The Nets nearly pulled off another wild comeback Sunday but instead dropped to 0-3 with a 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. It was the first stop on their Texas back-to-back, and another reminder that effort in spurts won’t be enough.
Brooklyn defended and competed early and late, yet the same lapses in focus and consistency kept it from finishing the job.
Picking up where they left off in Friday’s home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nets opened with an inspired defensive effort in San Antonio, forcing four turnovers in the first few minutes to jump out to a 9-2 lead with 9:31 remaining in the first quarter.
After dropping 33 points in his last outing, Cam Thomas wasted no time asserting himself. He hit a pair of high floaters over Victor Wembanyama early and piled up 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting in his first 10 minutes.
As the quarter wore on, the Spurs settled in, and the Nets lost their edge. Brooklyn’s defense forced seven turnovers, but cold shooting told the story — just 36.4% from the field and 2-for-13 from 3-point range. San Antonio countered by hitting half its shots, including four of eight from long range. Thomas’ early spark was matched by Keldon Johnson, who poured in 11 of his own to help the Spurs take a 31-24 lead into the second quarter.
Then Wembanyama took over. After managing just three free throws in the first quarter, the French phenom dominated both ends, piling up 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and four blocks by halftime. Thomas scored 21 in the half, but the Spurs closed on an 18-4 burst, drilling all eight of their 3s in the second quarter while holding Brooklyn to 29.2% shooting for a 69-48 halftime lead.
As Thomas remained in the locker room getting stitched up from a cut he suffered late in the first half, San Antonio kept rolling, stretching its lead to 26 with 8:47 left in the third quarter.
Then the Nets found their spark. Brooklyn ripped off a 17-1 run to pull within nine with 3:10 left in the third, winning the quarter 33-19, and Jordi Fernández’s team kept pushing in the fourth. A Noah Clowney 3-pointer made it a one-point game with 10:40 to play, and a Jalen Wilson triple moments later gave Brooklyn its first lead since the opening minutes.
Thomas finished with a game-high 40 points, but even his offensive surge couldn’t pull the Nets all the way back. He missed two looks from deep to tie it with just over two minutes left, and Wembanyama pushed the Spurs’ lead to four with 1:37 to play after making one of two from the line.
Following a Terance Mann miss, the Spurs put it away with consecutive layups, the last coming after a Thomas turnover in the final seconds.
Wembanyama finished with 31 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and six blocks, while rookie Dylan Harper added 20 points, six rebounds and eight assists as San Antonio improved to 3-0.
The Nets continue their Texas swing Monday when they face the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.
