'Wheels Turning' for San Antonio Spurs Despite Loss vs. Miami Heat

The San Antonio Spurs are showing signs of growth after their game against the Miami Heat.

The San Antonio Spurs are tasting defeat for the fifth straight time after the Miami Heat beat them 118-113 at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday night.

It's a disappointing run for the Spurs, especially after they started 3-2 on the season with two road victories against a contending Phoenix Suns team. But despite the slide, coach Gregg Popovich is seeing growth within the team.

"Too many mistakes, a little bit of sloppiness on some passes that created some turnovers and undisciplined fouls and it adds up," Popovich said. "That's where we want to be, more disciplined which would mean fewer undisciplined fouls, fewer turnovers, and if some were unforced because of the passes we tried to make. But the effort is there, and I can see the wheels turning."

Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (9) drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham (22) during the second half at Frost Bank Center / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs are still very young, so this is to be expected, but it's promising to see that growth. The first three games of San Antonio's losing streak were all bad beats in one way or another ... they gave up a 20-point lead to the Toronto Raptors, surrendered over 150 points to the Indiana Pacers, and lost by over 20 points to the New York Knicks.

To be competitive in the last two games against high-quality teams in the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat displays growth.

"We’re getting better, learning more and more," Keldon Johnson said. "We had a lead, we controlled most of the game, now we just got to close out. So, we continue to grow, continue to learn, go over film and continue to get better on the things that we can control.”

The Spurs are back in action tomorrow night in another In-Season Tournament match against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on TNT.