The Spurs, missing several rotation players and on the second game of a back-to-back, rolled into Detroit on New Year’s day to play the worst team in the league, which was dealing with absences of their own. A win didn’t seemed guaranteed but it was looking likely. Unfortunately, the Pistons made up for their lack of talent with energy, size and physicality and squeaked out an overtime win against the Silver and Black.
The Spurs have been lucky by normally being healthier than their opponents this season and that was the case on Saturday. Even with rotation players Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keita Bates-Diop and Dough McDermott out.