Spurs Defense Comes Clutch in Shootout Win vs. Kings

The Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs engaged in a shootout Sunday. But it was defense that led to the Spurs upset win.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 3, 2023

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

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San Antonio Spurs

It's all about growth this season for the San Antonio Spurs, and they showcased that in Sunday night's overtime win against the Sacramento Kings.

The season-high 142 points certainly mattered, but holding the red hot Kings offense to just 11 points in the overtime period is what pushed the Spurs to victory.

"I think it's the defensive end, really," point guard Tre Jones said. "That's the main thing for us. We came out in overtime and they scored right away but then we were able to string a few stops together. We were able to get some stops in the middle of it all and that really helped us."

Holding just a two-point lead with 2:19 to go, the Spurs held the Kings scoreless until there was just 25 seconds left, where Harrison Barnes knocked down a pair of free throws. During that stretch of nearly two minutes, the Spurs scored the six points necessary to ice the game and snap the team's six-game losing streak.

Defense has constantly been a thorn in the Spurs' side all season long. San Antonio holds the league's worst defensive rating at 119.6 this season, but games like Sunday's prove that the team is working towards turning it around.

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Published Apr 3, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.