The Spurs raced to a 23-point lead in the first quarter of Thursday's preseason opener, then watched Atlanta chip away over the next three quarters. A 13-0 Hawks run in the final six minutes finished the comeback, and San Antonio fell 123-116.
What went wrong in the fourth quarter?
San Antonio still led 109-108 with 5:49 left in the fourth. Atlanta then scored 13 straight points, a stretch led by bench forward Asa Newell's 11-point quarter, to go up 121-111 with under two minutes to play. The Spurs managed only 21 points in the period and never answered the run that decided the game.
Who graded out best for San Antonio?
Dylan Harper led the way with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, three 3-pointers and a team-best plus-6 in 19 minutes. Stephon Castle followed with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes. Devin Vassell scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including two 3-pointers, also in 18 minutes without a turnover.
What dragged San Antonio down in the second half?
David Jones Garcia scored 14 points off the bench but finished minus-7 in 15 minutes, and Carter Bryant added 11 points and five rebounds with four turnovers and a minus-5. Julian Champagnie shot 4-of-6 from the field but was on the floor for a minus-6 as Atlanta's runs piled up. The reserves who built the early lead could not protect it.
How did Victor Wembanyama look in his preseason debut?
Wembanyama played 17 minutes, finishing with 9 points, 6 rebounds and a block on 3-of-6 shooting, including a 3-pointer. It was a limited workload for a preseason opener, and he finished at minus-2 in a game San Antonio led by 23 points before falling behind by 10 during Atlanta's late run.
Does a preseason loss mean anything?
Not in the standings. San Antonio is still 0-0 and stays that way regardless of Thursday's result. The Spurs play at the Suns on October 10, at the Jazz on October 12, host the Suns on October 14 and the Kings on October 16, before the regular-season opener against the Thunder on October 20.
Did the loss to the Hawks count toward San Antonio's record?
No. It was a preseason game, and the Spurs are 0-0 heading into the regular season.
When do the Spurs play next?
San Antonio plays at the Phoenix Suns on October 10, continuing the preseason schedule ahead of the October 20 opener against the Thunder.
