The season had long since come undone for the San Antonio Spurs, but the extended losing streak that began before their annual rodeo road trip represented the bottom of the barrel.

But in a span of two games, the Spurs enjoyed a run of fortune. First, San Antonio snapped a season-worst, 16-game losing skid with a 102-94 victory over the Utah Jazz, a win that came in the finale of their nine-game roadie. The Spurs followed up with a 110-99 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, welcoming back guards Devin Vassell and Tre Jones in the process.

The Spurs, who will open a back-to-back against the Houston Rockets at home on Saturday, were without Vassell for two months after he was sidelined by left knee surgery. Jones missed the previous five games with left foot soreness and, with both back in the rotation, the Spurs appeared rejuvenated.

“I think we all know who Devin is. He’s elite,” said Spurs rookie forward Jeremy Sochan, who produced his first career double-double by pairing 22 points with 13 rebounds against the Pacers. “Having him (and) Tre back is important for us and I think it’s going to open things up.

“It’s exciting to have them back because they are great players.”

While both Vassell and Jones were on minutes restrictions, they found ways to contribute to the win. Vassell posted 18 points in over 22 minutes while Jones chipped in five assists and four rebounds in 21 minutes. The Spurs missed Jones’ verve in addition to the scoring provided by Vassell, whose 19.4 points per game is second on the team to Keldon Johnson (21.8).

The Spurs still aren’t quite whole — Johnson sat out against Indiana with a foot injury and is doubtful for Saturday — and are just ahead of the Rockets at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. However, San Antonio already owns a pair of victories over the Rockets, and, given their first taste of consecutive wins since mid-December, it’s easy to understand why their confidence is flowing.

“Winning in Utah and (over the Pacers) is really important, and I think we all believe that we can win the next two games and keep it going,” Sochan said.

The Rockets currently have the longest losing skid in the NBA, with their 113-99 home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday marking their 11th consecutive defeat. Houston snapped a 13-game skid in late January and has dropped 31 of its last 35 games since winning on Dec. 13.

Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. returned from a 20-game injury absence against the Grizzlies but the results, both collectively and individually, weren’t favorable. Porter missed 8 of 11 shots and tallied only 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in the loss.

He acknowledged that he isn’t quite a full strength, but the Rockets being in a nosedive made the decision to return to action.

“It’s a relief to be back despite how the game went,” said Porter, who continues to deal with a nagging toe injury. “I bleed basketball so hooping ain’t the problem. I’ve just got to be healthy.

“Last couple of games this season there’s definitely going to be some tolerable pain going on. But I want to play the best I can get it. Can’t get (the toe) 100 percent, so I’m going to play.”

–Field Level Media

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac will miss the rest of the season following surgery Friday to repair a torn left adductor muscle.

The team said an MRI revealed the tear on Wednesday after the oft-injured former lottery pick felt discomfort in Tuesday’s practice.

“Our thoughts are with Jonathan, whose fortitude in dealing with adversity is unique,” Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. “Jonathan has worked extremely hard to return to the court this season and has demonstrated his impact on our team. We will be by his side as he focuses on the work ahead.”

Isaac, 25, returned to the court in January for the first time since 2020. He averaged 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 11.3 minutes in 11 games (no starts) this season.

Isaac tore the ACL in his left knee in the NBA bubble at the Disney Sports complex on Aug. 2, 2020, during the COVID-shortened season.

He missed the entirety of the past two seasons rehabilitating the knee. He also sustained a right hamstring injury last year that required surgery.

The Magic selected the 6-foot-10 Isaac with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft. He was averaging a career-best 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the 2019-20 season when he incurred the injury.

In 147 games (106 starts) for the Magic, Isaac has career averages of 9.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.

–Field Level Media

Donovan Mitchell admitted to “playing off adrenaline” as a means to fend off a right groin injury he sustained in the third quarter of his last game.

Unfortunately for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mitchell’s masterful 44-point performance came in a loss — their fourth in the last five games.

Mitchell hopes to be healthy enough to play in his 400th career NBA game Saturday night when the Cavaliers vie for a season sweep of the visiting Detroit Pistons.

“It’s this time of year. It’s time to win these games. That was my mindset. There was no coming out of the game for me,” Mitchell said after Cleveland’s 117-113 setback to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

“Just trying to find ways to make plays. Shots started to fall and I started attacking the basket. Ultimately, we’ve got two days off, get some rest, get it rehabbed and get ready for Detroit.”

Mitchell boasts career-best averages in points (27.5) and minutes (35.5) this season for the Cavaliers. The four-time All-Star had 32 points in Cleveland’s 102-94 victory over host Detroit on Nov. 27.

Jarrett Allen scored 23 points in the Cavaliers’ 112-88 road win over the Pistons on Nov. 4. He added 20 in a 113-85 victory over visiting Detroit on Feb. 8.

Darius Garland, Mitchell’s backcourt mate, collected 29 points, nine assists and four steals Wednesday against the Celtics. Cleveland, however, was done in by a third quarter in which it was outscored 41-26.

“Coming out in that third quarter, (the Celtics) punched us right in the mouth and we waited too long to respond and punch back,” Garland said. “That’s where we have to grow. They’ve been there before.”

The Pistons, cellar-dwellers of the Eastern Conference, have been punched far too many times this season. However, they were knocked to the mat in an unconventional way Wednesday. Rookie Jaden Ivey called a timeout that Detroit didn’t have, resulting a technical foul with 9.1 seconds left in a 117-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

“He panicked, but the game wasn’t won or lost on that one play,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “It was lost in the first quarter. With the laissez-faire approach we had defensively, they got whatever they wanted. It’s such a mountain to climb when you get behind in this league.”

Bojan Bogdanovic returned from a one-game absence due to soreness in both Achilles tendons to score 34 points for Detroit. He boasts a team-leading average in points (21.6) this season.

“Lord knows we don’t want to mess with (Achilles tendon injuries),” Casey said prior to the game. “But Bogey is going to give it a try. That’s the great thing about him — he loves to play. Whether it’s here, or over in Croatia in the summertime, he loves to hoop. My preference was to limit his time, but when a man wants to play, he plays.”

The Pistons have lost six in a row, one shy of their season-high total set from Nov. 9-20.

–Field Level Media