The San Antonio Spurs lost more than just the game in their 116-106 defeat to the Washington Wizards (41-33) at the Capital One Center on Tuesday night.
LaMarcus Aldridge left the game in the second quarter and did not return. Aldridge’s absence left a hole in San Antonio’s offense and they could never truly recover.
The loss saw the Silver and Black stay in a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference with the New Orleans Pelicans and just one game ahead of the eighth-place Minnesota Timberwolves.
Here is what went good and bad for the Spurs, as well as three standout players: LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, and Patty Mills.
The Good:
- Once again, San Antonio’s young players got some much-needed experience on the court. While the Spurs’ season may not have been the best, players like Dejounte Murray, Bryn Forbes, and Davis Bertans getting experience is huge.
The Bad:
- Aldridge going down with an injury hurts and depending on the severity of it comes at a bad time. The Spurs are due to face the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets the next two nights. With San Antonio’s struggling offense, it may be time to buckle down.
- Manu Ginobili struggled offensively, going 1-for-4 and scoring just three points.
Three Standout Players:
LaMarcus Aldridge: Despite him getting injured in the second quarter, LaMarcus Aldridge was the leading scorer for the Silver and Black.
Aldridge scored 13 points on 66 percent shooting in 17 minutes of action. Due to the fact that the Spurs have relied heavily on Aldridge for their scoring purposes, the team looked lost and not confident on the floor without their leading scorer.
Pau Gasol: The veteran NBA center filled in for Aldridge in the second half and did his best to fill the large void left by his absence.
Gasol finished with 10 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. While Gasol may be on the bench for the Spurs since his starting role has diminished, he still shows just how valuable he is to Coach Pop and the Spurs.
Patty Mills: The Aussie guard did his best to help the Spurs out in the scoring column but it was not enough on this night.
Mills finished with 11 points and shot 50 percent from three-point range. He drained two of his three tres in the second half. There is no doubt that Mills’ game has improved since being inserted into the starting five but it was just not enough in the nation’s capital.
UP NEXT:
The Spurs are now 43-32 on the season and will return to the court on Thursday night when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-31) at the AT&T Center at 7 p.m.