Malaki Branham’s redemption arc was reset by a single play

One untimely turnover turned what should have been a signature night for the young guard into a setback that could affect his confidence and how he’s perceived.

It was a brutal play. With eight seconds to go and the game tied, Malaki Branham has the ball in his hands. There’s some confusion. Zach Collins is trying to set a screen while Branham waves him away, likely signaling to set up at the top of the arc for a give-and-go or perhaps to get the ball to Vassell. The clock is ticking.

Kings center Domantas Sabonis reads the obvious pass that was coming, intercepts it and gives his team the win, as the Spurs miss two chances first to take the lead and then tie it on the offensive rebound.

Gregg Popovich was furious after the turnover and Collins talked to Branham, who looked devastated as a single play erased the fantastic game he was having.

The loss in itself means little to the Spurs. They were without Victor Wembanyama, so the fact that they had a chance in the final seconds is a victory on its own. They will finish with one of the worst records in the league and miss the playoffs, so one more L won’t make a difference. It’s always frustrating to fail to close games out but the team is young and learning. What makes this loss painful is that it was Branham who made the mistake.

Branham’s second season has been up and down, characterized by getting the trust of the coaching staff, then having setbacks or squandering opportunities. He was in the rotation from the start and even got a starting spot as point guard when the Point Sochan experiment was shelved. He had a few good performances, but his effort waned on defense and his decision-making was questionable. In a game against the Jazz on Dec. 26 Branham was benched at the start of the second half after making a lazy pass that resulted in a turnover. Pop gave him a thinly veiled public warning after when he said that “certain people” had to be more consistent or there would be changes. Five games later, Branham lost his starting spot. A few games after that, he lost his spot in the rotation to Blake Wesley.

After a few DNP-CD’s, he started to get some minutes and quietly became a solid contributor. Not only was he hitting more of his outside shots, but he was also playing with urgency on defense. Gregg Popovich seemed to be trusting him more and more. Then on Thursday against the Kings, Branham put together one of the best games of his young career. He finished the night with 23 points on just 11 shots and logged four assists. Pop sat Tre Jones and had Branham out there closing the game and handling the ball to counter the Kings’ constant traps to Devin Vassell. Before the unfortunate final seconds, he got to the line to give the Spurs the only points they would have in the last minute. He then had a drive that should have gotten him to the line again. It was supposed to be the culmination of a nice mini-redemption story. Then, once again, a turnover.

It’s tempting to believe that there’s an upside to every loss, that players and the team as a whole are benefitting from going through the growing pains that come with a rebuild. It’s the narrative that makes the day-to-day palatable. Branham’s benching resulting in improved decision-making and more commitment on defense was a great story. He faced adversity and triumphed over it and now it was supposed to be smooth sailing for him.

The turnover wasn’t on that script. Hopefully, it will just be another obstacle that Branham will easily clear and not one that takes him off his current path.