The San Antonio Spurs fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 102 to 90 on Sunday night. Zach Collins led the Spurs with 23 points. Devonte' Graham added 20 points. The Spurs fell to 17 and 50 on the season with the loss. The Thunder go to 33 and 35 on the season with the win. The Spurs are back in action on Tuesday night when they host the Magic at the AT&T Center.
Postgame Reaction:
Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich
(Opening statement…)
“Not a great offensive show by either team except they got to the rim a lot more than we did, especially at the start of the game. Neither team shoots well, but we can’t spot people. We’re not built to spot people 10 points as we did in the first quarter. If you spot them 10 and then you turn it over 19 times, you’re probably going to be in trouble. So, not a very consistent game in that regard. There were a couple of good performances by a couple of people out there, but that’s about it.”
(On Zach Collins continuing to be starting center…)
“He was out for two years, and he’s been fantastic. He’s just grown and [got] back to where we thought he could be. He deserves a lot of credit at both ends of the court for what he’s doing.”
(On what has been shown by Devin Vassell since he’s been back…)
“He doesn’t have his rhythm, and he’s having a tough time getting it back. I think he’s a little frustrated that his game didn’t just pick up where it left off, so it’s going to take him a little bit longer to feel comfortable with the injury.”
Spurs Guard Devonte’ Graham
(On the Spurs playing with many different lineups this season …)
“I’m kind of used to it now. Fifth year. I’ve been a part of a bunch of rotations; injuries, guys being out, next man up, stuff like that, but I feel like it’s good for this team. Guys having to make sure to stay ready and professional not knowing when you might get in or when you might play. It’s just a part of the process of being in the NBA.”
(On difficulty of guarding the Thunder…)
“They definitely got a good lineup. Good guys, can stretch the floor, and they do a good job of getting downhill. Each one of them can get into the paint and finish. So, it’s really rotation, getting their defense in and rotation is what they’re really good at.”
Spurs Center Zach Collins
(On being in the starting lineup…)
“It’s fun. It’s fun being in the starting role getting all those minutes. If human beings couldn’t get tired, I would love to play the whole game. I wish we were winning more games this season, but it’s definitely a fun experience. Good for me going forward in my career just to have that opportunity and have that responsibility every night to be ready to go from the jump. It’s been fun.”
(On if he’s getting more comfortable shooting from the perimeter …)
“Yeah. I have to be. That part of my game has to continue to grow and be more consistent if I want to continue to help our team win. When I’m open, I’m going to continue to shoot it, and hopefully they keep going in.”