Spurs' Effort Falls Short Against Grizzlies at FedExForum
The San Antonio Spurs, with a record of 5-30, faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies, who entered the game with a 14-23 record. In a closely contested battle at FedExForum, the final score read 106-98 in favor of the home team.
The Spurs started strong out of the gate with a first-quarter lead, putting up 23 points to Memphis's 20. However, momentum shifted as they struggled in the second quarter scoring only 17 points while allowing the Grizzlies to add 27 to their tally. The third quarter saw an improved performance from San Antonio as they netted an impressive 28 points but still found themselves trailing behind Memphis's robust offense that scored 33 points. A valiant effort in the fourth quarter saw them score another high of 30 points but it wasn't enough to close down their opponents who managed to keep pace with their own tally of 26.
Despite being on negative side of an eight-point differential in plus-minus rating for San Antonio and having led for just over four minutes throughout the contest, there were notable performances and statistics from both sides. The Spurs showcased balanced scoring with contributions across their roster leading to a bench point total of 41. They also demonstrated defensive tenacity by matching Memphis's block count at eight and surpassing them in steals by one for a total of six.
San Antonio showed efficiency inside by converting on more than half (55 percent) of their attempts from within the paint which contributed significantly towards their overall field goal percentage (42 percent). Their three-point shooting was modest at best hitting just under one-third (32 percent) from beyond the arc.
Rebounding was another area where both teams were neck-and-neck; however, San Antonio edged out slightly with two additional rebounds totaling at fifty-three compared to Memphis's fifty-one. This included securing eleven offensive boards which led directly to eight second-chance points – though this fell short against Memphis’s thirteen second-chance points generated from six offensive rebounds due largely thanks to an impressive seventy-five percent conversion rate on such opportunities.
Looking ahead after this hard-fought contest, fans can catch The San Antonio Spurs back in action when they host Milwaukee Bucks at Frost Bank Center located in San Antonio on January fourth scheduled for a six thirty PM tip-off local time. This game will be broadcasted nationally on TNT channel two hundred forty-five ensuring fans won’t miss any live action as these teams face off next month.