Spurs' Offense Cools in Clutch, Lose Preseason Finale vs. Thunder
The San Antonio Spurs conclude their 2022 NBA preseason schedule with a 118-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With both the Spurs and Thunder engaged in a rebuilding process, it was an intriguing matchup featuring no shortage of young talent. That was the case even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren both sidelined for Oklahoma City.
The Spurs got off to a hot start in this game. After Doug McDermott drilled a 3-pointer at the 2:00 mark of the opening period, San Antonio took a 31-17 lead.
The momentum didn't last long as the Thunder chipped away at the deficit they faced and took a 43-41 lead with 6:16 remaining before halftime. Both teams kept things tight out and faced a 62-62 tie at the break.
Little changed in terms of game flow until the Spurs got cold offensively at the wrong time. Within the final five minutes of regulation, San Antonio scored just seven points while shooting 3-12 (25.0 percent) overall and came up empty on all four of their 3-point attempts.
Josh Primo had a major standout performance for the Spurs with 23 points and four assists off the bench. San Antonio's key young wing players, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, were also highlights. Johnson scored 19 points, and Vassell chipped in 18 points.
There was no shortage of strong performances from the Thunder with Jalen Williams (21), Josh Giddey (18), Tre Mann (17), Luguents Dort (12), and Ousmane Dieng (11) all scoring in double-figures.
Some areas that contributed to the Spurs' loss stood out, in particular. It was a tough 3-point shooting night for San Antonio as they finished 5-26 (19.2 percent) on their attempts. Giving up 19 turnovers resulting in 23 opponent points off turnovers was concerning, too.
The next time the Spurs return to action will be a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to open the regular season. The tipoff time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (CDT) at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
