Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Charlotte Hornets

On By Littum

Charlotte Hornets has long been a franchise that wandered in the desert, desperate for even just a glimpse of the promised land. They have not won 50 matches in the state of North Carolina since Tim Duncan’s rookie year, the 1997-1998 season and has ended over .500 only 4 times since a franchise returned to the state in 2004. Under new majority ownership since last season after Michael Jordan sold his Majority share in the club, there is not much to say about the schedule outside Lamelo Ball. Ball, a volume scorer with the green light on a bad team, has dealt with injuries over the past 2 seasons and is again injured, an ankle question that has held him out since January 27.

With ball on the field, this would have been a classic trap scenario for Spurs as he is the type of player who can get on a roll out of the blue. With him out and the addition of De’Aaron Fox to the schedule, losing this game would be a disaster for San Antonio. February is light on hard games for spurs and if they want to push for a place in the game, they can’t afford to drop games like tonight’s. There was once once when this franchise was known to be able to “take care of business” against fighting ball clubs. With the addition of Fox to the guard plan, there is a chance that old norm can return.

San Antonio Spurs (22-26) at Charlotte Hornets (12-36)

7. February 2025 | 18:00 ct

See: FDSS | Hear: Woai (1200 AM)

Spurs Damage: Charles Bassey, MCL SCPRUIT (day to day)

Hornets Damage: Lamelo Ball, Ankle (Out), Cody Martin, Core (Day to Day), Vasilije Micic, Ankle (Day to Day), Josh Okogie, Hamstring (Out), Brandon Miller, Grant Williams and Three Mann, off the season out

What to look at

  • The trio Fox, Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell combined to 64 by San Antonio’s 126 points in the Atlanta victory. While the whole team will take advantage of what Fox brings to the table, no one can benefit from more than Vassell, who has sometimes fought for this season of being a consistent #2 option for San Antonio. Fox can attack the paint from the dribbling in ways that no one on the schedule really can, which has the benefit of bending a defense and creating openings for both themselves and others. For task with much less of the creation side of things, Vassell could really bloom to play with Fox.
  • Stephon Castle did not fill the Statarket against Atlanta, but he looked more comfortable from getting off the bench than he had at any other time this season. Castle, a challenger to this year’s Rookie, has started 29 of San Antonio’s 48 games this season and has shown more than a few blooms of his potential, but has fought when he gets out of the bench. Against Atlanta he only played 20 minutes, but he was able to stay aggressive and make the most of his time, get to the free -throwing line several times and throw a vicious thump that was yet another teaser ahead of his participation this season Dunk Competition. With three Jones Gone Castle, the only Backup Point Guard and against Atlanta, he played as if he understood it.
  • Fox played 37 minutes in his debut against Hawks, in line with what he played this season in Sacramento more than any other player on the wake list. Should this continue now that he is in San Antonio, he would lead the spurs in MPG by approx. 4 minutes (Victor’s 33 MPG is 1. Among players who have been there all season).

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