NBA – The Spurs still beaten, the dejected message from Gregg Popovich: “If you don’t…

Authors of an encouraging start to the season, the Spurs suffered their 8th defeat in a row this Saturday.

Worse than this terrible series, the disaster scenarios keep coming for Victor Wembanyama’s gang, which Gregg Popovich obviously deplored.

After a fairly tough series of matches against opponents in good shape, their schedule apparently offered them a little respite in recent hours.

The Spurs hosted the Grizzlies this Saturday and had the opportunity to get back on track against a team whose record (2-9) was lower than theirs (3-9) before kick-off.

Everything started perfectly for Victor Wembanyama and his teammates.

Thanks in particular to the almost unprecedented exploits of its French rookie, San Antonio was able to have a lead of up to 19 points during the first period.

A scoring advantage that they retained until the 4th quarter, but which once again gradually disintegrated.

It was therefore with a new defeat (108-120) that they left the Frost Bank Center, not without expressing a logical weariness.

Gregg Popovich issues diagnosis on Spurs patient

As has already (too) often been the case since the start of the season, the Spurs let a comfortable lead slip away on the scoreboard before losing.

The subject was therefore on everyone’s lips at the press conference.

After the attempted explanation offered by Wembanyama, it was Gregg Popovich who spoke about this regrettable trend with perceptible bitterness in his words:

Pop after Spurs' latest meltdown: "We just have trouble sustaining. We get those periods where the physicality builds and we go dry offensively. And if you don't score and you're in transition defense all the time it makes it difficult and the leads dissipate."

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) November 19, 2023

We simply have difficulty remaining consistent throughout an entire meeting.

There are periods during which the match becomes more physical and where we go through a dry spell offensively.

And if you’re not scoring and you’re constantly in defensive transition, it makes things difficult and your lead in the score evaporates.

Fans and observers of the Spurs will only be able to share the verdict rendered by Coach Pop’ regarding his franchise.

However, despite the youth and inexperience of his squad, the legendary coach necessarily bears some responsibility for these bad habits.

It’s up to him to find the right words to put an end to this dynamic and restart the machine on Monday, in San Antonio, against the Clippers armada.

Noticeably disillusioned by the guilty and repeated slackness of his players, Gregg Popovich will have to quickly find a way to reverse the trend.

Without this, the Spurs risk retaining their current 15th and last place in the West.