Spurs get embarrased by the Rockets in blowout loss

The Spurs missed Jeremy Sochan and their other injured players against an opponent that was superior from start to finish.

The Spurs learned that life with Jeremy Sochan will be rough after suffering a humbling blowout at the hands of the Rockets. A shorthanded San Antonio team simply was no match for their division rivals, who showed no mercy en route to a lopsided 127-100 win.

The Rockets didn’t allow the Spurs any time to adjust to their new lineup, featuring rookie Stephon Castle in Sochan’s place. From the start the home team was the aggressor, causing turnovers by playing with a level of physicality the Spurs couldn’t match. The spacing was better on the offensive end for San Antonio without Sochan, but the Silver and Black didn’t make the most of it, so there were no positives from having more shooters out there. Houston deserves credit for pushing the pace for easy buckets and connecting on jumpers when they couldn’t attack quickly but the Spurs were complicit in their own struggles. Things got better once the second unit started showing more fight, as their feistiness energized the starters when they returned, but the execution remained poor on both ends and the attempt at a reaction came when the Rockets were already fully in control.

Not much changed in the second quarter. The Rockets kept running shooters off the line and into help and digging in every drive. The Spurs’ ball security remained poor and Houston was bullying them physically without fouling. There was little San Antonio could do to create in the half-court and outside from some individual stretches of good play, the attack was predictable and lacking the type of energy Sochan provided. Making matters worse, the defense, which carried San Antonio for long stretches to start the season, was as big of a mess as the offense. Miscommunication was rampant on the half-court so even Houston’s role players got quality looks with ease. The Rockets simply couldn’t miss and everything was a struggle on both ends for a San Antonio team that trailed by 25 points at the half.

A comeback attempt to start the third quarter brought some excitement to a game that was otherwise not enjoyable for Spurs fans. The Rockets turned the ball over a couple of times, and the coaching staff went to simple pick-and-rolls with both Wembanyma and Harrison Barnes screening. The results weren’t consistently good, but the Silver and Black seemed more organized on offense. A few threes fell, and suddenly, Houston’s lead was only 16. Unfortunately, a couple of bad offensive possessions from Wemby were enough to stop the momentum and the home team responded with force. Just as quickly as they got back in the game, the Spurs were out of it, as the Rockets went back to hitting shots and getting stops. At times the teams traded buckets, but it seemed to be the result of overconfidence by an opponent that was managing its lead more than anything else.

The fourth quarter was garbage time, which at least provided the opportunity to see the end-of-bench guys. Sidy Cissoko in particular had some great moments as a playmaker and he even hit a three. Charles Bassey, who might need a chance at rotation minutes soon if Zach Collins continues to struggle, got some run. As far as silver linings go, there are not many more to take away from Wednesday’s game.

Play of the game

You have to give Jalen Green credit. At least he dared challenge Wemby at the rim.

Game notes

• Wembanyama’s enormous talent and his undeniable position as the face of the franchise sometimes make me forget he’s just 20 years old. Wednesday’s game provided a great reminder of how green Victor still is, especially on offense. He made some inexplicably bad decisions, both by trying to defer when he should have attacked and by being hyperaggressive in looking for his shot, especially from outside. It’s understandable for him to still be trying to figure out what he can do and he should continue to have freedom because that’s the best for his future, but occasionally he’ll have a performance that will be frustrating. It happened against the Rockets.
• Stephon Castle had his ups and downs in his first start. There were some good moments on defense and he remains aggressive on offense, but he’s not ready to be a shot-creator yet. He’s been forced into that role because of injuries and this was his eighth game as a pro, so his limitations shouldn’t be surprising. Just like Wemby, he’ll be alright.
• Chris Paul didn’t have a good game. His only field goal attempts were his seven threes, and he connected on three of them, but he couldn’t figure out how to hurt the Rockets’ defense. More pick-and-rolls involving Wemby would have helped. He only played 20 minutes, so he should be ready for the SEGABABA against the Trail Blazers. The same goes for Barnes, who only logged 19 minutes.
• Julian Champagnie did a little bit of everything, finishing with 13 points on nine shots, three rebounds and three assists. There’s not much more that can be asked of him. He hits his shots, tries to make plays on defense, moves the ball and has gotten better at attacking closeouts.
• Keldon Johnson tried to get to the rim, like he always does. Sandro Mamukelashvili hit some shots and brought a ton of energy. Malaki Branham had a few good stretches. The rest of the bench was a mess. Blake Wesley is a pest on defense but sometimes commits unnecessary fouls by trying to be too physical and bails out the offensive player. On offense, he misses layups and threes alike. Zach Collins is a talented offensive player who doesn’t seem to have the tools to be even an average defender. The returns of Jones and Vassell should help shore up the guard rotation but the backup center minutes will probably continue to be an issue.

Next game: Vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday

The Spurs will host the young Blazers on the second game of a back-to-back for the Silver and Black. It’s a winnable game but there’s talent in Portland’s roster, so San Antonio can’t be complacent.