The City of San Antonio (16-47) has waited a long stint for their beloved Spurs to return home. The Spurs ended the Rodeo Road Trip on a high note after defeating the Utah Jazz. They didn’t hesitate to bring that energy to the AT&T Center for a Spurs vs. Pacers matchup.
Big team effort for the dub 💪#PorVida | @bet365_us | #ad pic.twitter.com/BNLb7KYpJn
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 3, 2023
And, Another One
This is their second win in a row after their 16-game losing streak. The Pacers fell to San Antonio 99-110. Yes, that is two victories for San Antonio while holding their opponents under 100 points. This time they did it with assistant coach Mitch Johnson standing in as head coach in coach Popovich’s absence. Coach Johnson was proud of the team’s win and spoke about what this meant for the team.
“Winning definitely gives you credibility and a feeling like the hard work is paying off. So, the wins are necessary at some point. Pop’s line has always been, ‘if we do the work we’re supposed to and trust the process and respect the basketball gods, the wins will come, whether that’s next year, next month, next week or tomorrow.’ You give the guys credit. They stuck with it. We’ve been through some rough patches, and happy for them that they can enjoy it.”
You could hear the roars of excitement coming from the locker room after the Spurs vs. Pacers post-game. Turns out the team was dousing Coach Johnson in cold water to celebrate.
Big Performances
Rookie Jeremy Sochan led the team in scoring with 22 points and 13 rebounds making this the 19-year-olds first double-double. Behind Sochan were standouts Devonte Graham, Zack Collins, and Devin Vassell all with 18 points.
Three-year Veteran Devin Vassell made his return to the court after his extensive recovery from knee surgery. Along with his 18 points he had two rebounds and two assists. In the first half, Vassell was still gathering his land legs. That didn’t stop him from going off in the third quarter which included two big three-pointers that held the lead in place for his team.
Some fans, who are “team tank”, were reluctant to have Vassell back on the court. His ability to elevate the squad and help secure leads like tonight makes them fear of the Spurs’ position in the upcoming draft. Well, according to the veteran, he is NOT trying to tank “I am trying to win as many games as possible”. So sorry to burst your bubble but Vassell will not be holding back on purpose.
A Race To The Bottom
Next is a Texas showdown against the Houston Rockets. It’s back-to-back but the rockets will travel to the Alamo city first. So prepare for the “tank wars” Saturday at 7 pm. Do you think the Spurs can go for a third win, and how will this affect their position in the eastern conference?
