The Austin Spurs injury report for March’s home opener featured four of the team’s big hitters out. Guards David Jones Garcia and Isaiah Miller remain out, a status they held for the majority of February.
However, today against the Memphis Hustle, they were joined by guard Donovan Williams and forward Harrison Ingram.
The long list of injuries heading into this game left Austin with just eight players to take the court this afternoon, allowing new faces to get their chance in the spotlight. Despite the shortened rotation, the Spurs clawed their way to a 121-118 win over the Hustle.
“We’ve got a really deep squad,” Spurs head coach Jacob Chance said. “To have them come out and play well was obviously pleasing … It’s a testament to the character of the guys.”
Austin rookie guard Jayden Nunn took advantage of the increased opportunity, notching career highs with 13 rebounds and seven assists, en route to his first career double-double.
Nunn led the offensive assault in the third quarter, orchestrating a 33-12 run to open the second half for Austin, which gave the Spurs their first lead of the game at 72-71 in the third quarter, a lead they would never lose.
“I knew I was due for a breakout game,” Nunn said after the game. “We had people down today, so I knew I had to bring an extra gas today just to win.”
Nunn played the role of scorer and playmaker in the second half. The rookie from Baylor unleashed five three-point attempts, netting four of them, as well as ending with a 7/3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Nunn capped off a stellar night with a crucial game-sealing free throw and rebound combination to solidify the win for his squad.
“I know these free throws are big, but you got to treat them like any other free throw,” Nunn said. “Then after that, on the defensive end … they’re gonna take a three for sure. And then everybody got to trash the glass because … they’re gonna try to grab a rebound and kick it back.”
After being down by as many as 16 in the second quarter, the Spurs rallied on the backs of Nunn and guard Kyle Mangas. With 2:49 left in the third quarter, the Spurs held their largest lead of the game at 17, but Memphis continued to strike back throughout the course of the fourth quarter.
In the draining seconds of the game, Memphis managed to cut the lead down to two and had Austin’s back against the wall. When the pressure was on, Mangas and forward Tre King provided much-needed insurance from the field and the free-throw line.
King unleashed a late flurry of buckets to bring his point total to 26, a career high. His late contributions to the scoring sheet provided enough fuel for the Spurs to withstand a last-ditch effort by the Memphis Hustle and push Austin’s record to 16-9 on the season.
Austin will face the Sioux Falls Skyforce this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
