Game 50: Spurs lose another close one, this time in Orlando

(1) No answers for Franz and more second chance points for the opponent (2) Vassell, Barnes, Wemby, and Castle (3) Getting closer to picking a path for the rest of the season

Photo credit: Reginald Thomas II, Spurs.com

For a second night in a row, the San Antonio Spurs suffered another close loss. Friday evening the Spurs lost by 1-point in Charlotte, and when the buzzer rang after 48 minutes in Orlando, they lost to the Magic by 1-point as well.

With 25.3 seconds left, Paolo Banchero (17 points), made a tough contested mid-range jumper to give the Magic a 112-111 lead. On the next possession, Orlando used a foul to force the Spurs to inbound with 12.1 seconds left. The Spurs went to their new clutch player in De’Aaron Fox up top, and after Fox and Victor Wembanyama ran a pick-and-roll together, the Magic had to switch assignments, and Wemby (7’3”) having the smaller Anthony Black (6’7”) guarding him right inside the center 3-point line. Wemby dribbled to his left and put up a fading 20-footer that hit the back of the rim and went out. The Magic held on for the 1-point win.

“Obviously the last plays get a lot of attention, rightfully so, but when you get stops like that at the end of the game, you give them extra possessions, it’s tough,” said Spurs Acting Head Coach Mitch Johnson after the game. “And you know, crunch time execution, it’s something we have to continue to improve upon, because that’s how close these games are in the balance.”

With the loss, the Spurs fell to 10-13 in crunch time (25th in the NBA).

Here are the 3 topics in this postgame edition:

• (1) No answers for Franz and more second chance points for the opponent

• (2) Vassell, Barnes, Wemby, and Castle

• (3) Getting closer to picking a path for the rest of the season

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(1) No answers for Franz and more second chance points for the opponent

Franz’s 33 point night

Before the injury he sustained early in the season, Franz Wagner was playing All-Star level basketball for Orlando. He showed that level of play Saturday, finishing with 33 points on 28 shots (50% FG), 12 rebounds, 5 assists to 3 turnovers, and 1 steal in 38 minutes.

The Spurs couldn’t stop his constant drives and different ways of finishing around the rim with layups, hooks, and floaters. Wagner scored 24 of Orlando’s 56 paint points. Even with Wemby blocking him three times in the game, Wagner continued to attack for most of the game. He finally slowed down in crunch time, but then Banchero, Black, and Jonathan Isaac came up with key plays down the stretch.

“He was relentless,” said Coach Johnson of Franz. “He kept attacking. I thought for the most part, there were a few times where we could have shifted on to him and showed him a little bit more of a crowd. A few times we were really emphasizing for Victor to meet him at the rim, but he did a good job. He did a really good job.”

More opponent second chance points

From ESPN Analytics

For a second night in a row, rebounding was a concern for the Spurs on the defensive end of the floor. The Magic collected 13 offensive rebounds, and scored 20 second chance points in the game.