NBA scores 2018: The Spurs seem really confused, and 6 more things from Friday

The San Antonio Spurs are struggling, a sentence that should make the other 29 teams in the NBA roll their eyes and chuckle. Struggling? Damn, they would love their struggles to involve a 32-19 record with a still Hall of Fame head coach at the helm, along with an MVP-level player who should eventually return from injury.

But yes, by their standards, San Antonio is struggling. They lost Friday, a 97-78 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers after which Gregg Popovich said Spurs fans should ask for their money back. It was clear that he expects more from his team.

Kawhi Leonard remains out, and it’s somewhat concerning that his relationship with the team has “grown distant” due to injury rehab frustrations. On one hand, it should be encouraging that the team’s best player has barely played, but that implies that this injury is one that makes sense to San Antonio. The Spurs have said that it does not make sense, and that they are confused by it, too. That’s a concerning place to be.

Friday’s loss was the fourth in seven games for the Spurs. This obviously remains a postseason squad, barring some catastrophic injury to LaMarcus Aldridge, but San Antonio is lacking offense despite a defensive approach that remains incredible effective. Popovich recently moved Dejounte Murray into the starting five while benching Tony Parker. Murray has done great things, though his inability to hit threes is unfortunate.

I am sure, and I think most of us are, that the Spurs should and will be a top-three or four seed in the Western Conference. The lurching, undead zombies that they are will figure it out. That all seems likely.

But hey, even if San Antonio’s rivals would kill to “struggle” like this, San Antonio clearly is in a negative spot they haven’t frequented in some time.

It’s not his fault, of course, but Cousins tore his left Achilles tendon. It’s a terrible injury and it immediately brought down the entire damn house, and not in a good way. We all someone dear to us Friday, and he won’t be back for a while. Achilles tendon ruptures aren’t fun, and they aren’t something to f*** with.

Get well soon, Boogie.

This is oddly impressive.

Hornets 121, Hawks 110 (At the Hive recap | Peachtree Hoops recap)

Cavaliers 115, Pacers 108 (Fear the Sword recap | Indy Cornrows recap)

Jazz 97, Raptors 93 (SLC Dunk recap | Raptors HQ recap)

Lakers 108, Bulls 103 (Silver Screen & Roll recap | Blog a Bull recap)

Clippers 109, Grizzlies 100 (Clips Nation recap | Grizzly Bear Blues recap)

Bucks 116, Nets 91 (Brew Hoop recap | Nets Daily recap)

Pelicans 115, Rockets 113 (The Bird Writes recap | The Dream Shake recap)

Trail Blazers 107, Mavericks 93 (Blazer’s Edge recap | Mavs Moneyball recap)

76ers 97, Spurs 78 (Liberty Ballers recap | Pounding the Rock recap)

Knicks 107, Suns 85 (Posting & Toasting recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)