San Antonio at Orlando, Final Score: Spurs drop second-straight clutch game 112-111

Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Spurs can’t overcome the more physical Magic down the stretch.

The San Antonio Spurs were a shot away from winning a tight game against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. They found themselves in another clutch situation against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. Yet again, they couldn’t seal the game as the clock expired, as Victor Wembanyama missed a go-ahead jump shot as the Spurs lost 112-111 to the Magic.

San Antonio led by 13 points in the third quarter but allowed Orlando to claw back into the game in the fourth. The Magic were led by Franz Wagner, who scored 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Wagner relentlessly attacked the rim, making the Spurs pay for a weak interior game. San Antonio was outscored by Orlando 56-34 in the paint and let the Magic grab 13 offensive rebounds.

Devin Vassell led the Spurs in scoring with 25 points on an efficient 11-4 shooting night from the field. Stephon Castle was once again key off the bench with 15 points and 2 steals.

The Spurs will get a day off before playing the Washington Wizards on Monday night.

Observations:

Harrison Barnes was red hot from three in the first quarter. He made 6 of his 7 threes and had 18 points in the first. He disappeared offensively after that, making just one more three and finishing with 21 points.
De’Aaron Fox had his worst game as a Spur, finishing with 9 points, 9 assists, and 5 turnovers. The Magic defense swarmed Fox on drives, prohibiting him from getting to the rim, which forced him to settle for mid-range jumpers. Orlando deserves a lot of credit overall for their defensive effort. They didn’t give San Antonio anything easy in the paint all game long.
Wembanyama looked a bit more energized on Saturday night. He had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks in the loss. While he’s still clearly fighting some sort of illness, the big man got up and down much better than in previous games. There were still moments when a greater effort from Wemby could have led to a better defensive possession, like a clutch corner three from Jonathan Isaac late in the game.
San Antonio’s late-game possessions were a bit awkward, thanks in part to the Magic’s defense, but also some uninspired play calling. They routinely went to the high pick-and-roll with Fox and Wembanyama, or just straight-up isolation calls for their guards. They got the mismatch they wanted on the final play of the game, but Wembanyama wasn’t able to make good on the mid-range jumper he was hitting for the majority of the game.