Spurs lose to the Hornets on the Rodeo Trip. Here are postgame comments from Mitch Johnson and Stephon Castle.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs could not seal the win in Charlotte, losing 117-116 to the Hornets on the Rodeo Trip. Hornets’ Miles Bridges would make the game-winning shot late in the fourth period. However, a De’Aaron Fox shot at the buzzer did not count, sending the Spurs to 1-2 on the extended road trip.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 33 points and four rebounds. Fox added 22 points and six assists. Victor Wembanyama finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Keldon Johnson finished with two points. Harrison Barnes had eight, and Chris Paul had six and seven assists.
Devin Vassell recorded 15 and four rebounds, and Jeremy Sochan added 11 and 12 rebounds. Julian Champagnie recorded three points.
Head coach Gregg Popovich was also out due to illness. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson continues to assume head coaching duties. Charles Bassey did not suit up due to injury.
The Spurs are 22-27 this season and will face the Magic on Friday night.
Here’s a sample of what the teams said after the game.
Mitch Johnson:
“Definitely not something (rebounding) we’ll have to live with. That goes into the physicality piece, and something we do coming to the game that they (opponents) get a lot of extra possessions to their offensive rebounding. So again, I put that under the physicality umbrella, and pretty, pretty disappointing.”
“So they (Hornets) came over to try and help, and he (Miles Bridges) spaced all the way out to the three (point line). Credit to them (Hornets) for knocking down the shot. We don’t want to say we live with that shot, but we’d rather him beat us than with LaMelo (Ball).”
Coach Charles Lee: