The Spurs routinely struggle to open games well, a frustrating trend for a team that is one of just a few legitimate title contenders. Head Coach Gregg Popovich has talked about what he sees as a lack of early energy and focus several times this year, even in wins. After scoring just 17 points in the opening quarter of the team’s first road loss of the season in Chicago, Pop bluntly assessed the season-long pattern of slow starts.
“Our opponents have outplayed us physically and execute-wise in most first halves for most of the season, and somehow we pull it together in the second half and play harder and smarter than we did in the first half.