When the San Antonio Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns in consecutive road games to end October and start November, they stood at 3-2 after Victor Wembanyama had exploded for 38 points in a coming out party of sorts. Five months later, in the middle of another mini two-game series against the Suns, the now 15-56 Spurs sustained their worst loss since late January.
It's as if Saturday's 131-106 setback to Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, reflects how tough a season it's been for the Silver and Black.
The Spurs a world apart from last time they faced Suns
Immediately following the 25-point loss Saturday, ClutchPoints asked Keldon Johnson if those two contests in Arizona felt every bit of five months ago.
“It's definitely been a while. We've played so many games since then,” the longest tenured Spur said. “We know what we did to win those games and just trying to replicate that so when we come on Monday we can get a win.”
Spurs post-game
Asked Keldon Johnson if those 2 big wins at Phoenix toward the beginning of the season seem like forever ago and how much the #Spurs can actually take away from this one given that they’ve got the Suns again on Monday…
Complete answers ⬇️#GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/t9yGfKTpNv
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) March 24, 2024
Johnson led the Spurs in scoring with 14 points. The team's usual leading scorer, Wembanyama added 13 in just 21 minutes. When the two franchises last met on November 2, Wemby out-dueled Durant and Booker with 10 fourth quarter points in a 132-121 victory. Booker hasn't forgotten that night, though the French marvel impressed him again by shooting 5 of 7 in this latest match-up.
“Just a force,” Booker said of Wembanyama. “I think my favorite part about him is his mindset. Nowhere near soft. He's a competitor to the to the highest.”
“You can tell after games that losing bothers him, and it's not something that he's gotten used to,” Booker continued. “I've watched all his mannerisms and watch how he carries himself, and he seems like a seasoned vet.”
Booker led all scorers with 32 on Saturday night.
A difference within the difference between the Spurs and Suns
Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal did not play in either of the aforementioned San Antonio victories in Phoenix. His season high 12 assists on Saturday easily proved a game high. Kevin Durant was impressed with the Suns' performance.
“More than anything, I think all of us handled the ball,” Durant said. “I think that was how we were able to keep our turnovers down. You never knew who was going to attack, Book did a couple times, I did a couple times, Brad did.”
Beal came off the dribble hand-off, pin down, made plays like that and he stayed unpredictable,” Durant continued.
Beal added 13 points to keep true to his usual standing on the team. For the season he's third in scoring at 18.1 per game.
“I think when you have one or two guys that can handle the ball the whole time, [it's good]. Sometimes we can get stagnant,” Durant, who scored 25 Saturday, concluded. “We all move well without the ball, we all play off the ball as well, we help do pin downs and our teammates got off on that.”
Team ball. pic.twitter.com/TPPnEOKW4E
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 24, 2024
The Spurs felt Beal's presence, especially considering he missed the pair of contests in the fall.
“They have three All-Stars, three Hall-of-Famers, so they're hard to guard, hard to play,” Spurs guard Blake Wesley said.
Count it as yet another difference between where the Spurs were a week into the season and where they are with just a couple of weeks left.
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