Hector Ledesma Articles - Page 17

Victor Wembanyama didn’t play much in his return from a sore right ankle in Thursday night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls. The star rookie played in only 22 minutes, scoring a career-low seven points and grabbing five rebounds at the United Center. “No, he’s fine. He’s fine. He has a minute limitation so we have […]

Following the San Antonio Spurs 21st loss in their last 22 games, the team’s second-leading scorer,  Devin Vassell, who paced the team in Thursday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, left no doubt about what he perceives as one of his squad’s biggest issues: Finding rookie Victor Wembanyama and others when they’re in a good position. “Being […]

While Victor Wembanyama will likely play in the San Antonio Spurs only visit to Chicago, the team’s second leading scorer might not. And like Wemby, the Spurs third leading scorer will also probably suit up. The Silver and Black enter Thursday night’s game with a 4-22 record. The Chicago Bulls are 12-17, though they’ve won […]

Victor Wembanyama is the San Antonio Spurs’ biggest star. Devin Vassell may have the most offensive versatility. Jeremy Sochan may be their best perimeter defender. Keldon Johnson? Well…he’s there. Seemingly in the best possible way. In his fifth year with the  Spurs, J0hnon is the elder statesman of the team’s young core. Even though he’s […]

A little more than halfway through the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves down 21-3. The deficit reached 20 late in the period before it topped out at 22 early in the second quarter. The Bucks, led by Damian Lillard’s season-high 40 points, then outscored the Victor Wembanyama-less road […]

While fans will miss out on the first Victor Wembanyama vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo matchup in Tuesday’s San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks game, there is a factor worth noting. Of the players often compared to Wemby through his first two months in the NBA, Antetokounmpo’s name isn’t mentioned much. Whether LeBron James because of the […]

When the San Antonio Spurs got “whipped” (to reference the form of a word coach Gregg Popovich used following the team’s latest blowout) by the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 14, it pushed them into a distinction they would’ve like to have avoided. That 123-87 thumping at OKC meant they’d lost three of their first […]

As the San Antonio Spurs continue to try to find their way, they’re navigating the reality of the last month and half. A 146-110 thumping at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans drops them to a Western Conference worst 4-21 and marks a 19th loss in their last 20 games. Despite that figurative umbrella, […]

It was fun while it lasted. The San Antonio Spurs will taste victory again this season, at least a couple more times you would suspect, but a 146-110 shellacking to the New Orleans Pelicans ends hope they would start a streak following Friday’s euphoric win against the Los Angeles Lakers. “That’s what you call an […]

A certain phrase in relation to a key aspect of basketball pops up when San Antonio Spurs players talked about improvement after breaking a 18-game losing streak. “Defensively, we’ve stepped up, staying locked in,” star rookie Victor Wembanyama says. “Even when we couldn’t hit shots, we stuck together and locked in on defense,” forward Keldon […]

Throughout the course of a nightmarish 18-game losing streak, the San Antonio Spurs said all the right things publicly — almost ad nauseam. Frankly, because they had to way too often. Words such as “Consistency is key,” “If I had it figured out, I would tell you and tell my teammates,” and “Tough times don’t […]

December hadn’t brought tons of holiday cheer to San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell’s game. A career-high 36 points against the Los Angeles Lakers should change that. A 129-115 victory on Friday broke the franchise’s longest losing streak in team history at 18. For Vassell, it ended a mini personal slump. Vassell cold in December […]

It is over. The San Antonio Spurs’ franchise record 18-game losing streak ended with a 129-115 win vs. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Afterward, the Silver and Black didn’t hold any excitement back. “S**t, we won. It’s fantastic. It was great. It was great,” Spurs center Zach Collins exclaimed. “We’re going to keep […]

Count San Antonio Spurs teammate Keldon Johnson among those whose admiration for super rookie Victor Wembanyama grows with every day. “Vic is special,” the fifth-year Spurs forward said following Wednesday’s performance against the Lakers in which the 7’4 big man scored 30 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 6 shots, “To see how he dominates […]

With every night these days, the San Antonio Spurs build on franchise infamy. A 122-119 outcome at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday night is actually their 18th loss in a row. It didn’t matter that LA didn’t have LeBron James, who missed the game with a […]

As much as Victor Wembanyama is linked with fellow San Antonio Spurs legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson around the city in which he now plays, he’s often compared to LeBron James globally. Quite the compliment for a 19 year-old who just played his 21st NBA game. The once-in-a-lifetime prospect could face the last man […]

The 2023-24 San Antonio Spurs have entered the chat. A 93-82 loss to the Rockets means this year’s edition of the Silver and Black stands alone in franchise infamy. Their 17 straight losses are the most any Spurs team has ever endured. Prior to this season, three squads stood out in franchise history as the […]

Perhaps it’s fitting. The San Antonio Spurs turned in their worst offensive performance of the season in a loss that stands out in the annals of franchise history. The 93-82 setback against the Houston Rockets marks a 17th consecutive loss for the Silver and Black. No Spurs team dating back to their days as the […]

After two straight games of tinkering with the starting lineup for the first time this season outside of injuries, all indications point to the San Antonio Spurs going with Friday night’s starters again on Monday. In a 121-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls that matched the Spurs’ longest-ever losing streak, the team rolled out Victor […]

As impressive as Victor Wembanyama has been to start his NBA career, one of the next steps in his progression may come at the end of games. While the San Antonio Spurs have lost a franchise record 16 straight games, equaling a skid set just last season, they have been more competitive over the second […]

The numbers are historic and the achievements continue to resonate across the NBA. Already putting up stats uncommon for rookies in their first month, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyma, in just his 20th NBA game, reached the 20/20 mark. The 19-year-old’s 21 points and 20 rebounds in Friday’s 121-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls […]

The San Antonio Spurs have matched the kind of franchise history they’d rather not. A 121-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls is their 16th in a row. That matches a streak set just last year as the longest the team has ever endured. Here are three key takeaways from a game the Spurs can now […]

A week ago – with the San Antonio Spurs losing streak at 13 and with the ‘fill-in’ games in the wake of the In-Season Tournament recently announced – Spurs fans may have circled December 8 vs. the Chicago Bulls. With the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves all looming, perhaps San Antonio’s skid […]

San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama described his team’s struggles in Wednesday’s 102-94 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves along tough terms. “Screws up,” “bad on offense,” “lack of experience,” “we’re supposed to be able to play in any condition,” were just some of the words he used to describe the team’s 15th consecutive loss, […]

When pairings were announced in the wake of pool play in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones admits some his teammates weren’t too thrilled about a December trip up north. But Wednesday night’s game at the Minnesota Timberwolves represents a homecoming for the fourth year point guard. “No, it never […]

Apparently, it’s never too early for San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama to start thinking about life after basketball. Just 19 years old, the generational prospect whom multiple current NBA stars say will change the game, still has an entire career on the court in front of him. But he’s not ACTING like someone who’s […]

Not many folks associated with the San Antonio Spurs in any way – not the front office, the coaches and players, or the fans – have to think long and hard about the last time the team was on this kind of a losing streak. Before Victor Wembanyama got to Texas, head coach Gregg Popovich […]

“Of course, yeah.” That’s how San Antonio Spurs star rookie Victor Wembanyama answered when asked following Monday’s practice if he’ll play in the team’s next game Wednesday at Minnesota. The first pick of this summer’s draft missed the first game of his NBA career on Friday in a 121-106 loss at the New Orleans Pelicans. […]

With the first full month of his rookie season behind him, Victor Wembanyama reflected on the first five weeks (the San Antonio Spurs season tipped off the year on October 25) of his NBA career. Victor Wembanyama’s injury to end the month Wemby’s first injury of his career in the NBA coincided with the end […]

You don’t have to go very far down the list of former San Antonio Spurs to find Patty Mills when debating fan favorites. The 6-foot-2 Atlanta Hawks guard quickly won San Antonians over with his towel-waving enthusiasm from the moment he signed in March of 2012. Two seasons later, he proved an integral part in […]

It may symbolize his season to this point. San Antonio Spurs point guard Jeremy Sochan played his best game of the season, maybe the best game of his very young career. And yet, a key play — a charge call drawn by Trae Young — that didn’t go the Spurs way is what ultimately sticks […]

It’s been a recurring theme for the San Antonio Spurs and it hit again on Thursday night vs. the Atlanta Hawks. The Silver and Black got out to a double digit lead only to lose it and the game. The 137-135 loss to the Hawks ties the second longest losing streak in franchise history. The […]

With former San Antonio Spurs All-Star Dejounte Murray back in San Antonio, ClutchPoints spoke exclusively with the 27-year-old Atlanta Hawks guard. Murray hasn’t held back in describing his time with the franchise that drafted him in 2016. While he has praised the organization, he has also been brutally honest at times about his stint with […]

A peek up at the rafters of the San Antonio Spurs home arena reveals a couple of noticeable absences. Gone are the jerseys of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The reason, though widely assumed considering both recently entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was officially given on Wednesday. The Spurs are holding a […]

For the first time in nearly 45 years, the San Antonio Spurs will face the Chicago Bulls more than twice in the same season. The scheduling anomaly comes as a result of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament. After four games of pool play, the Spurs and Bulls are among the 24 teams that failed to […]

And the San Antonio Spurs most pleasant surprise so far in the 2023-24 campaign is…. Actually, there’s no need for a drum roll. Despite all the hype and fanfare, yes, Victor Wembanyama is the Spurs most pleasant surprise this season. After all, a surprise can be defined as ‘an astonishing event’, and well, Wembanyama’s play […]

It’s morphed from a debate into a fight. Maybe not the physical type, but with tons of passion. Whether Jeremy Sochan or Tre Jones should start at point guard has become that intense among San Antonio Spurs fans. It should be noted that Jones plays 24 minutes a game. That’s four and a half less […]

Following the San Antonio Spurs most recent game, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic didn’t hold back on his effusive praise for Victor Wembanyama. “He’s going to change the game, 100 percent. He’s already on that path, so just enjoy and watch the show and let the guy change the game,” Jokic shared That came from […]

For the better part of a three week stretch near the start of the season, most San Antonio Spurs games fell into one of two categories. Either, they lost big or they lost a big lead. Their last three contests have taken a slightly different route. The Silver and Black lost all three, but against […]