The Spurs’ greatest nemesis this season appeared to rare its ugly head again in their Tuesday night loss to the Hornets in Charlotte. Not score-first point guards, though Kemba Walker did notch 38 points, nor poor outside shooting, though the Spurs’ 8/28 on above-the-break threes was a problem. No, it was a zone defense that helped to lead to the Spurs’ 3rd loss in the last 4 games.
The Spurs’ apparent inadequacy when facing a defense that can rarely survive any sustained exposure to NBA-level players has been a frustrating footnote to an otherwise surprisingly successful season.