Spurs’ Coach Gregg Popovich Attributes Recent Loss to “Playing 24-Minute Games”

The San Antonio Spurs lost in a 95-91 match against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday night. Trailing through most of the game, the Spurs was behind by 13 points at the end of the first half. The lead went up to 18 points by the third, and while the team rallied to close the gap to as much as 4 points, the Bulls killed the remaining 2 minutes with offensive rebounds, securing the win.

This has been the story of the Spurs as of their last 8 games: trailing in the first half, the team then shifts into overdrive on the second half for the win. So far, it has worked for six games, but not this time.

Popovich, noting that the players need to play better, points out that the team played a 24-minute game, something they have been doing for the past 10 games. He also states that the team has not been consistent with their performance, and that each player should participate in their recovery. The coach is known for giving his players rest before games, instead of a practice.

Leadership may also be an issue for the team. According to ESPN, Tony Parker, who just came back from a bruised knee, already missed eight games this season. Adding the fact that team captain Tim Duncan (also known as "The Big Fundamental") recently retired, Popovich acknowledged that the guys from San Antonio are having trouble getting organized.

Pau Gasol, new to the Spurs system, admits that their current method is not the "way to go", NBA reports. There were also reports that the players got a scolding from Popovich, with Kawhi Leonard reportedly stating that he wants to see energy from the team.

Leonard had a field day during the game, scoring 24 points, while Gasol made 13 points and 10 rebounds for the team. LeMarcus Aldridge and Manu Ginobili had a rough outing, with Aldridge went 5 for 15, while Ginobili had a silent 0 for 9 from the field.

The Spurs are ranked sixth in the whole NBA at the moment. With the team's 13-0 streak on the road, a win against the Bulls would have brought the them at par with Golden State's 14-0 last season, and 2 wins shy of the 16-0 record set by the Los Angeles Lakers on their 1971-1972 season.