development program. And the Silver and Black remain one of the best franchises to use this phenomenal resource. Luka and Tre thrived with the Austin Spurs before PATFO called the pair back to San Antonio. Despite limited minutes, the two appear to be usable NBA players with a potentially bright future ahead of them. Many once viewed a G-League trip as a demotion to no man’s land, but Spurs have done a lot to change that perception.
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