The San Antonio Spurs blew the Magic, 104-77, holding them to 48 points over the last three quarters and delivering the seventh consecutive loss to the Magic.
Rudy Gay scored the Silver and Black with 19 points. And a rising Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 29 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes.
Observations
- We got a 48-minute preview of what the Spurs might look like in a post-LaMarcus Aldridge / DeMar DeRozan era, and it was at least an interesting exercise for the thing if you hand over the keys to the young core crowd. . It should come as no surprise that San Antonio lacks a Magic squad of eight players, but it was quite refreshing to see how they do business. The silver and black flashed gripping defensive prowess, and although they did not possess an explosive offense, they would be more dynamic to get DeMar back.
- As I watched the Dejounte Murray and Derrick White backfield combination share the floor for a long time, I brought a smile to my face. We didn’t get much of that a season ago, and they were spectacular on the defensive side. The spacing sometimes remains uncomfortable because it is not a three-point drop. That said, both made some solid cuts to the ring, and they showed continued improvement outside the arc. Fans should be excited to see what this duo can do now that they are healthy and have 40 games to build chemistry.
- Fans have loved PATFO to move for Nikola Vucevic since San Antonio announced a mutual separation with veteran LaMarcus Aldridge. And the 26-point master class of the Montenegrin center in efficiency from within shows that it is reasonable and utterly ridiculous. Any team would be happy to have the two-time All-Star on their side, but it’s clear the Spurs do not have the assets to put together a legal package without sacrificing several members of their young core. Would PATFO pull the trigger of that kind of trade if it did not push them into the title dispute? Probably not.
- Keldon Johnson started San Antonio with a beautiful finger roll, which is the 12th time that the second-year forward has scored the first bucket of the evening for the Spurs. The Kentucky alumnus leads the Silver and Black in these obscure stats, and while it may not match individual or team success, it certainly shows how integral the rising star is to their game plan. And no matter the outcome, you can always count on Keldon to bring energy and intensity to every second he spends on the floor, and he has the limited crowd on their feet with a thunderous thump in the heart of the defense.
- San Antonio outscored their opponents by 143 points in the league in the second quarter this season, and they pushed the state up by holding the Magic to just 10 points while scoring 31 of their own in the second period. Astonishing team defense, 11 points from Dejounte Murray, and a 10-0 run to end the frame caused a huge turnaround for the Spurs.
- The Silver and Black officially welcomed fans to the AT&T Center for the first time in over a year, and perhaps their good attendees gave some early shifts as San Antonio had little luck getting points on the board to open the first term. . Orlando took a 10-2 lead in the first four minutes and the Spurs nearly doubled their lead by 16-29 in the opening frame.
- Although Rudy Gay took a while to get going, he never looked back once he was on the roll. The veteran combo forward dropped 19 points within 20 minutes, consolidating his newfound status as one of the NBA’s leading bankers. His two blocks and single steal were a welcome addition to his usual offensive contributions, and it was perhaps his best overall outing of the season.
- Devin Vassell has returned to court for the first time since four positive COVID Tests forced San Antonio into a basketball break after their Valentine’s Day game with the Charlotte Hornets. His first possession was a drive-and-kick assist on a Lonnie Walker IV three-ball, and the rookie looked well-conditioned and confident during his final quarter.
- The Fiesta jerseys are a perfect celebration of San Antonio’s diverse cultural background, so it’s no wonder why the throwing merchandise flew off the virtual shelves. You don’t have to search long to find vibrant Spurs clothing on social media, and you’ve probably seen Dejounte Murray rock the distinctive orange, pink, and green leaves on his feet against the Magic. Luckily for you, New Balance announced an inspired shoe collection by the city earlier today, and you can own some of these colorful kicks from March 15 at the low-low (very expensive) price of $ 140.
Visit the Orlando Pinstriped Post for the perspective of the Magic fans.
The San Antonio Spurs return this Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers to embark on a five-game Eastern Conference away game.