While neither team consistently played to their strengths down the stretch, the Spurs lost to the Pacers because it’s difficult to overcome early growing pains against an opponent playing well.
Much will be made about Victor Oladipo’s game-winning triple (and much should be made, after the Pacers were so harshly criticized for trading Paul George to the Thunder for “just” Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis) but the Spurs had the game in a nine-point vice grip halfway through the fourth quarter after an 18-5 run and then simply let the game slip through their fingers for a 94-97 loss.