Keldon Johnson rescued a stalled offense late in the third quarter with three crucial triples and along with Rookie Dylan Harper and backup big Kelly Olynyk, the Spurs’ reserves stood out brightest in a hard-fought road victory tonight 123-113. San Antonio controlled the offensive boards (12 total while winning the overall battle 49-40) and matched Indiana’s muscle and to wrest a double-digit lead in a 71-point first half. The Indiana Pacers suffered their 11th straight loss tonight.
Without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ Stephon Castle (19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) and De’Aaron Fox (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the way tonight. Keldon Johnson’s (16 points and 6 rebounds) timely shooting in the second half saved San Antonio from pending doom. Harper (22 points and 2 steals) produced stellarly along with Olynyk (10 points and 5 rebounds) in support.
An injury-riddled Indiana squad was led by Pascal Siakam (23 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Andrew Nembhard (19 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds). TJ McConnell (14 points and 2 steals), as he has often done against San Antonio, excelled off the bench. Former Spur Micah Potter chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds.
Tyrese Haliburton-replacement Andrew Nembhard outscored the Spurs by himself over the first half of the opening stanza. Castle single-handedly prevented Indiana from running away with things through sheer will, and the Spurs were able to answer the Pacers’ initial burst with their own 10-0 run. San Antonio’s cadre of guards helped their team keep things close, but McConnell’s two driving lay-ups helped Indiana end the first up by one.
While Castle was the story of the first period, Fox and Harper took center stage in the second and the team’s 8-for-10 shooting gave the Spurs a comfortable lead in the second. Pacer reserve Jarace Walker caught fire from behind the arc. San Antonio’s reserves (with Johnson in the locker room) were pivotal in extending their advantage throughout the middle minutes. After the lead got as big as 16, TJ McConnell rained mid-range wizardry on San Antonio. However, the Spurs had an answer for everything Indiana threw at them and went to the break up 71-56.
San Antonio threatened to put the game way early in the third period, but Indiana ratcheted up the physicality to prevent any easy baskets in transition or in the halfcourt. Siakam had some success to counter the Spurs’ suddenly ice-cold shootint touch (0-for-the third!). Indiana’s reserve guards, McConnell and Sheppard, then took the torch from Siakam and made things very interesting. The Spurs settled too often for long jumpers and were fortunate to go to the fourth still ahead 93-85.
Observations
Those Fiesta unis looked immaculate tonight admist a sea of yellow and navy blue. But the ‘Yes-CERS’ is a nice bit of marketing.
It’s nearly been a year, but the Paris Games seem like a lifetime ago for both teams. And I’m sure no one in Indianapolis imagined starting 6-28.
Luke Kornet’s and Olynyk’s high-post passing is sublime. Not quite Kings’ era Divac and Webber, but they serve as excellent butlers to San Antonio’s guards.
While Castle was at the stripe late in the opening half, a fan yelled “***Hey Castle, you like your hot dogs cold!***” [such a midwestern insult]
I lost count of the times a player hit the floor along the baseline and in the paint tonight, but it must have been over 70.
Lots of University of Arizona representation tonight: Carter Bryant, Bennedict Mathurin, and TJ McConnell. In his increased minutes, Carter was the second-best Wildcat out there tonight.
(thinking aloud) Jay Huff [leading the league in blocks???] - future buyout candidate for San Antonio?
Castle Hills: There was one particular drive in the third period, where he knew he could burst by Siakam, but he had a hesi-dribble to draw the Pacer near him, and then beat him to the rim to score a basket and draw a foul in the process.
Sequence of the Game #1: Later in the first half, and after Lindy Waters III hit from the left corner, he took a rebound downcourt and fed Harper in the right corner for a transition three to make it 49-40 San Antonio.
Sequence of the Game #2 - Olynyk Edition: Olynyk had himself a spectacular second quarter: a spinning drive and scoop, a deflection that led to a Pacer turnover, a handoff to Waters III that led to a three, a block on a Siakam attempt, and drew an offensive foul on Potter. All of this awesomeness was puncutated by a tip jam and a WWE shove of McConnell (which most, if not all, Pounders would do, too).
Game Rundown
Champagnie missed his three shots; however, Castle’s driving dunk was the first scoring this evening for the Spurs. Though the Pacers’ scoring was often interrupted by foul calls, Nembhard put up a touchdown’s worth of points. San Antonio found itself down nine within minutes after a Micah Potter three. Siakam picked up his second foul with an elbow to Castle’s face. Castle’s acrobatic tip-in trimmed the deficit to five, but Nembhard continued to score at will. Champagnie finally connected from three seven minutes in, and Olynyk’s putback and wing three gave San Antonio its first lead. Johnson scored two fast buckets after checking in. Bryant had a really smooth assist on one of Johnson’s scores and a physical floater. Harper’s and-1 helped end the Spurs’ quarter down only one despite Indiana shooting over 50%.
Johnson went down tenderly at the start of the second after a missed shot, and yet, the Pacers were unable to convert a 5-on-4 at the other end - with Harper nabbing a steal and a transition dunk. Fox found his footing for several needed buckets. Reserve Jarace Walker knocked down his third and fourth jumpers to help Indiana keep pace, but the Spurs responded with a quick 6-0 run. Waters III straightaway three put San Antonio up a dozen. Johnson returned to action after being in the locker room for roughly ten (real-life) minutes. The action resembled a SEC football game over the last part of the frame, and Siakam’s turnaround brought Indiana within nine. Castle, like he did so often early on, drove impressively for a lay-up and then teammed with Kornet for their once-nightly lob, to put San Antonio up 13 going to the half.
After several players tumbled to the floor, Castle again found Kornet for a traditional and-1 to start the third. There needs to be a good catchphrase for his forays into the paint, but Fox’s stepback jumper put San Antonio up 19. The Spurs fell off a cliff thereafter. Potter had two straight threes, and then followed it two heat-check bricks. The teams stayed glued to 84-72 for nearly three minutes. The lead referee, during an unsuccessful San Antonio challenge, referred to Keldon as ‘Calvin (Megatron) Johnson.’ Sheppard’s pair of pull-ups brought the Pacers within eight. McConnell ran roughshod through and around Spurs defenders to make it a two-possession game. Barnes’ free throws and Fox’s jumper supplied the Spurs a slight cushion heading to the fourth.
For the Pacers fan’s perspective, please visit 8 Points, 9 Seconds.
San Antonio returns home for a SEGABABA and face Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers tomorrow night at 7:00 PM CDT.