The San Antonio Spurs are getting the job done during their most challenging stretch of the season, a nine-city journey over 18 days.
Luke Kornet blocked Franz Wagner as time expired Wednesday to preserve a 114-112 road victory over the Orlando Magic in the sixth stop on the trip.
San Antonio continues its tour Friday in Cleveland against the struggling Cavaliers.
The Spurs are 4-2 thus far on their trek, which sees them play only one home game — a 126-119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday — between Nov. 21 and Dec. 16.
“When games come down to the final possession, especially on the road, obviously it’s a lot of fun when you come out on top,” Kornet said. “I just tried to make a play. I’ll enjoy this one.”
Kornet, who spent the previous three years as the backup center for the Boston Celtics, has taken on a larger role with Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama sidelined with a left calf strain.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama last played on Nov. 14, forcing the 7-foot-1 Kornet into a starting role. He is averaging career highs of 7.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots and 24.9 minutes.
“We have a good collective mindset of whoever is in and whatever it takes, whenever you’re done, you know the next guy is going to keep it going,” Kornet said.
Point guard Stephon Castle also remains out for San Antonio with a left hip strain that he sustained Nov. 16. He and Wembanyama are aiming to return for the NBA Cup quarterfinals Dec. 10 at the Los Angeles Lakers.
De’Aaron Fox scored the Spurs’ final 10 points against Orlando to finish with a game-high 31, with five rebounds and five assists, while rookie Dylan Harper had 16, five and five off the bench.
The longest-tenured San Antonio player, power forward Keldon Johnson, added 13 points as the Spurs won their second game in two nights following the home triumph against Memphis.
“The guys emptied the tank throughout the game, so we had to cycle them out,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. “I just played everybody because it was the second night of a back-to-back, and it was a really good team win.”
Things aren’t nearly as rosy for the Cavaliers, who lost four of their last five and were thoroughly outplayed Wednesday in a 122-110 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points two days after his 43-point performance in a win at the Indiana Pacers, but he remained unhappy with the team’s collective work.
The Cavaliers’ ongoing freefall dropped them from third to seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They were the top seed last season.
“Right now, we’re not where we want to be, not where we need to be,” said Mitchell, who is fourth in the league with a scoring average of 30.7 points. “We can’t lose three in a row, have a promising performance against Indiana and then come out and do this.
“No matter who’s out there, no matter who’s playing, no matter what we’re doing, we all have to have it. But at some point, we’ve got to, as a collective, do it.”
The Cavaliers will not have center Jarrett Allen (right finger strain) or sharpshooter Sam Merrill (right hand sprain) against the Spurs. Darius Garland will also sit to manage his return from a toe injury.
“We just have to be better,” Mitchell said. “I don’t really have another message than that.”
