This is now the longest losing streak in San Antonio’s history. Malaki Branham had another impressive game with 23 points.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs (14-45) fell to the Hornets 120-110 in their last game before the All-Star break. That’s 14 losses in a row for San Antonio, the longest losing streak in franchise history.
Malaki Branham put up an efficient 23 points to lead the team, and Keldon Johnson added 21, but LaMelo Ball had a 28-point triple double to lead Charlotte to victory.
Zach Collins assisted on three of San Antonio’s early baskets. Branham got a layup, then Keita Bates-Diop, then Branham got right back to the rim for a dunk. Collins got fouled and made the free throws, then Branham dished to Keldon Johnson for another score inside plus the foul. Johnson also drove and kicked to Branham for an open three.
Sochan hit a mid-rang jumper to put the Spurs up 18-8. LaMelo Ball threw an alley-oop and then drained a deep three before Collins drove for another layup. Charles Bassey scored inside, then kicked one out to Doug McDermott for a triple. That connection worked again a few possessions later.
Devonte’ Graham pulled up for a deep three to put San Antonio up 34-32 after one.
Bassey finished a layup off a feed from Graham, then soared in for a big block on the other end. Dominick Barlow grabbed an offensive board and popped it up and in.
Branham hit Collins for a triple, then drove for a layup, then hit a triple of his own off of some great ball movement.
Jeremy Sochan got under the skin of Dennis Smith Jr., then ignored him as the little guy started talking at him.
Charlotte pushed in front by four and Blake Wesley looked trapped on a double, but as he was falling he launched a pass across the court to Keldon for a wide-open three.
Keldon whipped one across the court to Branham for another three, and the rookie hit nothing but the bottom to get up to 17 points on just eight shots in the first half. Collins spotted up for another three from the top and drilled it.
Charlotte led 60-57 at the break. San Antonio hit a scorching 9-22 from three in the first half.
The Hornets pushed their lead to seven before KBD knocked down a three, then he went inside for a layup. Charlotte pushed it up to 10, then Keldon Johnson got to the line for three made free throws and KBD drove for an and-1. Bates Diop found Branham on a back cut for a floater to make it an 8-0 run.
It only took Charlotte 40 seconds to rip off a 7-0 run of their own.
Sochan pumped at the arc, drove, spun in, and followed his own miss for a bucket. Then in transition, Branham found Sochan streaking down the middle of the floor for a big dunk.
San Antonio hustled for four offensive boards on the same possession, but failed to convert. Charlotte pushed their advantage to a dozen before Devonte’ Graham made a gorgeous fake and stepped through for a scoop. Graham got it to KBD in transition for a score, then passed to Doug McDermott to make it a 7-0 run.
The Spurs trailed 93-86 heading to the fourth.
Branham found some space in the middle of the paint and popped in a floater, then McDermott drained a pair of triples to bring the Spurs within four and force a timeout.
Charlotte pushed it to seven, then Keldon drove for a layup through contact. Bassey came across and swatted LaMelo Ball at the rack. Branham spun into a floater to make it a one-possession game. Bassey found McDermott on a cut for a layup, then Bassey forced a turnover on the other end.
Bassey got an offensive board, missed the putback through contact, got it back and missed another. He grabbed another offensive board on the next trip, but McDermott missed the three. Charlotte pushed their advantage back to six. Sochan got blocked, but came back on the other end with an emphatic rejection.
Charlotte went up by 9 before Keldon drove for free throws and finished a transition layup through traffic with a eurostep to force a timeout.
LaMelo Ball’s tenth assist went to PJ Washington for three, giving Ball a triple double. Ball then drained a three to make it an 11-point Charlotte lead.
Keldon drove for another score, giving him 21 points on the game. He found Collins underneath for a score, but Washington got a putback on the other end.
San Antonio lost 120-110. They’ll rest up over the All-Star break before heading to Dallas to take on the Mavericks.
GAME REWIND
The Spurs are coming off a road loss versus the Cavaliers, 117-109.
Keldon Johnson had 25 points and four assists to lead the team while Jeremy Sochan added 10 points. Malakai Branham finished with 18 points and one rebound while Keita Bates-Diop recorded 14 points in the loss.
The Cavs held the Spurs to 19 points in the first period and scored 34 to open the game.
“We played a helluva team. Coach [J.B.] Bickerstaff does a great job with those guys. They execute. They’re aggressive. Really play some good solid defense which will serve them well in the playoffs. I couldn’t be more proud of our guys. All those young guys. We spotted them a quarter and then after that I thought we got tougher, we got more aggressive, we got more physical,” Gregg Popovich said.
INJURY REPORT
THE UNIFORMS
The Spurs will be in their Association Edition jerseys today.
LOCKED ON SPURS PREVIEWS SPURS-HORNETS
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1. With a Spurs loss, the team will record its longest losing streak in franchise history.
2. The Spurs have recorded fewer blocks than their opponent in 11-straight games.
3. The Spurs are averaging 111.7 points per game through seven games in February.
4. The Hornets are 6-2 at home when leading after the third period.
5. The Hornets are averaging 121.7 points per game in their last three outings.
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