Final Score: Spurs can’t keep pace with Pacers, fall 131-118

The San Antonio Spurs could not keep up the pace with the Indiana Pacers Monday evening, despite shooting 50% from the 3-point line. With most Spurs scoring in the double digits with the exception of Keldon Johnson (scoring nine points this evening), the Spurs failed to produce on the defensive side of the ball, giving up 109 points by the end of the third quarter.

Dejounte Murray finished with 16 points and Derrick White had 13 to lead San Antonio. The Spurs are now 2-5 for the season.

Observations

• Keldon Johnson put up a monster jam up against Myles Turner in the 1st quarter. Other than Dejounte Murray’s 14 points, that was the main positive from a first quarter that saw the Pacers score 43 and put the Spurs behind for good.

• This was the worst performance of the season for the Spurs. They gave up 73 points in the first half. For the first few games, the Spurs have seemingly been struggling on the offensive end. Tonight, the Spurs defense had its own issues in addition to the offense, especially inside of the paint. Defense is the Spurs’ strength this year, so when they struggle on that end, they will usually be in for long nights.
• Spurs shot 50% from the 3-point line, an improvement from the rest of the games this season, but still not enough to pull over a win against the Pacers.
• It was nice seeing Spurs center Jock Landale getting some minutes in tonight, scoring a total of 10 points, including a three.
• Devin Vassell continues to show that he is strong defensively on a consistent basis. Vassell played amazing defense against Giannis and the Bucks the previous game, and has played good defense tonight.
• Spurs could not control Domantas Sabonis inside of the paint, who scored 22 of his total 24 points in that area.
• It was interesting to hear people chanting “Go Spurs Go” in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which gives me comfort from the horror show that was the Lakers vs. Spurs game at the AT&T center, where the crowd was overwhelmingly rooting for the Lakers just as much as they were rooting for the Spurs.

For the Pacers fans’ perspective, visit Indy Cornrows.

The Spurs return to the AT&T Center on Wednesday for a rematch with the Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off will be at 7:30 PM CT on Bally Sports SW-SA.