The Spurs’ skeleton crew was annihilated on military appreciation night. This was like watching a boxer build a huge lead on the cards then take it easy the second half of the fight because limited danger was coming their way. It was the second-most points that have been scored against the Spurs in a game this year.
Another game, another problematic start because of blown defensive assignments and missed shots. After a few minutes, broadcaster Sean Elliot questioned if the team had read the scouting report on Josh Green. They made their first six shots, taking a 17-10 lead, which compelled coach Mitch Johnson to call the first timeout. After that, the Spurs were still in the mud, as they ended the first quarter down 11 points, and the game got uglier a few minutes later.
Nick Smith Jr. kept punishing the Spurs with triples in the second quarter, and Vassell, Stephon Castle plus Keldon Johnson were the only Spurs to log multiple field goals in the period. At halftime, the Spurs were down 26, giving up the most first-half points of the season (81) and 18 triples in 27 attempts. It was only the second time this year that many threes have been logged in the first half for all teams.
Another timeout was taken 79 seconds into the third quarter, with the Spurs down 31. The offense had its best spurt of the game, but they finished the period permitting the Hornets to shoot 72 percent from the field. Then some of the positives on offense carried over into the fourth, but the defense was still weak. Coach Johnson waited over five minutes to surrender by subbing in four background players.
### Observations
* Not contesting on time allowed some Hornets, like Green and Smith, to catch a rhythm. Even into the second quarter, the Spurs’ attention to detail against these snipers was unsatisfactory. Smith set a career-high with six first-half triples. Furthermore, even with the advantage, the Hornets were the nastier team for most of the third quarter, but the Spurs found their pride, matching them with 40 points for the period.
* The Stephon Castle show had to keep the intensity lower than usual early on defense to prevent two first-quarter fouls. Offensively, he connected on mid and long-range jumpers, had four close-range baskets, including a sick coast-to-coast shot after beating the full-court press. He kept playing hard in spite of being down significantly on the scoreboard. He totaled 26 points on 58.8 percent shooting, which should be a nice boost to his Rookie of the Year award prospects.
* Ball’s dribble moves created separation to weak side shooters and rollers. Eleven of his 14 assists came in the first half. He even made three triples 40 seconds apart in the third quarter, putting the Hornets ahead by 30. It was the basketball equivalent of watching a guard lash a prisoner at the whipping post.
* Vassell was the Spurs’ go-to man early, keeping them breathing as he nailed jumpers after turning the screen. He was able to break through the defense’s weak spots as the game went on.
* Jusuf Nurkić, who stands seven feet and is 290 pounds, was too much to handle at close range, plus his screening created separation. He didn’t guard Sochan or Bismack Biyombo on the other side, making the Spurs’ life harder to score inside. Mark Williams, another seven-footer who supplies vertical spacing, grabbed offensive rebounds, made up-close shots and also sagged off Sochan.
* The Hornets’ half-court attack scored 122.7 points per 100 possessions, good enough for the 96th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.