The San Antonio Spurs will aim to shake off consecutive one-point defeats and find their winning form when they face the host Washington Wizards on Monday.
Spurs’ Situation:
The Spurs won the first meeting of the season between these teams 139-130 at home on November 13, but much has changed since then. San Antonio welcomed De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, adding a new dynamic to their lineup. The Spurs head into the nation’s capital after a 112-111 loss at Orlando on Saturday. Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 25 points, while Harrison Barnes added 21, and Victor Wembanyama contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.
Fox, in his third game with the Spurs, scored just nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. The Spurs led by seven points with 3:36 remaining, but were outscored 10-2 down the stretch. After the Magic took a one-point lead with 25.3 seconds left, San Antonio had a final possession, but Wembanyama missed a 20-foot jumper with 2.2 seconds to play.
San Antonio has lost three of its first four games on its six-game road trip, dropping to a season-worst six games under .500.
Wizards’ Situation:
Washington, now at home for the third contest of a five-game homestand before the All-Star break, has also made significant changes, acquiring former defensive player of the year Marcus Smart. The Wizards have dropped their past two contests, most recently a 125-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
Bub Carrington led the Wizards with 23 points in Saturday’s loss, while Jordan Poole added 21. The Wizards have just nine wins on the season, with three of those victories coming since February 1. Saturday’s loss was their second in a row after a season-best three-game winning streak.
Washington trailed by 23 points early in the fourth quarter but managed to cut the deficit to 112-104 with 7:10 left. However, they never got closer than seven points for the rest of the game.
Key Players:
- Spurs: Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox
- Wizards: Bub Carrington, Jordan Poole, Marcus Smart
Both teams will be looking to bounce back from recent losses and regain their momentum. The Spurs seek to end their road trip on a positive note, while the Wizards aim to capitalize on their home-court advantage before the All-Star break.
