Two last-minute shooting fouls caused the San Antonio Spurs to fall short against the red-hot Charlotte Hornets.
The San Antonio Spurs lost an early game to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, falling 111-106. The Hornets extended their win streak to six games in a row.
The Spurs were well-aware that the Hornets would be an uncharacteristic challenge, given their recent history, although the young Eastern Conference team seems to have put it all together after years of rebuilding.
The Spurs nearly pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback, tying the game up at 102 apiece, although a shooting foul while Miles Bridges was going up for 3-pointers helped the Hornets seal the deal. De'Aaron Fox was called for the same foul on Brandon Miller, although a Mitch Johnson challenge undid that call.
Slow Start, Mistakes Add Up for Spurs
The Spurs were outscored in the second quarter, 35-17, and were never able to close the gap. In his first game off the bench since 2015, Harrison Barnes finally returned to form, making three of his five shots from behind the arc. On top of that, Dylan Harper offered 20 bench points as well, but an inefficient outing from Victor Wembanyama kept the Spurs from really getting going.
Wemby offered 16 points, eight rebounds, and zero blocks. He also failed to make a 3-pointer in the game, but that didn't stop him from pulling up from way downtown in the final seconds, hoping to get the Spurs a two-for-one and a chance to win the game.
Wemby was outplayed by his 2023 draft mate, as Brandon Millerpoured in 26 points, leading all scorers. However, this year's fourth overall pick, Kon Knueppel, scored only 14 points, so Dylan Harper got the last laugh. Knueppel and Dallas' Cooper Flagg are expected to fight for Rookie of the Year honors this season, leaving Harper a bit behind.
All in all, the Spurs were well aware that this game had trap potential all over it. The Hornets are the hottest team in the league, and even the Spurs' third-ranked defense wasn't enough to slow down an on-the-rise Charlotte team.
The Spurs will return home to the Frost Bank Center on Sunday to host the Orlando Magic, another physical team that could give them problems.