Popovich takes blame for offensive woes as Spurs suffer second straight blowout loss

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs were routed by the Houston Rockets Friday night at the AT&T Center, 136-105.

The loss drops the Spurs to 10-12 on the season and marks the second consecutive defeat where the Spurs trailed by a major deficit.

Minnesota beat San Antonio by 39 points, 128-89, on Wednesday, and the Rockets led San Antonio by 36 points at the end of the third quarter of Friday night’s contest.

The Spurs started slow and never picked up the pace as they trailed 39-23 after the first quarter and 70-47 at the end of the first half.

Head coach Gregg Popovich took blame for the offensive woes over the past two games.

"We're obviously discombobulated on offense, so that has a lot to do with me," Popovich said. "I've got to do a better job there."

It was just as bad on the defensive end as San Antonio once again allowed an opponent to run out to an insurmountable lead and struggled to defend the perimeter.

Clint Capela led Houston with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Gordon scored 26 points off the bench. Houston made 22 of 54 three-point attempts.

"We're just getting behind early and not stopping their runs. So offensively and defensively, we have a lot of work to do," said guard Derrick White.

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs in scoring with 20 points while DeMar DeRozan added 18.

DeRozan said the back-to-back blowout losses would not break the team's spirit.

"I think our frustration definitely just comes from losing the way we did, but not in no way shape or form is it, in turn, going to break us or anything like that," DeRozan said.

The schedule does not get any easier for the Spurs as they host Portland (13-8) Sunday evening at the AT&T Center.