Who Saved the Spurs From Their Slow Start?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Dec 28, 2024 12:52 PM ET

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, winning 96-87. The Spurs as a whole offered only 11 points in the first quarter but were able to bounce back from their slow start with solid outings from their second unit.

Keldon Johnson scored 15 points off the bench and Julian Champagnie offered 18 on 5-7 shooting from 3-point range. The Brooklyn native showed out in his homecoming game and jumpstarted a Spurs comeback in the first half.

To start the second quarter, Champagnie made three straight 3-pointers and added a steal for good measure. His quick release allowed him to get and stay open, and he offered no indication that he planned on passing up shots.

"The guys are always telling me to shoot the basketball, so anytime I feel like I have an open shot or I can get the ball off, I'm going to shoot it," explained Champagnie. "If you're not going to guard me, I'm going to shoot it."

After a lackluster start to the game, the Spurs needed a boost down the stretch to add some fire. The starters were slow out of the gate, but Champagnie was able to manufacture energy that became infectious.

"Julian was great on both sides of the floor," praised acting head coach Mitch Johnson. "It's funny sometimes when you put yourself into the game with effort and energy, the ball finds you, you make a shot, you get a whistle."

The Spurs will have a day off before they travel to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Check out the Inside the Spurs homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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