Season 48, Game 36
Detroit 105, San Antonio 104
21-15, 7th in the West

Ouch. I can’t think of a much worse way to lose the game. Surely there are worse losses, and even worse moments, but to be up one, inbounding the ball, and have that sequence of events is just a gut-punch.

Of course, as we all know, games are not won nor lost in a specific moment. For the Spurs to even be in that position, you can go back over the last 3 minutes and look at mediocre offensive execution and six–count them, six–missed free throws out of ten attempts. The Spurs even make a normal amount of free throws (three more, let’s say), and the game is already decided.

But we could go back even further, to the start of the second half, when the Spurs came out completely flat, and a 9-point lead quickly turned into a 10-point deficit. The offense just stopped moving and passing. Yes, the Detroit defense picked up in intensity, but the Spurs had their way in the first half with just their basic sets and simple actions. All flow disappeared in the second half.

I think, though, that we should go back to the second quarter, with about 3 minutes left, when the Spurs had surged to an 18-point lead behind the play of the second unit, and Pop subbed the first team back in. The Pistons closed on a 13-4 run, cut the lead to 9, gained confidence, and the Spurs chance to put the game away evaporated. It was the last really good basketball we saw from the team.

At the time Sean Elliott even commented that he would have left that team in as well as they were playing. My initial thought was that they needed rest and it was too early to try and put the game away. In hindsight, though, it looks prescient. For the next 27 minutes, the Pistons completely owned the game. They played better defense, offense, they had more energy, they owned us on the boards and in the paint, they converted steals into easy points (steals = lazy turnovers too often). They were the better team.

The sad part is the first 21 minutes might have been the best basketball we’ve seen from the Spurs in a few months. Everything looked good on both ends as the Spurs cruised to a 17-point first quarter lead. The offense was getting everything it wanted, and the defense was controlling the Pistons two bigs and limiting second chance opportunities. It looked as if they were cruising to an easy victory.

And then…ouch.

Let’s give full credit to Detroit. They played great. Monroe and Drummond is as scary a front court duo as you can find. Monroe has a wonderful old man post game, and Drummond is absolutely terrifying. I’m pretty sure 50% of the Detroit playbook is just put up a horrible shot and assume Drummond will get the offensive rebound. 50% of the time it works every time. (“Anchorman” reference: I need to laugh right now.) The other 50% of the playbook is a pick and roll with the PG and Drummond, and the defense must choose between stepping up on the PG, in which case he just tosses an alley-oop to Drummond, or staying back with Drummond, in which case the PG has a wide open lane for a shot. It usually goes in, but if not: refer to Play 1.

Still, the Spurs had every opportunity to win this game–even playing the majority of the game very badly–and just couldn’t do it. The team has no ability to close right now. They are missing clutch FTs; they can’t get critical defensive stops; the offensive execution in the clutch (long the team’s greatest advantage in close games) rotates between “average” to “very bad” to “wait…what just happened?” (It was revealed on tonight’s broadcast that the Spurs lead the league in turnovers in the last 5 minutes of games. This is unbelievable.)

We can make all the usual arguments: Duncan didn’t play the last 18 minutes (save for that final inbounds pass); Parker didn’t play the second half; Leonard is still out. Yadda yadda yadda. The truth is, this team is just not up to the task right now. It’s been a tough season, compounded by the fact that the team is only good right now, not great. Couple in some weird bad luck and just about every break going against them, and you arrive where we are today.

7th in the West, just 1/2 game out of 8th. Unable to get any forward momentum. Unable to put away weaker teams or close out tough games.

After a loss like this, I suppose the most optimistic thing I can say is: every night is a new opportunity, a chance to change the narrative and kickstart the season. But those chances aren’t limitless.

The Phoenix Suns (the team currently a half game behind us) come to town Friday night.