Approaching finish of frustrating seasons, Spurs, Blazers meet in Austin
The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers will draw nearer to the furthest limit of forgettable missions when they get down to business with only pride on the line on Thursday in the very first NBA game at Irritable Center in Austin, Texas.
The Spurs conclude their season-long run of “home” games with this, the first of two in Austin. The Timberwolves still have a chance of making the playoffs, so the second game, on Saturday afternoon against Minnesota, will have some impact on the postseason picture.
The Spurs (20-59) and Trail Blazers (33-46) cannot achieve that goal. San Antonio, which is ensured to wind up with one of the three most horrendously awful keeps in the association, has for quite some time been killed from postseason thought. The Trail Blazers had already formally suspended star guard Damian Lillard for the season, ending Portland’s chances last week.
There are still three games for both teams.
The Spurs head to their usual hangout spot after a 115-94 misfortune in Phoenix on Tuesday.
San Antonio, playing without harmed starters Keldon Johnson (right foot sprain), Zach Collins (cut finger), Devin Vassell (left knee injury the executives) and Jeremy Sochan (right knee irritation), followed by 31 halfway through the subsequent quarter yet retaliated to inside nine two times in the third prior to hitting a dead end.
The Spurs were led by Malaki Branham with 21 points, Jones had 20, Keita Bates-Diop, Sandro Mamukelashvili had 13, and Julian Champagnie had 10. In its last 11 games, San Antonio has lost nine of them.
Dominick Barlow (unknown), Devonte’ Graham (adductor), and Doug McDermott (ankle) all left Tuesday’s game with injuries. Against Portland, McDermott and Graham have been ruled out.
The Trail Blazers travel to Austin after a 119-109 misfortune in Memphis on Tuesday. In addition to Lillard, Portland was without the injured starters Jerami Grant (quadriceps), Jusuf Nurkic (knee), and Anfernee Simons (foot).
The Trail Blazers were led by Skylar Mays, who scored 24 points in his third game with the team after signing a 10-day contract last week. Jabari Walker scored 16, Shaedon Sharpe scored 20 points, Shaquille Harrison scored 13, and John Butler Jr. scored 10.
In the first quarter, Portland fell behind by 19 points, but it rallied and led by five points with nine minutes left. With a 22-2 run at that point, Memphis took control for good.
Six of their last seven games have ended in defeat for the Trail Blazers.
Sharpe is listed as questionable for his left knee. In seven of the last eight games, he has scored at least 20 points.
This season, Portland has won each of its previous three games against the Spurs.
