Popovich talks Aldridge, Spurs Game 2 loss: 'I don't think they believed'

OAKLAND, Calif. – San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich did not sugar coat the Spurs 136-100 loss to the Warriors Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs are down 0-2 as the series shifts to San Antonio for Game 3 on Saturday.

"I don’t think they believed and you have to believe,” Popovich said. “I don’t think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves.”

"I don’t think they started the game with belief and it showed in the lack of edge, intensity, grunt and all that sort of thing and that was disappointing,” Popovich said.  

The Spurs head coach was also asked about the play of LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored only eight points with four rebounds in the absence of Kawhi Leonard. 

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"LaMarcus has got to score for us. You can’t be timid, he turned down shots in the first quarter. You can’t do it,” Popovich said. "He’s got a major responsibility in Game 3 to come out and to get something done whether its for himself or teammates.”

For his part, Aldridge took the brunt of the blame for the Spurs performance. 

“I took the wrong approach. I watched the end of last game and I saw how they were doubling and they were trying to crowd me, so I thought I would come out and try to move the ball, but I ended up taking myself out of rhythm and out of the flow of the game," Aldridge said. "But I’ll be better, and I’ll definitely be better by next game." 

Popovich added he expects to see a different team in Game 3 and praised the play of Jonathon Simmons.

Simmons was the lone bright spot for the Spurs. He started for Leonard and led the Spurs with 22 points.

Game 3 tips off from the AT&T Center at 8 p.m.