A powerful winter storm that descended on the Carolinas this weekend has forced the San Antonio Spurs to remain in Charlotte overnight after their [111-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday](/game-recaps/94039/spurs-cant-rally-past-red-hot-hornets-in-snowy-saturday-matinee), dramatically altering the team’s travel plans and raising questions about their Sunday afternoon game against the Orlando Magic at the Frost Bank Center.
The Spurs had hoped to fly home immediately after the game, but the wintry conditions shut down Charlotte Douglas International Airport for the night. Spurs play-by-play broadcaster Jacob Tobey provided a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing the heavy snow the airport and said the team was waiting on the tarmac for nearly two hours.
The storm, described as the most significant snowfall Charlotte has seen in nearly a decade, has brought heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions to the area. Snow accumulations at the airport are expected to reach over 6 inches by Saturday evening, with totals possibly climbing as high as 9 inches before the storm moves out. A winter storm warning remained in effect through early Sunday morning.
The news puts the Spurs’ schedule into further uncertainty. The team is slated to host the Orlando Magic at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday afternoon, but at the time of this report neither the Spurs nor the NBA have issued official word on whether the game will proceed as scheduled.
Charlotte’s winter conditions not only hampered the Spurs’ travel but also impacted the game itself. The game was moved up by three hours from its originally scheduled 3 p.m. ET afternoon start to noon, in an effort by the NBA to get both teams out of dangerous travel conditions before weather worsened.
While the Hornets capitalized on their home-court advantage and rallied for the win on the basketball court, for the Spurs the focus quickly shifted from basketball to logistics as winter weather proved once again that it can upend even the plans for professional athletes.