By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Halfway through another mostly miserable season, the young Los Angeles Lakers have put together their longest winning streak of the year.
Coach Luke Walton is eager to see whether they can maintain the momentum that's making their future look slightly less bleak.
Brandon Ingram scored 26 points, Lonzo Ball added 18 and the Lakers held off the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 93-81 on Thursday night for their third straight victory.
Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers (14-27), who blew an early 19-point lead before running away in the fourth quarter with a poise they've shown only fleetingly this season. Los Angeles had lost nine straight before its current surge.
"We responded like a team that's failed a lot, and kind of got sick of it," Walton said. "We're seen that point many times this year where we're playing well, we have a lead, the other team goes on a run and then we stall out in the second half. I thought our players did a great job of coming together."
Ingram had an aggressive offensive game, and Ball contributed 10 rebounds, six assists and four 3-pointers as Los Angeles also snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs at Staples Center since April 2013.
The Lakers (14-27) appear to be midway through their fifth consecutive non-playoff season, but their entertaining style occasionally produces great moments, such as the dunk thrown down by Nance on a less-than-ideal pass from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
"We're focused on defense, effort and energy, really," Nance said of the winning streak. "I don't know what it was, but it was about time we got out of that rut."
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half for the Spurs, who committed 21 turnovers while playing without injured starters Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green.
Bryn Forbes scored 18 points and Dejounte Murray added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
"That was a pathetic performance by our team, and a lot of the reason for it was the way the Lakers played," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "They were very physical, much more physical than we were. Their desire was at a totally different level than ours was. ... Just effort and will. I thought in that sense, we were pathetic."
TIP-INS
Spurs: Pau Gasol had nine points and 12 rebounds in the 37-year-old Spaniard's latest return to the city where he won two championships alongside Kobe Bryant, whose two retired jersey numbers now hang in the Staples Center rafters.
Lakers: They made an early 25-3 run on the way to a 37-18 lead. Ball hit three 3-pointers and didn't miss a shot in the first half. ... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played a solid defensive game and contributed down the stretch with 10 points and four rebounds.
AILING SPURS
Leonard missed his third straight game with a left shoulder strain, and Parker sat after spraining his right ankle in Sacramento on Monday. Green missed his fifth consecutive game with a groin strain.
Veteran Rudy Gay also sat out his seventh straight game with right heel bursitis, leaving the Spurs short-handed in the last stop on a three-game trip down the West Coast.
PEANUT GALLERY
Before the game, Popovich didn't mince words when asked about the recent criticism of Walton from Lithuanian basketball power broker LaVar Ball: "I think the first thing to look at is the substance and gravitas of the source that speaks, and just stopping at that point would tell you that you don't need to listen or go any further. It's just another fan in the peanut gallery with an opinion, which is meaningless."
TRADE ME NOT
Popovich also revealed that Aldridge requested a trade last summer after a rough season. The coach talked the star big man out of his feelings after a few dinners and meetings. "I was very candid with him," Popovich said. "I told him, `I'd be happy to trade you. You get me a talent like Kevin Durant, and I'll drive you to the airport. I'll pack your bags. And I will drive you there, get you on the plane and get you seated.' He laughed, (and) I said, `But short of that, I'm your best buddy, because you're here for another year, and you ain't going nowhere. Because we're not going to get for you talent-wise what we would want, so let's figure this thing out.' And we did."
UP NEXT
Spurs: Return home to face the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Lakers: Open a three-game road trip at the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
Showing posts with label San Antonio Spurs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Antonio Spurs. Show all posts
Friday, January 12, 2018
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Aldridge rallies Spurs past Pistons
SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs have won plenty of games this season, 16 of their first 24, in fact, but 13 of those were against teams with losing records. San Antonio needed to play a lot better to beat Detroit on Monday, and the Spurs found just enough to come from behind to defeat the Pistons 96-93 at the AT&T Center.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 17 points, including San Antonio's final six points of the game, and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Spurs defeated a squad above the .500 mark for just the third time this year.
The Spurs got it done with clutch shooting down the stretch, seven players in double-figure scoring and a 51-42 edge on the glass against rugged Detroit.
The Pistons led 86-82 with 4:42 to play before Patty Mills canned a 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the circle to begin a 12-2 San Antonio run that granted the Spurs a 94-88 advantage with 1:51 remaining.
Detroit fashioned a final charge, getting to within 94-93 with 23.5 seconds left on a put-back by Andre Drummond. Aldridge then sank two free throws with 5.2 seconds to go, increasing San Antonio's lead to 96-93.
After a 30-second timeout, Detroit got the ball to Tobias Harris, but his desperation 3-point attempt was partially blocked by Rudy Gay and was never close to the rim.
"We just kept playing for 48 minutes, and the guys did a heck of a job to hang in there, keep playing and trusting each other," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "There's never one thing that's the difference, but we had some great plays down the stretch from a lot of people."
Pau Gasol hit for 15 points, Gay and Manu Ginobili added 12 points each, and Danny Green, Mills and Davis Bertans scored 11 points apiece for the Spurs, who have won five of their past six games. Gay and Gasol both had 10 rebounds.
"This was maybe our best win of the year," said San Antonio's Tony Parker, who had seven points. "We played a very good team, and they played very physical. They were hard on us, and we had to dig deep. We got a lot of great performances from a lot of guys."
Detroit's Reggie Jackson led all scorers with 27 points. Harris tallied 15, Stanley Johnson added 14 points, and Ish Smith and Drummond racked up 11 points each for the Pistons (14-9), who have lost three straight outings. Drummond added 15 rebounds and Johnson pulled down 10 for Detroit.
Avery Bradley, who averages more than 16 points per game, missed his first seven shots and finished with just three points.
"We had some looks that we like at shots that we just didn't make, and that hurt us," Harris said. "On that last play, I need to find a way to get a shot up that I can make, and I didn't do as well on that as I can. We have to rebound better, be more physical and get those guys up off the glass."
The Spurs had no answer for Jackson in the first half. He reeled off 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting as the Pistons built a 53-50 lead at halftime. The first half featured four ties and eight lead changes, with the biggest advantage being Detroit's eight-point lead early in the second quarter.
Aldridge, who missed six of his first eight shots, and Gasol led the Spurs with nine points each at intermission.
The Pistons led 73-69 after three quarters mostly because San Antonio missed 12 of its 20 shots in the third quarter and lost its aggressiveness, not shooting a single free throw in the period.
However, all of Detroit's good work was washed away by an 8-0 Spurs run to open the fourth quarter. Ginobili and Bertans poured in 3-pointers and Gasol hit a bucket that gave San Antonio a 77-73 lead. The game was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way.
"We had some good looks at threes that we couldn't knock down and they did make them, and that was really the biggest difference in the game," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Down the stretch in the past two games, we've gone a little too much just one-on-one isolation. We have to be able to sustain our offensive energy better."
NOTES: San Antonio F Kawhi Leonard, who has not played this season because of a quad injury, met with the media on Monday for the first time since late September but had no specific update on his rehabilitation or when he might return to game action. Leonard said he is working in five-on-five drills and is progressing but provided little insight how the injury occurred or into the process he is using to get back to the court. ... Detroit has lost seven of its past eight games in San Antonio. ... The Spurs didn't shoot a free throw in the second half until F Rudy Gay converted a three-point play with 3:37 to play.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Aldridge leads Spurs to 20th straight home win over Hawks
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge and Kyle Anderson are keeping the short-handed San Antonio Spurs going.
Aldridge had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Anderson had another solid game in place of Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs held off the Atlanta Hawks 96-85 on Monday night.
“LaMarcus kind of took his game to another level,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said.
The Hawks lost their 20th straight game in San Antonio, a skid spanning 20 years.
Aldridge fueled the Spurs in the second half, but Anderson had another methodical all-around game.
“He’s been ready for the moment,” Aldridge said. “He’s been playing really confident, making plays for us, being the other guy to be a ball-handler and been just saving us in games, basically.”
Anderson had 13 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in his 17th start in place of injured All-Star Leonard.
The 6-foot-9 forward out of UCLA has taken advantage of playing 27 minutes per game this season after averaging less than 14 in his previous three. Nicknamed “Slow Mo” for his lack of foot speed, Anderson patiently worked his way to 5-of -8 shooting and had just two turnovers in 30 minutes.
“He gets to handle the ball more and that’s his game, too,” said San Antonio veteran Manu Ginobili, who had 16 points. “He’s playing as a point power forward. He’s a tough matchup because of his size and his handles.”
Anderson didn’t score any points in the fourth but had four assists in the quarter to help Aldridge push the Spurs past the pesky Hawks.
Aldridge, who is averaging a team-high 22.3 points, had 12 points with six rebounds in the fourth quarter.
Danny Green followed that by hitting consecutive 3-pointers to stretch the lead to 90-79 with 3 minutes remaining.
Reserve forward John Collins led Atlanta with 21 points and Taurean Prince added 18. Former Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon had 11 points, including nine in the opening quarter.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Atlanta’s last victory in San Antonio was Feb. 15, 1997. ... Hawks center Miles Plumlee did not play after being listed as probable with a strained right quadriceps. ... Atlanta has nine players with one year of NBA experience or less. ... The Hawks entered third in the league with 9.1 steals per game. They had seven against the Spurs. ... Budenholzer, a former San Antonio assistant, and Dedmon both received warm ovations during pre-game introductions.
Spurs: San Antonio has already missed 52 games due to injury, including the season-long absences of Leonard and Tony Parker. Coach Gregg Popovich did not offer a timeline for either to return from quadriceps injuries. ... Anderson has scored in double figures in eight of 17 games this season after doing so just four times in 72 games last season.
FAREWELL, LEE
Former All-Star David Lee announced his retirement after playing with the Spurs last season. Lee played 12 seasons in the NBA starting with New York before joining Golden State, Boston and finishing in San Antonio.
MORE INJURIES
Atlanta lost Luke Babbitt in the second quarter due to a lower-back injury. Babbitt’s exit was precautionary. Budenholzer was unsure how long Babbitt will be out.
“We’re a little short-handed,” Budenholzer said. “Luke went down, Musky (Mike Muscala) wasn’t available. I’m assuming it’s the most minutes John (Collins) has played.”
Collins played 36 minutes.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night in the opener of a four-game homestand.
Spurs: Visit New Orleans on Wednesday night in their first meeting of the season against Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Aldridge has 32 points, Popovich gets milestone in Spurs win
By DAVE JACKSON
Associated Press
DALLAS (AP) — The hometown kid ensured that San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich would get a milestone victory in Dallas.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 32 points in his hometown and the Spurs beat the Mavericks 97-91 on Tuesday night.
Popovich became the fastest NBA coach to 500 road wins. He got there in 835 away games, 41 fewer than Pat Riley. Those two and Don Nelson are the only coaches to win 500 on the road.
Aldridge, a product of Dallas’ Seagoville High School, scored eight points during a decisive stretch of the fourth quarter. He’s averaging nearly 23 points per game this season while San Antonio has been without starters Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker.
“I think I’m definitely more confident and I’m playing my game more this year,” Aldridge said. “I think Pop definitely has tweaked some things where I can be myself more out there and play more confident, and it’s working out for us.”
Aldridge’s coach notices the change in the forward’s second year in San Antonio.
“He’s been our most consistent player,” Popovich said. “His effort level every night has been off the charts. He’s been a leader for us, helping the younger guys and new guys understand the system.”
Patty Mills added a season-high 19 points for the Spurs.
Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. led Dallas with a career-high 27 points, and J.J. Barea and Harrison Barnes had 16 each. The Mavericks are 2-13 for the second straight season and fifth time overall.
Just like in a loss to Cleveland on Saturday, the Mavericks cut a double-digit second-half deficit to one point, but couldn’t gain the lead.
“Every time we made a mental lapse, they got going,” Barnes said. “We know that is what they are going to do here and capitalize every time we made a mistake.”
After Dallas got within 62-61 early in the fourth, Mills hit a long 3 and a driving layup, then Aldridge scored eight of his team’s next 13 points to put the Spurs up 82-71 with 5:03 to play. Dallas never got closer than four points down the stretch.
The Spurs led by 11 during the third quarter, but Barea made back-to-back 3s and fed Salah Mejri an alley-oop pass for a layup as Dallas closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to get within 62-60.
Mills scored 13 points in the first six minutes of the second quarter, including three 3s. Aldridge was hit with a technical foul with 3:33 left in the second quarter for shoving the Mavericks’ Salah Mejri after a scrap under the Mavericks basket.
The Spurs led 44-39 at the break.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Popovich was asked before the game how he handles the rush of letters and emails responding to his political comments: “I do read everything and I try to respond. It takes time because there’s a lot of letters. The only ones I don’t respond to are the ones are so courageous in their negativity that there’s no address, just comments. That’s hard to respond to. But there are people who disagree and say why, and it’s erudite and intelligible and (I say), ‘Yeah, you’ve got a point.’ Those people deserve to be responded to.”
Mavericks: Dallas continues to play without guard Devin Harris, who missed his second straight game with bruised ribs, and Dorian Finney-Smith was also out Tuesday with left quad tendinitis.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Travel to Minnesota for the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday night. The Spurs have won 12 straight against the Wolves, dating to 2014.
Mavericks: Also face the Timberwolves next, at home Friday night. Minnesota won the team’s first meeting on Nov. 4.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Thompson, Durant lead Warriors past injury-riddled Spurs
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are already thinking about Golden State’s postseason possibilities.
The Warriors’ slow start could be a byproduct of that early daydreaming.
Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Durant had 24 and the Warriors overcame a lethargic first half to beat injury-riddled San Antonio 112-92 on Thursday night, handing the Spurs their fourth straight loss.
Curry added 21 points for Golden State in its first meeting against San Antonio since sweeping the Western Conference finals en route to the NBA title.
“Me and (Durant) were talking about it on the bench tonight,” Curry said. “It is tough to still be Nov. 1st or 2nd and be looking forward to April, May, June. But having gone through the experience last year and three years ago and understanding what it takes to win a championship, it’s kind of cliche, but every game you can learn a little bit something about yourself and continue to build great habits to get there.”
One lesson is staying focused against the Spurs, even as the five-time champions face their own struggles.
San Antonio played without Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, as they did in the conference finals. Unlike those blowout victories, the Warriors struggled to close out the Spurs.
“We might as well start every game here down 20,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “Other than the playoffs last year, that will be four or five straight games where that happened. You have to be able to match the Spurs’ intensity, especially because they’re such a good rebounding team.”
The Warriors took their first lead two minutes into the third quarter at 60-57 on Durant’s 3-pointer.
Durant missed his first eight shots and the Spurs made six 3-pointers in the first quarter in bolting to an early double-digit lead.
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his resurgent season.
“LaMarcus was magnificent,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s been magnificent every game. His perseverance his hustle, his focus has been off the charts. He’s done a great job.”
Kyle Anderson added 16 points in place of Leonard, who has not played this season while suffering from an injured right quadriceps.
San Antonio led 31-12 lead after Golden State went scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes midway through the opening period.
Golden State slowly cut into the lead behind its defense. After shooting 48 percent in the first quarter, the Spurs were held to 33 percent in the second quarter. San Antonio was 1 for 5 on 3-pointers and 7 for 21 overall in the second quarter.
“Our focus (sparked the rally), especially on the defensive end, and not fouling,” Thompson said. “Those two things are great because when we do that, we are able to get out in transition and get easy buckets. Our focus on that side of the ball was really good.”
Thompson finished 11 for 17 from the field, including 5 for 8 on 3-pointers.
The Spurs finished 7 for 24 on 3-pointers, failing to make a 3 in the second half after draining six in the opening quarter.
“We contested shots, we rebounded and we got out in transition,” Durant said.
Zaza Pachulia, making his first appearance in San Antonio since Leonard was lost after landing on the center’s foot in Game 1, was heavily booed throughout the game.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State has made at least 10 3-pointers in each of its games this season. The Warriors were 14 for 28 on 3s against the Spurs. ... Thompson has a 3-pointer in 63 straight games, the league’s longest active streak. ... Durant has scored at least 20 points in all but one of the team’s nine games this season. ... JaVale McGee played in his 500th career game. ... Golden State closes out a three-game trip in Denver.
Spurs: Leonard and Parker have played a combined three quarters against the Warriors in the last five games, including the postseason. ... Parker missed the entire conference finals with a ruptured quadriceps tendon and Leonard aggravated an ankle injury in the third quarter of the opening game. ... Mills made his 600th career 3-pointer, 551 of which have come with the Spurs. ... San Antonio is 62-19 at home against Golden State. . Brandon Paul is the first Spurs rookie to play over 105 minutes in his first eight games since Kawhi Leonard did so in 2011.
FAKE NEWS
Popovich told TNT that Leonard could return in three weeks after missing the entire preseason and the first eight games of the regular season due to a right quadriceps injury.
When asked if that was true, Pop demurred.
“You can’t trust the media,” Popovich said, chuckling. “Come on.”
BLOCK PARTY
Golden State had 11 blocked shots, including an emphatic block by Thompson on Aldridge.
The block led to an animated celebration by Thompson, followed by an ensuing turnover.
“It felt great, until I turned it over and got pulled out,” Thompson said. “That is karma for you. But it felt really good.”
NO WAY
Popovich was ejected with 4:47 remaining in the game after complaining Patrick McCaw was not called traveling minutes after Aldridge was assessed a traveling violation.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Denver on Saturday night trying to end a two-game skid against the Nuggets.
Spurs: Host Charlotte on Friday night in the second of a six-game homestand.
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are already thinking about Golden State’s postseason possibilities.
The Warriors’ slow start could be a byproduct of that early daydreaming.
Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Durant had 24 and the Warriors overcame a lethargic first half to beat injury-riddled San Antonio 112-92 on Thursday night, handing the Spurs their fourth straight loss.
Curry added 21 points for Golden State in its first meeting against San Antonio since sweeping the Western Conference finals en route to the NBA title.
“Me and (Durant) were talking about it on the bench tonight,” Curry said. “It is tough to still be Nov. 1st or 2nd and be looking forward to April, May, June. But having gone through the experience last year and three years ago and understanding what it takes to win a championship, it’s kind of cliche, but every game you can learn a little bit something about yourself and continue to build great habits to get there.”
One lesson is staying focused against the Spurs, even as the five-time champions face their own struggles.
San Antonio played without Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, as they did in the conference finals. Unlike those blowout victories, the Warriors struggled to close out the Spurs.
“We might as well start every game here down 20,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “Other than the playoffs last year, that will be four or five straight games where that happened. You have to be able to match the Spurs’ intensity, especially because they’re such a good rebounding team.”
The Warriors took their first lead two minutes into the third quarter at 60-57 on Durant’s 3-pointer.
Durant missed his first eight shots and the Spurs made six 3-pointers in the first quarter in bolting to an early double-digit lead.
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his resurgent season.
“LaMarcus was magnificent,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s been magnificent every game. His perseverance his hustle, his focus has been off the charts. He’s done a great job.”
Kyle Anderson added 16 points in place of Leonard, who has not played this season while suffering from an injured right quadriceps.
San Antonio led 31-12 lead after Golden State went scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes midway through the opening period.
Golden State slowly cut into the lead behind its defense. After shooting 48 percent in the first quarter, the Spurs were held to 33 percent in the second quarter. San Antonio was 1 for 5 on 3-pointers and 7 for 21 overall in the second quarter.
“Our focus (sparked the rally), especially on the defensive end, and not fouling,” Thompson said. “Those two things are great because when we do that, we are able to get out in transition and get easy buckets. Our focus on that side of the ball was really good.”
Thompson finished 11 for 17 from the field, including 5 for 8 on 3-pointers.
The Spurs finished 7 for 24 on 3-pointers, failing to make a 3 in the second half after draining six in the opening quarter.
“We contested shots, we rebounded and we got out in transition,” Durant said.
Zaza Pachulia, making his first appearance in San Antonio since Leonard was lost after landing on the center’s foot in Game 1, was heavily booed throughout the game.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State has made at least 10 3-pointers in each of its games this season. The Warriors were 14 for 28 on 3s against the Spurs. ... Thompson has a 3-pointer in 63 straight games, the league’s longest active streak. ... Durant has scored at least 20 points in all but one of the team’s nine games this season. ... JaVale McGee played in his 500th career game. ... Golden State closes out a three-game trip in Denver.
Spurs: Leonard and Parker have played a combined three quarters against the Warriors in the last five games, including the postseason. ... Parker missed the entire conference finals with a ruptured quadriceps tendon and Leonard aggravated an ankle injury in the third quarter of the opening game. ... Mills made his 600th career 3-pointer, 551 of which have come with the Spurs. ... San Antonio is 62-19 at home against Golden State. . Brandon Paul is the first Spurs rookie to play over 105 minutes in his first eight games since Kawhi Leonard did so in 2011.
FAKE NEWS
Popovich told TNT that Leonard could return in three weeks after missing the entire preseason and the first eight games of the regular season due to a right quadriceps injury.
When asked if that was true, Pop demurred.
“You can’t trust the media,” Popovich said, chuckling. “Come on.”
BLOCK PARTY
Golden State had 11 blocked shots, including an emphatic block by Thompson on Aldridge.
The block led to an animated celebration by Thompson, followed by an ensuing turnover.
“It felt great, until I turned it over and got pulled out,” Thompson said. “That is karma for you. But it felt really good.”
NO WAY
Popovich was ejected with 4:47 remaining in the game after complaining Patrick McCaw was not called traveling minutes after Aldridge was assessed a traveling violation.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Denver on Saturday night trying to end a two-game skid against the Nuggets.
Spurs: Host Charlotte on Friday night in the second of a six-game homestand.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Celtics beat Spurs 108-94
By JIMMY GOLEN
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — The injury to free agent Gordon Hayward devastated the Boston Celtics emotionally and threatened to derail their efforts to improve on last year’s Eastern Conference finals appearance.
It took about three games for them to figure things out.
“Once that happened, we really didn’t know where we were at as a team,” center Al Horford said on Monday night after the Celtics won their fifth straight game, beating the San Antonio Spurs 108-9. “We’ve really come together.”
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points for the third straight game, Jaylen Brown added 18 and Horford had 13 rebounds for Boston, which last beat the Spurs in 2011 — a 10-game losing streak. Irving also had three steals and a blocked shot, and coach Brad Stevens praised his defense.
“You can tell he’s getting more comfortable every time he takes the floor,” Stevens said.
Boston signed Hayward in the offseason in an attempt to bolster the team that earned the No. 1 seed in the East. But the deal that swapped Irving for Isaiah Thomas signaled a near-complete break with last year’s team.
Then Hayward was injured before the season was six minutes old, and the Celtics lost their first two games, on back-to-back nights.
Since then, they haven’t lost.
And Irving is the biggest reason why.
“Things were going rough for him at the beginning of the season. A lot of people doubted him,” said guard Terry Rozier, who had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. “I feel like we all had to adapt to him. It’s worked out pretty well.”
Reserves Brandon Paul had 18 points and Rudy Gay scored 14 for San Antonio.
It was the first game this season that LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t lead San Antonio in scoring. He had 11 points.
Boston led 54-49 at halftime and scored 10 of the first 12 points in the third quarter — eight from Irving on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup. The Celtics point guard was 10 for 15 shooting through three quarters, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, before sitting most of the fourth while Boston nursed a double-digit lead.
“No different than any other night I’ve seen him play,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s a hell of a player. You think that’s going to change? Kyrie does what he does and he does it very well.”
MISSING
San Antonio remains without Tony Parker (left quad) and Kawhi Leonard (right quad), and Popovich rested Manu Ginobili as the Spurs lost on back-to-back nights and fell to 1-3 on a four-game road trip.
“I rested him,” Popovich said, adding jokingly, “That’s something I never do.”
SPURTS
Rozier scored 10 of the Celtics’ first 13 points in the fourth quarter, eight of them in a 52-second span when Boston turned an 11-point lead into a 93-74 rout. Rozier made just one of his first nine shots before making four in a row in the fourth.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Made a 3-pointer for the 982nd consecutive game. ... Popovich was left waiting for career victory No. 1,155, which would tie him with Phil Jackson at sixth on the NBA’s all-time list. ... Popovich’s next road win will be his 500th, something just three coaches in NBA history have achieved.
Celtics: Irving’s 128 points in his first six games as a Celtic were the most since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen each had 131 in 2007. ... Marcus Morris practiced with the developmental league team on Monday and will rejoin the Celtics on Tuesday. Coach Brad Stevens said his right knee has “really, really improved.”
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Golden State on Thursday.
Celtics: Host Sacramento on Wednesday.
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — The injury to free agent Gordon Hayward devastated the Boston Celtics emotionally and threatened to derail their efforts to improve on last year’s Eastern Conference finals appearance.
It took about three games for them to figure things out.
“Once that happened, we really didn’t know where we were at as a team,” center Al Horford said on Monday night after the Celtics won their fifth straight game, beating the San Antonio Spurs 108-9. “We’ve really come together.”
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points for the third straight game, Jaylen Brown added 18 and Horford had 13 rebounds for Boston, which last beat the Spurs in 2011 — a 10-game losing streak. Irving also had three steals and a blocked shot, and coach Brad Stevens praised his defense.
“You can tell he’s getting more comfortable every time he takes the floor,” Stevens said.
Boston signed Hayward in the offseason in an attempt to bolster the team that earned the No. 1 seed in the East. But the deal that swapped Irving for Isaiah Thomas signaled a near-complete break with last year’s team.
Then Hayward was injured before the season was six minutes old, and the Celtics lost their first two games, on back-to-back nights.
Since then, they haven’t lost.
And Irving is the biggest reason why.
“Things were going rough for him at the beginning of the season. A lot of people doubted him,” said guard Terry Rozier, who had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. “I feel like we all had to adapt to him. It’s worked out pretty well.”
Reserves Brandon Paul had 18 points and Rudy Gay scored 14 for San Antonio.
It was the first game this season that LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t lead San Antonio in scoring. He had 11 points.
Boston led 54-49 at halftime and scored 10 of the first 12 points in the third quarter — eight from Irving on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup. The Celtics point guard was 10 for 15 shooting through three quarters, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, before sitting most of the fourth while Boston nursed a double-digit lead.
“No different than any other night I’ve seen him play,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s a hell of a player. You think that’s going to change? Kyrie does what he does and he does it very well.”
MISSING
San Antonio remains without Tony Parker (left quad) and Kawhi Leonard (right quad), and Popovich rested Manu Ginobili as the Spurs lost on back-to-back nights and fell to 1-3 on a four-game road trip.
“I rested him,” Popovich said, adding jokingly, “That’s something I never do.”
SPURTS
Rozier scored 10 of the Celtics’ first 13 points in the fourth quarter, eight of them in a 52-second span when Boston turned an 11-point lead into a 93-74 rout. Rozier made just one of his first nine shots before making four in a row in the fourth.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Made a 3-pointer for the 982nd consecutive game. ... Popovich was left waiting for career victory No. 1,155, which would tie him with Phil Jackson at sixth on the NBA’s all-time list. ... Popovich’s next road win will be his 500th, something just three coaches in NBA history have achieved.
Celtics: Irving’s 128 points in his first six games as a Celtic were the most since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen each had 131 in 2007. ... Marcus Morris practiced with the developmental league team on Monday and will rejoin the Celtics on Tuesday. Coach Brad Stevens said his right knee has “really, really improved.”
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Golden State on Thursday.
Celtics: Host Sacramento on Wednesday.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Oladipo’s late 3 gives Pacers rare 97-94 win over Spurs
By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo took a big step toward stamping Indianapolis as his town Sunday.
All it took was one clutch shot.
The Pacers’ new starting guard knocked down a step-back 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to complete a late rally and give Indiana a rare 97-94 victory over San Antonio.
“It was a little deep, a little too deep,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t really want to shoot it that far but the move felt good and I just made my follow through. I like shooting at the end of the game. That’s stuff you dream about.”
In Indiana, game-winners have been hard to find lately.
Four-time All-Star Paul George had 15 go-ahead shots in the final 20 seconds of games during his career with the Pacers — and missed all 15.
Oladipo had no trouble making the first with his new team.
In fact, the two guys Indiana acquired from Oklahoma City in last summer’s widely-panned deal for George, became the catalysts in only the Pacers’ third win over the Spurs since 2007.
Oladipo finished with 23 points and five assists and led the Pacers in scoring for the sixth time in six games. Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs, while going 9 of 9 from the field.
It wasn’t by happenstance.
“We try to come in every night and prove that we’re not just those players who were in the Paul George trade and that we actually mean something,” Sabonis said after again replacing the injured Myles Turner in the starting lineup.
They helped offset LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, and Pau Gasol, who had 17 points, seven rebounds, five blocks and five assists.
San Antonio’s second straight loss will force coach Gregg Popovich to wait at least one more day to tie Phil Jackson for No. 6 on the NBA’s career victory list, too.
But when the Spurs opened the fourth quarter on an 18-5 run to take an 82-73 lead with 6:44 left, it looked like the Spurs might run away.
Instead Sabonis and Oladipo spurred a 16-3 spurt that gave Indiana an 89-85 lead with 3:06 left and a couple of possessions later, Oladipo broke an 89-89 tie with a three-point play.
Danny Green answered with five straight to give the Spurs a 94-92 lead, but Oladipo hit the long jumper to put Indiana ahead for good.
“It was well-contested,” Popovich said. “He was deep and he was off balance. But give him credit, he knocked it down. It was well-contested and it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Aldridge’s 19-footer with 5 seconds left bounced off the rim, Cory Joseph grabbed the rebound and drew a foul and made two free throws.
Patty Mills’ 3 from the corner at the buzzer was way off the mark.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Shot 40 percent after making a season low 33.7 percent Friday at Orlando. ... Aldridge has led San Antonio in scoring in all six games this season. ... Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker continue to miss games with quad injuries. ... Manu Ginobili was 0 for 6 from the field and 0 for 2 on 3s and had three points.
Pacers: Turner missed his fifth consecutive game with a concussion. It’s not clear when he’ll return. ... Indiana and San Antonio each finished with 44 rebounds. ... Sabonis has had 11 or more rebounds in four straight games.
HALL OF FAME TRIBUTE
The Indiana Pacers honored their newest Hall of Fame member, George McGinnis, at halftime.
“To have three guys, three players from the same team and a coach in the Hall of Fame, I think that tells you how good our team was,” McGinnis said.
He was referring to former teammates Mel Daniels and Roger Brown, both of whom have died, and coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard, who is the team’s color analyst on radio broadcasts.
BACK HOME AGAIN
Popovich seems to enjoy reliving his past when he gets back to Indiana.
The longtime Spurs coach played high school basketball in Merrillville, Indiana, which is located in the northwest corner of the state. Before the game, Popovich was shown a photo from his prep days and was asked about his career.
“They should have made me a high school All-American,” he said with a laugh. “They screwed me. I was a 6-foot-2 center, come on.”
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit the Celtics on Monday, looking for their 11th straight win in the series and seventh straight in Boston.
Pacers: Will seek a straight win in the Sacramento series Tuesday at home.
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo took a big step toward stamping Indianapolis as his town Sunday.
All it took was one clutch shot.
The Pacers’ new starting guard knocked down a step-back 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to complete a late rally and give Indiana a rare 97-94 victory over San Antonio.
“It was a little deep, a little too deep,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t really want to shoot it that far but the move felt good and I just made my follow through. I like shooting at the end of the game. That’s stuff you dream about.”
In Indiana, game-winners have been hard to find lately.
Four-time All-Star Paul George had 15 go-ahead shots in the final 20 seconds of games during his career with the Pacers — and missed all 15.
Oladipo had no trouble making the first with his new team.
In fact, the two guys Indiana acquired from Oklahoma City in last summer’s widely-panned deal for George, became the catalysts in only the Pacers’ third win over the Spurs since 2007.
Oladipo finished with 23 points and five assists and led the Pacers in scoring for the sixth time in six games. Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs, while going 9 of 9 from the field.
It wasn’t by happenstance.
“We try to come in every night and prove that we’re not just those players who were in the Paul George trade and that we actually mean something,” Sabonis said after again replacing the injured Myles Turner in the starting lineup.
They helped offset LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, and Pau Gasol, who had 17 points, seven rebounds, five blocks and five assists.
San Antonio’s second straight loss will force coach Gregg Popovich to wait at least one more day to tie Phil Jackson for No. 6 on the NBA’s career victory list, too.
But when the Spurs opened the fourth quarter on an 18-5 run to take an 82-73 lead with 6:44 left, it looked like the Spurs might run away.
Instead Sabonis and Oladipo spurred a 16-3 spurt that gave Indiana an 89-85 lead with 3:06 left and a couple of possessions later, Oladipo broke an 89-89 tie with a three-point play.
Danny Green answered with five straight to give the Spurs a 94-92 lead, but Oladipo hit the long jumper to put Indiana ahead for good.
“It was well-contested,” Popovich said. “He was deep and he was off balance. But give him credit, he knocked it down. It was well-contested and it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Aldridge’s 19-footer with 5 seconds left bounced off the rim, Cory Joseph grabbed the rebound and drew a foul and made two free throws.
Patty Mills’ 3 from the corner at the buzzer was way off the mark.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Shot 40 percent after making a season low 33.7 percent Friday at Orlando. ... Aldridge has led San Antonio in scoring in all six games this season. ... Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker continue to miss games with quad injuries. ... Manu Ginobili was 0 for 6 from the field and 0 for 2 on 3s and had three points.
Pacers: Turner missed his fifth consecutive game with a concussion. It’s not clear when he’ll return. ... Indiana and San Antonio each finished with 44 rebounds. ... Sabonis has had 11 or more rebounds in four straight games.
HALL OF FAME TRIBUTE
The Indiana Pacers honored their newest Hall of Fame member, George McGinnis, at halftime.
“To have three guys, three players from the same team and a coach in the Hall of Fame, I think that tells you how good our team was,” McGinnis said.
He was referring to former teammates Mel Daniels and Roger Brown, both of whom have died, and coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard, who is the team’s color analyst on radio broadcasts.
BACK HOME AGAIN
Popovich seems to enjoy reliving his past when he gets back to Indiana.
The longtime Spurs coach played high school basketball in Merrillville, Indiana, which is located in the northwest corner of the state. Before the game, Popovich was shown a photo from his prep days and was asked about his career.
“They should have made me a high school All-American,” he said with a laugh. “They screwed me. I was a 6-foot-2 center, come on.”
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit the Celtics on Monday, looking for their 11th straight win in the series and seventh straight in Boston.
Pacers: Will seek a straight win in the Sacramento series Tuesday at home.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Aldridge scores 31, Spurs now 4-0 after beating Heat 117-100
By TIM REYNOLDS
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was asked at least a half-dozen times Wednesday about the status of injured starters Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker and when they might be returning.
His consistent answer: They’ll play when they’re ready.
With the way the Spurs have started, there’s no need to rush them.
LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot start by scoring 31 points, Rudy Gay needed only eight shot attempts to score 22 off the bench and the Spurs stayed unbeaten by topping the Miami Heat 117-100.
“We really didn’t get a handle on our defense for basically the entire game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s a big credit to what they do and how they execute, how they have purpose and intention to every single possession.”
The win was No. 1,154 for Popovich, now one shy of matching Phil Jackson for sixth-most in NBA history. Danny Green scored 15, Manu Ginobili had 14, Pau Gasol scored 13 and Kyle Anderson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who — even without Parker and Leonard — are off to a 4-0 start for the second consecutive season.
Popovich wasn’t exactly celebrating afterward.
“I thought it was mediocre,” Popovich said. “There were way too many mistakes. ... Our offense got us through.”
Tyler Johnson scored 23 points for Miami, while James Johnson finished with 21 and Goran Dragic added 20. Dragic’s 3-pointer midway through the third got Miami within 61-60, but the Spurs soon took control for good.
Gay — who had Miami on his wish-list of teams when he was a free agent this past summer — scored 15 points in a 32-13 run that San Antonio put together in the next 9 minutes. The Spurs made seven consecutive shots to end the third, scored on 12 of their final 14 possessions of the quarter and led 93-73 when Gay connected on a stepback jumper with 10 minutes left.
“I’m just playing basketball at this point,” Gay said. “It’s a lot of unknown with the lineups and we’ve got guys hurt. So right now we just have to play basketball.”
Miami got within 98-87 on a 3-pointer by Dragic with 5:33 left, but Aldridge stopped the Heat comeback try with a turnaround jumper and the margin remained double-digits the rest of the way.
“It’s tough to beat this kind of team if you’re playing well only on offense,” Dragic said. “You need to get some stops. And tonight, our defense was not good.”
TIP INS
Spurs: Aldridge has scored at least 20 in all four games this season and this was the ninth time he’s had at least 31 in a Spurs uniform. San Antonio is 8-1 in those games. ... The Spurs allowed 30 first-quarter points, a season-worst for any quarter. ... Parker practiced Wednesday with the G League’s Austin Spurs in San Antonio, and will again Friday.
Heat: Miami led for exactly 2:00. ... C Hassan Whiteside (bruised knee) missed his third consecutive game. ... Josh Richardson was 1 for 8 in 33 minutes, missing all four of his 3-point tries and fouling out. ... The Heat started 16 for 16 from the line, before Waiters came up short with 1:52 left. They finished 17 for 18.
BAM! PAU!
Spoelstra gave fans of onomatopoeia a thrill when he switched his starting lineup, putting Bam Adebayo at center to jump against Gasol (though technically, the Bam-Pau matchup was brief and Adebayo guarded Aldridge to start the game). Adebayo is the first Heat rookie to start within the season’s first four games since Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley in 2008.
GINOBILI’S FANS
In the Latin gateway of Miami, Spanish-speaking players always are greeted at Heat games and Ginobili is no exception. Ginobili was swarmed by hundreds for a quick meet-and-greet pregame, taking selfies and giving out plenty of embraces. There were at least a half-dozen Argentinian flags being held by fans as well, and many wore his Spurs jersey.
UP NEXT
Spurs: San Antonio’s four-game trip continues Friday in Orlando.
Heat: Miami plays Game 4 of its six-game homestand Saturday against Boston.
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was asked at least a half-dozen times Wednesday about the status of injured starters Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker and when they might be returning.
His consistent answer: They’ll play when they’re ready.
With the way the Spurs have started, there’s no need to rush them.
LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot start by scoring 31 points, Rudy Gay needed only eight shot attempts to score 22 off the bench and the Spurs stayed unbeaten by topping the Miami Heat 117-100.
“We really didn’t get a handle on our defense for basically the entire game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s a big credit to what they do and how they execute, how they have purpose and intention to every single possession.”
The win was No. 1,154 for Popovich, now one shy of matching Phil Jackson for sixth-most in NBA history. Danny Green scored 15, Manu Ginobili had 14, Pau Gasol scored 13 and Kyle Anderson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who — even without Parker and Leonard — are off to a 4-0 start for the second consecutive season.
Popovich wasn’t exactly celebrating afterward.
“I thought it was mediocre,” Popovich said. “There were way too many mistakes. ... Our offense got us through.”
Tyler Johnson scored 23 points for Miami, while James Johnson finished with 21 and Goran Dragic added 20. Dragic’s 3-pointer midway through the third got Miami within 61-60, but the Spurs soon took control for good.
Gay — who had Miami on his wish-list of teams when he was a free agent this past summer — scored 15 points in a 32-13 run that San Antonio put together in the next 9 minutes. The Spurs made seven consecutive shots to end the third, scored on 12 of their final 14 possessions of the quarter and led 93-73 when Gay connected on a stepback jumper with 10 minutes left.
“I’m just playing basketball at this point,” Gay said. “It’s a lot of unknown with the lineups and we’ve got guys hurt. So right now we just have to play basketball.”
Miami got within 98-87 on a 3-pointer by Dragic with 5:33 left, but Aldridge stopped the Heat comeback try with a turnaround jumper and the margin remained double-digits the rest of the way.
“It’s tough to beat this kind of team if you’re playing well only on offense,” Dragic said. “You need to get some stops. And tonight, our defense was not good.”
TIP INS
Spurs: Aldridge has scored at least 20 in all four games this season and this was the ninth time he’s had at least 31 in a Spurs uniform. San Antonio is 8-1 in those games. ... The Spurs allowed 30 first-quarter points, a season-worst for any quarter. ... Parker practiced Wednesday with the G League’s Austin Spurs in San Antonio, and will again Friday.
Heat: Miami led for exactly 2:00. ... C Hassan Whiteside (bruised knee) missed his third consecutive game. ... Josh Richardson was 1 for 8 in 33 minutes, missing all four of his 3-point tries and fouling out. ... The Heat started 16 for 16 from the line, before Waiters came up short with 1:52 left. They finished 17 for 18.
BAM! PAU!
Spoelstra gave fans of onomatopoeia a thrill when he switched his starting lineup, putting Bam Adebayo at center to jump against Gasol (though technically, the Bam-Pau matchup was brief and Adebayo guarded Aldridge to start the game). Adebayo is the first Heat rookie to start within the season’s first four games since Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley in 2008.
GINOBILI’S FANS
In the Latin gateway of Miami, Spanish-speaking players always are greeted at Heat games and Ginobili is no exception. Ginobili was swarmed by hundreds for a quick meet-and-greet pregame, taking selfies and giving out plenty of embraces. There were at least a half-dozen Argentinian flags being held by fans as well, and many wore his Spurs jersey.
UP NEXT
Spurs: San Antonio’s four-game trip continues Friday in Orlando.
Heat: Miami plays Game 4 of its six-game homestand Saturday against Boston.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Aldridge, Murray power Spurs past Raptors, 101-97
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Spurs are without their two main leaders from last season, but they are not lacking in direction.
Resurgent forward LaMarcus Aldridge and second-year player Dejounte Murray continue to lead the way as San Antonio remained unbeaten by fighting past Toronto.
Aldridge had 20 points and Murray had 16 points and 14 rebounds and the Spurs held on to beat the Raptors 101-97 on Monday night.
“Just an overall good win against a really well-coached, disciplined team that has a lot of expectations,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “It’s good for our confidence since we’re trying to put some things together.”
The Spurs are missing leading scorer Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, who are both rehabilitating from quadriceps injury. San Antonio has struggled to find an offensive flow without their veterans, but Murray is attempting to step into the void in just his second season.
“I just want to win,” Murray said. “I got that winning in my (inside) and in my DNA. I just do anything to win. If I don’t score a point, I’m going to go rebound. If I don’t rebound, I’m going to try facilitate or I’m going to try to play defense. That’s the thing that you’ve got to have.”
San Antonio needed that grit from the 21-year-old point guard in slugging through a physical game.
Both teams were assessed 20-plus fouls and Aldridge and Serge Ibaka received technical fouls after an altercation with 3:36 remaining in the game. The two got tangled battling for position under the rim when Ibaka threw an elbow into Aldridge’s midsection. Aldridge would push Ibaka before the two were separated.
Murray showed his growing comfort with a leadership role by taking Aldridge aside.
“I just told him, ‘You’re on another level, don’t worry about that, keep playing your game,’ ” Murray said. “He’s having a hell of a year and he’s having fun. I told him, ‘Don’t worry about that. Let’s move on, let’s win this game.’ ”
Aldridge responded minutes later by drawing a sixth foul on Ibaka. Aldridge shouted in celebration and glared at a fallen Ibaka after driving to the basket and scoring on a layup to give San Antonio a 97-87 lead.
“It just kind of woke me up a little bit,” Aldridge said. “It got the team awakened. Guys just kind of picked it up.”
The Spurs were able to overcome a season-high 20 turnovers. They were averaging 11 turnovers in their first two games, but had four in the opening four minutes.
Toronto took advantage, keeping the game close despite being outrebounded 55-33 as it played without injured center Jonas Valanciunas.
“We played great defense, but we’ve got to realize with that don’t let it go to waste by giving up offensive rebounds to the team,” DeRozan said. “That’s something we definitely can teak from (this game).”
DeRozan had 28 points and Ibaka had 13 before fouling out as the Raptors lost their first game of the season.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Valanciunas missed his first game with a sprained left ankle. There is no timetable for his return, but the 7-footer said he expects to play during the team’s current six-game road trip. . Toronto, San Antonio, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers are the only teams with at least 48 wins in each of the past four seasons. ... The Raptors have lost nine straight in San Antonio, last winning Dec. 28, 2007. ... Toronto was San Antonio’s first opponent at the AT&T Center. . The Raptors waived F K.J. McDaniels on Sunday. McDaniels was inactive for Toronto’s first two games, but totaled six points, five rebounds and two blocks in three preseason games.
Spurs: Danny Green had a career-high five blocks and San Antonio had 12 as a team. Green also scored 17 points. . F Joffrey Lauvergne exited with 9:19 remaining in the fourth quarter after spraining his right ankle. Popovich did not know the severity of the injury, but said it didn’t appear serious. . Anderson had a career high two blocks, both coming in the first quarter. ... The Spurs had a 3-pointer for the 978th straight game, the fifth longest streak in the NBA.
UP NEXT
Raptors: At Warriors on Wednesday.
Spurs: At Miami on Wednesday.
REMEMBER WHEN?
Murray’s 14 rebounds were the most by a Spurs guard since Ginobili had 15 against Toronto in 2008.
“It’s got to be a mistake,” Ginobili said, stunned.
Ginobili was asked if he remembered when he could soar like Murray.
“No,” he said, laughing. “What was it, 28 years ago? I remember when I was very active on the court and I could go for boards and play on the other end."
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Spurs are without their two main leaders from last season, but they are not lacking in direction.
Resurgent forward LaMarcus Aldridge and second-year player Dejounte Murray continue to lead the way as San Antonio remained unbeaten by fighting past Toronto.
Aldridge had 20 points and Murray had 16 points and 14 rebounds and the Spurs held on to beat the Raptors 101-97 on Monday night.
“Just an overall good win against a really well-coached, disciplined team that has a lot of expectations,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “It’s good for our confidence since we’re trying to put some things together.”
The Spurs are missing leading scorer Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, who are both rehabilitating from quadriceps injury. San Antonio has struggled to find an offensive flow without their veterans, but Murray is attempting to step into the void in just his second season.
“I just want to win,” Murray said. “I got that winning in my (inside) and in my DNA. I just do anything to win. If I don’t score a point, I’m going to go rebound. If I don’t rebound, I’m going to try facilitate or I’m going to try to play defense. That’s the thing that you’ve got to have.”
San Antonio needed that grit from the 21-year-old point guard in slugging through a physical game.
Both teams were assessed 20-plus fouls and Aldridge and Serge Ibaka received technical fouls after an altercation with 3:36 remaining in the game. The two got tangled battling for position under the rim when Ibaka threw an elbow into Aldridge’s midsection. Aldridge would push Ibaka before the two were separated.
Murray showed his growing comfort with a leadership role by taking Aldridge aside.
“I just told him, ‘You’re on another level, don’t worry about that, keep playing your game,’ ” Murray said. “He’s having a hell of a year and he’s having fun. I told him, ‘Don’t worry about that. Let’s move on, let’s win this game.’ ”
Aldridge responded minutes later by drawing a sixth foul on Ibaka. Aldridge shouted in celebration and glared at a fallen Ibaka after driving to the basket and scoring on a layup to give San Antonio a 97-87 lead.
“It just kind of woke me up a little bit,” Aldridge said. “It got the team awakened. Guys just kind of picked it up.”
The Spurs were able to overcome a season-high 20 turnovers. They were averaging 11 turnovers in their first two games, but had four in the opening four minutes.
Toronto took advantage, keeping the game close despite being outrebounded 55-33 as it played without injured center Jonas Valanciunas.
“We played great defense, but we’ve got to realize with that don’t let it go to waste by giving up offensive rebounds to the team,” DeRozan said. “That’s something we definitely can teak from (this game).”
DeRozan had 28 points and Ibaka had 13 before fouling out as the Raptors lost their first game of the season.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Valanciunas missed his first game with a sprained left ankle. There is no timetable for his return, but the 7-footer said he expects to play during the team’s current six-game road trip. . Toronto, San Antonio, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers are the only teams with at least 48 wins in each of the past four seasons. ... The Raptors have lost nine straight in San Antonio, last winning Dec. 28, 2007. ... Toronto was San Antonio’s first opponent at the AT&T Center. . The Raptors waived F K.J. McDaniels on Sunday. McDaniels was inactive for Toronto’s first two games, but totaled six points, five rebounds and two blocks in three preseason games.
Spurs: Danny Green had a career-high five blocks and San Antonio had 12 as a team. Green also scored 17 points. . F Joffrey Lauvergne exited with 9:19 remaining in the fourth quarter after spraining his right ankle. Popovich did not know the severity of the injury, but said it didn’t appear serious. . Anderson had a career high two blocks, both coming in the first quarter. ... The Spurs had a 3-pointer for the 978th straight game, the fifth longest streak in the NBA.
UP NEXT
Raptors: At Warriors on Wednesday.
Spurs: At Miami on Wednesday.
REMEMBER WHEN?
Murray’s 14 rebounds were the most by a Spurs guard since Ginobili had 15 against Toronto in 2008.
“It’s got to be a mistake,” Ginobili said, stunned.
Ginobili was asked if he remembered when he could soar like Murray.
“No,” he said, laughing. “What was it, 28 years ago? I remember when I was very active on the court and I could go for boards and play on the other end."
Friday, July 14, 2017
Recap: Forbes continues onslaught in Spurs' victory
Joel Bartilotta, RotoWire
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 86-81 in the second round of the Summer League playoffs at Cox Pavilion on Thursday.
The Pelicans (1-4) have made far too many mistakes late in games throughout Summer League and that bit them again here in a collapse against the Spurs (3-1). That's evident by the fact that San Antonio outscored New Orleans, 31-19, in the fourth quarter. It was tight throughout though, as there were seven ties and 10 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Free-throw shooting was decisive for San Antonio, as they hit 14-of-16 attempts, while New Orleans went just 13-of-19 from the charity stripe.
Quinn Cook led the way for the Pelicans, as he accrued 19 points, two rebounds and seven assists. Cheick Diallo recorded another double-double, totaling 13 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Jalen Jones amassed 15 points and seven rebounds. Keith Benson led the bench by providing 13 points and eight rebounds.
Bryn Forbes was the player of the game, accumulating 29 points, three rebounds and five assists. Olivier Hanlan was the only other starter in double figures, producing 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Derrick White led all bench scorers by dropping 15 points.
San Antonio will face the winner of the Portland-Toronto matchup in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 86-81 in the second round of the Summer League playoffs at Cox Pavilion on Thursday.
The Pelicans (1-4) have made far too many mistakes late in games throughout Summer League and that bit them again here in a collapse against the Spurs (3-1). That's evident by the fact that San Antonio outscored New Orleans, 31-19, in the fourth quarter. It was tight throughout though, as there were seven ties and 10 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Free-throw shooting was decisive for San Antonio, as they hit 14-of-16 attempts, while New Orleans went just 13-of-19 from the charity stripe.
Quinn Cook led the way for the Pelicans, as he accrued 19 points, two rebounds and seven assists. Cheick Diallo recorded another double-double, totaling 13 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Jalen Jones amassed 15 points and seven rebounds. Keith Benson led the bench by providing 13 points and eight rebounds.
Bryn Forbes was the player of the game, accumulating 29 points, three rebounds and five assists. Olivier Hanlan was the only other starter in double figures, producing 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Derrick White led all bench scorers by dropping 15 points.
San Antonio will face the winner of the Portland-Toronto matchup in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Gay, Spurs reportedly agree to two-year deal
Free agent forward Rudy Gay and the San Antonio Spurs agreed to a two-year, $17.2 million deal on Thursday, according to an ESPN report.
The second year reportedly is a player option.
Gay posted a picture of a Spurs jersey on his Instragram account.
The 31-year-old Gay, an 11-year NBA veteran, averaged 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 30 games with the Sacramento Kings last season before sustaining a season-ending complete tear of his left Achilles tendon on Jan. 18 against the Indiana Pacers.
Gay opted out of the final year of his contract with the Kings before the June 10 deadline, allowing him to become a free agent.
Gay was the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft by the Houston Rockets. He played for the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors before joining the Kings in 2014-15.
In 753 career games (714 starts), Gay has averages of 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Gasol, Lee to opt out of deals with Spurs
Pau Gasol will decline a $16.2 million contract option for next season and become a free agent, but he is expected to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs on a long-term deal, according to multiple reports.
The 36-year-old center intends to negotiate a lower annual salary so that the Spurs are able to offer free agents more money this offseason, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
The Vertical first reported Gasol's decision to opt out.
Gasol averaged a career-low 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over 64 games (39 starts) in his first season with the Spurs last season.
The 16-year Spanish veteran has career averages of 17.9 points, 9.4 boards and 1.7 blocks in 1,119 games with the Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Gasol is a six-time All-Star and a two-time NBA champion.
Former All-Star David Lee is also expected to opt out of his deal with San Antonio. Lee's option for next season is worth $1.6 million. The 34-year-old averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 79 games last season.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Warriors finish off Spurs behind Curry's 36
(TSX / STATS) -- SAN ANTONIO -- The celebration was subdued on Monday after Golden State made history in its four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.
The Warriors refuse to be deterred from their ultimate goal of a second NBA title in the past three years.
Stephen Curry scored 36 points and Kevin Durant added 29 points and 12 rebounds as the Warriors strolled to a 129-115 win over the short-handed but game San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center, in the process earning the right to play either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors will have nine days to rest for that series, which begins in Oakland, Calif., on June 1.
The Warriors have swept all three of their playoff series and are the first team in NBA history to start the postseason 12-0, eclipsing the record established by the 1989 and 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State has won 27 of its past 28 overall games (including the regular season) and has won six straight road playoff games, a franchise record.
"It's a great run, and we had an opportunity to get it done tonight, but more importantly, it was obviously just a closeout kind of mentality and trying to take care of our business and play a good 48-minute game," Curry said. "For the most part, we did.
"We had some slip-ups and some mental errors, but for the most part it was a solid night. Contributions from everybody.
"Going 12-0 is great, but it doesn't mean anything going into the next series, and we have to understand that."
The Spurs announced about 90 minutes before tipoff that both injured star forward Kawhi Leonard (left ankle) and reserve forward David Lee (left knee) would miss the game, likely dooming any chance San Antonio had to extend the series.
But even with a full complement of players, the Spurs -- or any opponent for that matter -- would have been hard-pressed to beat Golden State the way the Warriors are playing. Despite the fact that the Warriors have cruised to their spot in the Finals, they are adamant that they can play better.
"There are things on both sides of the ball that we can clean up, and that's what's, I guess, got our guys' attention or focus," Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown said. "We've been preaching certain things, and for the most part, they've been doing it, but to get to our ultimate goal of winning the whole thing, we've got to be better on both ends of the floor."
Draymond Green contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Golden State. Ian Clark tallied 12 points, and Klay Thompson scored 10 points (on 3-of-13 shooting) for the Warriors. Golden State outshot the Spurs 55.8 percent to 42.3 percent, had 53 rebounds to San Antonio's 41 and dominated despite 17 turnovers that led to 22 San Antonio points.
Kyle Anderson led the Spurs with 20 points, and Manu Ginobili added 15 in what might have been the final game of his 15-year NBA career.
Ginobili left the game in the final minutes to chants of "Manu, Manu" and "one more year." He has said he will take three or four weeks off before deciding whether he wants to return to the league next season, when he will be 40 years old.
"The opponent was, in this case, way better than us," Ginobili said of the Warriors' domination off the series. "When you lose by an average of 20 points per game in the last three games, you look at them in the eyes and say, 'Congratulations, man, you beat us fair and square. You were better than us.' It's the easiest thing to do."
San Antonio's Patty Mills and Pau Gasol hit for 14 points each, and Jonathon Simmons scored 13. LaMarcus Aldridge, arguably the Spurs' most important player after Leonard, scored just eight points and did not play in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors shot 50 percent in the first quarter against San Antonio's makeshift lineup, built as much as a 14-point advantage and led 31-19 after 12 minutes as Curry pumped in 13 points despite shooting just 1 of 6 from 3-point range. The Spurs hit just 9 of 31 shots in the first quarter and wasted the momentum and boost from the crowd that was provided by the ageless Ginobili's first start in a playoff game since 2013.
Golden State was even better from the floor in the second quarter, hitting 14 of 19 shots and leading by as many as 19 points before settling for a 65-51 advantage at halftime. Durant and Curry each had 18 points in the half to lead the Warriors, while Anderson led San Antonio with 10 points.
The Warriors worked to finish off San Antonio in the early stages of the third quarter, moving to a 78-56 lead on two Green free throws at the 8:25 mark. But the Spurs would not quit, forging a 19-7 run to cut the lead back to 85-75 on a jumper by Bryn Forbes with 2:49 to play in the period. Golden State responded with an 11-3 surge of its own to end the period and took a 96-78 cushion into the final period.
The fourth quarter was mostly mop-up time for the Warriors, who never let San Antonio get within 13 points while closing out the victory.
"Everybody tries to put together as much talent as they can, and that's what (Golden State) did," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Make no mistake -- they're really talented. But that's not the whole equation. That's not everything that describes them.
"(Golden State is) maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. So they don't just play with talent. They execute at the defensive end of the floor. On offense, no team is more unselfish finding the open man and that sort of thing. Coaches are always trying to get their team to do that. But they've got a multitude of people who are unselfish in that regard and play a beautiful game. They're way, way more than just their talent."
NOTES: Golden State has won at least one road game in each of its past 14 playoff series dating back to the first round in 2013, extending a franchise record. Gs Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and F Draymond Green and have played with the Warriors for all 14 of those postseason series. ... Since the Spurs joined the NBA in 1976, they have made 10 conference finals appearances, which ranks as the most in the league in that time frame. San Antonio is also tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships during that span (five). ... Spurs G Manu Ginobili is the only player in NBA history besides LeBron James to record at least 800 rebounds, 800 assists and 300 3-pointers in the postseason. ... The Spurs are now 0-3 under coach Gregg Popovich is series in which they lost the first three games.
Warriors finish off Spurs behind Curry's 36
(TSX / STATS) -- SAN ANTONIO -- The celebration was subdued on Monday after Golden State made history in its four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.
The Warriors refuse to be deterred from their ultimate goal of a second NBA title in the past three years.
Stephen Curry scored 36 points and Kevin Durant added 29 points and 12 rebounds as the Warriors strolled to a 129-115 win over the short-handed but game San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center, in the process earning the right to play either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors will have nine days to rest for that series, which begins in Oakland, Calif., on June 1.
The Warriors have swept all three of their playoff series and are the first team in NBA history to start the postseason 12-0, eclipsing the record established by the 1989 and 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State has won 27 of its past 28 overall games (including the regular season) and has won six straight road playoff games, a franchise record.
"It's a great run, and we had an opportunity to get it done tonight, but more importantly, it was obviously just a closeout kind of mentality and trying to take care of our business and play a good 48-minute game," Curry said. "For the most part, we did.
"We had some slip-ups and some mental errors, but for the most part it was a solid night. Contributions from everybody.
"Going 12-0 is great, but it doesn't mean anything going into the next series, and we have to understand that."
The Spurs announced about 90 minutes before tipoff that both injured star forward Kawhi Leonard (left ankle) and reserve forward David Lee (left knee) would miss the game, likely dooming any chance San Antonio had to extend the series.
But even with a full complement of players, the Spurs -- or any opponent for that matter -- would have been hard-pressed to beat Golden State the way the Warriors are playing. Despite the fact that the Warriors have cruised to their spot in the Finals, they are adamant that they can play better.
"There are things on both sides of the ball that we can clean up, and that's what's, I guess, got our guys' attention or focus," Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown said. "We've been preaching certain things, and for the most part, they've been doing it, but to get to our ultimate goal of winning the whole thing, we've got to be better on both ends of the floor."
Draymond Green contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Golden State. Ian Clark tallied 12 points, and Klay Thompson scored 10 points (on 3-of-13 shooting) for the Warriors. Golden State outshot the Spurs 55.8 percent to 42.3 percent, had 53 rebounds to San Antonio's 41 and dominated despite 17 turnovers that led to 22 San Antonio points.
Kyle Anderson led the Spurs with 20 points, and Manu Ginobili added 15 in what might have been the final game of his 15-year NBA career.
Ginobili left the game in the final minutes to chants of "Manu, Manu" and "one more year." He has said he will take three or four weeks off before deciding whether he wants to return to the league next season, when he will be 40 years old.
"The opponent was, in this case, way better than us," Ginobili said of the Warriors' domination off the series. "When you lose by an average of 20 points per game in the last three games, you look at them in the eyes and say, 'Congratulations, man, you beat us fair and square. You were better than us.' It's the easiest thing to do."
San Antonio's Patty Mills and Pau Gasol hit for 14 points each, and Jonathon Simmons scored 13. LaMarcus Aldridge, arguably the Spurs' most important player after Leonard, scored just eight points and did not play in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors shot 50 percent in the first quarter against San Antonio's makeshift lineup, built as much as a 14-point advantage and led 31-19 after 12 minutes as Curry pumped in 13 points despite shooting just 1 of 6 from 3-point range. The Spurs hit just 9 of 31 shots in the first quarter and wasted the momentum and boost from the crowd that was provided by the ageless Ginobili's first start in a playoff game since 2013.
Golden State was even better from the floor in the second quarter, hitting 14 of 19 shots and leading by as many as 19 points before settling for a 65-51 advantage at halftime. Durant and Curry each had 18 points in the half to lead the Warriors, while Anderson led San Antonio with 10 points.
The Warriors worked to finish off San Antonio in the early stages of the third quarter, moving to a 78-56 lead on two Green free throws at the 8:25 mark. But the Spurs would not quit, forging a 19-7 run to cut the lead back to 85-75 on a jumper by Bryn Forbes with 2:49 to play in the period. Golden State responded with an 11-3 surge of its own to end the period and took a 96-78 cushion into the final period.
The fourth quarter was mostly mop-up time for the Warriors, who never let San Antonio get within 13 points while closing out the victory.
"Everybody tries to put together as much talent as they can, and that's what (Golden State) did," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Make no mistake -- they're really talented. But that's not the whole equation. That's not everything that describes them.
"(Golden State is) maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. So they don't just play with talent. They execute at the defensive end of the floor. On offense, no team is more unselfish finding the open man and that sort of thing. Coaches are always trying to get their team to do that. But they've got a multitude of people who are unselfish in that regard and play a beautiful game. They're way, way more than just their talent."
NOTES: Golden State has won at least one road game in each of its past 14 playoff series dating back to the first round in 2013, extending a franchise record. Gs Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and F Draymond Green and have played with the Warriors for all 14 of those postseason series. ... Since the Spurs joined the NBA in 1976, they have made 10 conference finals appearances, which ranks as the most in the league in that time frame. San Antonio is also tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships during that span (five). ... Spurs G Manu Ginobili is the only player in NBA history besides LeBron James to record at least 800 rebounds, 800 assists and 300 3-pointers in the postseason. ... The Spurs are now 0-3 under coach Gregg Popovich is series in which they lost the first three games.
Monday, May 22, 2017
Warriors look for knockout punch vs. Spurs
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If there is anything that can stop, or even slow, Golden State on the way to its third straight trip to the NBA Finals, it hasn't been found yet by the three teams the Warriors have faced so far in the playoffs.
On Monday, the short-handed San Antonio Spurs, injury-ravaged losers of the first three games of the Western Conference finals, will take one more shot at beating Golden State when the teams square off for Game 4 of their best-of-seven series.
No team in NBA playoff history has come back to win a series after losing the first three games. The chances that the Spurs, with or without injured star forward and erstwhile MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard, can do so are monumental, at best.
Leonard is a near-certainty to miss the contest due to an ankle injury. Fellow Spurs forward David Lee (knee) also could sit out.
The Warriors rolled to a 120-108 win on Saturday behind 33 points from Kevin Durant, 17 of which came consecutively during the third quarter after the Spurs closed within 69-65. Golden State's wave and wave of talented players came alive when the Warriors were needed the most, and -- all the great coaching and proper preparation aside -- San Antonio just couldn't muster a meaningful response.
"For us to win, we have to play at a 10 level and they have to play at a 7," San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said after the loss in Game 3. "We know it's going to be very tough. We don't know what's going to happen with Kawhi, so we have to be out there, compete, feel good about yourself, give everything you have, and if it's enough, great. If it's not, great, too."
Golden State has now won all 11 games in this postseason -- it swept the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz before taking the first three games in the conference finals -- and has garnered victories in 26 of its past 27 overall contests.
"As players, you want to go out there and win as much as possible and play as great as you can," Durant said when asked about the Warriors' domination. "Whatever happens with the score happens. So, we leave that to the fans who feel upset. If you don't like it, don't watch it."
About the only chance the Spurs would seem to have to extend the series past Monday to a Game 5 in Oakland on Wednesday would stem on some level of complacency by Golden State. If Stephen Curry's comments after Game 3 are to be believed, it's more likely that the Warriors will go for the knockout punch and their third straight series sweep in Game 4.
"I'm not surprised that we are up 3-0 -- our goal is to win every game we play," Curry said. "Obviously, sometimes it doesn't happen like that, but we've answered a lot of challenges throughout the course of the playoffs and learned a lot of lessons, obviously through winning.
"But against the Spurs, they challenge you no matter who is out there, and you've got to play well to beat them. So, we obviously know Game 4 is going to be even tougher, with the chance to close it out. They're going to go down swinging, so we have to really come in focused and with a lot of energy to get it done on Monday."
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Sunday after the team's practice that he does not expect Leonard to play on Monday.
"It wouldn't make much sense," Popovich said. "If (Leonard) was unable to play yesterday, I don't think there's going to be a miraculous healing by tomorrow."
If this is the end of the line for the Spurs, it has been a memorable -- if incomplete -- campaign. San Antonio is a team no opponent can take for granted, so writing off the Spurs is hard, even with these dire circumstances.
"I've been saying this the whole time -- the Spurs are not just going to lay down for us," Warriors acting coach Mike Brown said. "The building is going to be energized. The group is going to be ready to play, so we have to make sure that we come out and we play the right way."
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Durant's big third quarter helps Warriors sink Spurs
(TSX / STATS) -- SAN ANTONIO -- In the unlikely event that the prolific Golden State offense needs a pick-me-up, it can turn to forward Kevin Durant, who is capable of jump-starting the Warriors in clutch situations.
Durant provided the spark the Warriors craved when he scored 17 consecutive points in a three-minute stretch of the decisive third quarter on Saturday as the Warriors easily dispatched the San Antonio Spurs 120-108 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals at the AT&T Center.
The Warriors lead 3-0 in the best-of-seven series with Game 4, a potential clincher for Golden State, set for Monday in San Antonio. No NBA team has ever come back to win a series after losing the first three games.
Durant had 33 points in all, 19 of them in the third period, and pulled down 10 rebounds.
"Yeah, KD got in a groove," Warriors acting coach Mike Brown said. "He was huge for us. Literally, we didn't do anything tricky. He got hot, and we just wanted to keep him in the middle of the floor attacking downhill and in pick-and-roll situations. He was terrific. He made the right play every time down the floor, and obviously he made shots. He is who he is."
San Antonio trailed by nine points at the half and got as close as 69-65 two minutes into the third quarter before Golden State took charge with its superior firepower and unselfish play. By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Spurs were just worn out, settling for shots early in possessions and missing most of them while the Warriors rebuilt an 18-point lead.
"It feels like (San Antonio) can always stay in the game and always put up a fight and win," Durant said. "So we knew especially (with the Spurs) at home, Game 3, a lot of energy in the building, they were going to come out and hit us in the mouth, and we did a good job of taking that punch and just keep playing."
The Spurs' hopes of getting back in this series were severely damaged earlier on Saturday when the team announced that star forward Kawhi Leonard would not play in Game 3 because of a sprained left ankle. Leonard was originally injured in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets and re-injured the ankle in Game 1 at Golden State.
Stephen Curry added 21 points for the Warriors, who are a perfect 11-0 in the postseason and have won 26 of their past 27 games.
Klay Thompson had 17 points, JaVale McGee hit for 16 (all in the first half) and Draymond Green tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as all five of Golden State's starters scored in double figures. The Warriors outshot San Antonio 54.8 percent to 47.3 percent from the floor.
The Spurs got 21 points from the ageless Manu Ginobili, who hit 7 of 9 shots from the field, and 18 points from LaMarcus Aldridge. Jonathon Simmons added 14 points, and Pau Gasol contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio.
"We knew we were going to be able to bounce back at least emotionally today and play a better game," Ginobili said. "The fact is that it's just too tough. We are missing Kawhi's offense and defense in this series. They were just too much for us today offensively. KD got hot in the moment when we had a chance. They got a lead, and they just played their rhythm and they were better than us."
The Spurs took a 26-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Patty Mills late in the first quarter and expanded it to 33-27 with 1.1 seconds to play on two free throws by Ginobili. The Warriors stole the final points of the quarter and a little of the momentum when David West threw an end-to-end pass to Ian Clark, who caught the ball underneath the Spurs' basket and laid it in as the horn sounded, bringing Golden State within 33-29 at the quarter break.
Golden State surged back into the lead in the middle of the second quarter, building a 61-49 advantage with 1:28 remaining while holding the Spurs scoreless for more than three minutes. San Antonio cut the deficit to 61-55 on a free throw and a basket by Ginobili and a put-back by Aldridge, but West canned a 3-pointer with 10.9 seconds left in the half to grant the Warriors a 64-55 lead at intermission.
McGee led the Warriors with 16 points in the half while Ginobili paced the Spurs with 13 points on 4-for-4 shooting from the floor.
Durant caught fire in the third quarter, hitting on 5 of 6 shots as the Warriors built as much as an 18-point lead before settling for a 100-88 advantage through three quarters. Golden State shot 60 percent in the period (12 of 20) but allowed San Antonio some hope when it committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions.
Spurs reserve forward David Lee was forced from the game with a hyperextended left knee late in the first quarter while hitting a layup and being fouled. Lee went straight to the San Antonio locker room and was not able to return to shoot the free throw he earned, meaning he could not return to the game.
"Our competitiveness was great," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Every time you look up, you're playing against four All-Stars, so you better be pretty perfect, and competitiveness-wise I couldn't ask for anything more. We turned it over too much, and we've got to make some more shots. But Golden State is a hell of a team."
NOTES: San Antonio won 33 consecutive home games against the Warriors from the start of the 1997-98 season up until April 10, 2016, when it dropped a 92-86 decision to Golden State for its only home loss on the 2015-16 season. During that stretch, the Spurs posted a 57-13 record against the Warriors. ... In Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, the Warriors dished out a franchise-record 23 assists in the first half on the way to a 2017 playoff-high 39, one shy of the team playoff record. ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich served as an assistant for the Warriors under Don Nelson's staff from 1992-93 through the 1994-95 season. ... Warriors coach Steve Kerr had two playing stints with San Antonio, appearing in 131 games while averaging 3.5 points from 1998-2001 and in 75 games during the 2002-03 season while helping lead the Spurs to their second NBA championship.
Durant provided the spark the Warriors craved when he scored 17 consecutive points in a three-minute stretch of the decisive third quarter on Saturday as the Warriors easily dispatched the San Antonio Spurs 120-108 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals at the AT&T Center.
The Warriors lead 3-0 in the best-of-seven series with Game 4, a potential clincher for Golden State, set for Monday in San Antonio. No NBA team has ever come back to win a series after losing the first three games.
Durant had 33 points in all, 19 of them in the third period, and pulled down 10 rebounds.
"Yeah, KD got in a groove," Warriors acting coach Mike Brown said. "He was huge for us. Literally, we didn't do anything tricky. He got hot, and we just wanted to keep him in the middle of the floor attacking downhill and in pick-and-roll situations. He was terrific. He made the right play every time down the floor, and obviously he made shots. He is who he is."
San Antonio trailed by nine points at the half and got as close as 69-65 two minutes into the third quarter before Golden State took charge with its superior firepower and unselfish play. By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Spurs were just worn out, settling for shots early in possessions and missing most of them while the Warriors rebuilt an 18-point lead.
"It feels like (San Antonio) can always stay in the game and always put up a fight and win," Durant said. "So we knew especially (with the Spurs) at home, Game 3, a lot of energy in the building, they were going to come out and hit us in the mouth, and we did a good job of taking that punch and just keep playing."
The Spurs' hopes of getting back in this series were severely damaged earlier on Saturday when the team announced that star forward Kawhi Leonard would not play in Game 3 because of a sprained left ankle. Leonard was originally injured in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets and re-injured the ankle in Game 1 at Golden State.
Stephen Curry added 21 points for the Warriors, who are a perfect 11-0 in the postseason and have won 26 of their past 27 games.
Klay Thompson had 17 points, JaVale McGee hit for 16 (all in the first half) and Draymond Green tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as all five of Golden State's starters scored in double figures. The Warriors outshot San Antonio 54.8 percent to 47.3 percent from the floor.
The Spurs got 21 points from the ageless Manu Ginobili, who hit 7 of 9 shots from the field, and 18 points from LaMarcus Aldridge. Jonathon Simmons added 14 points, and Pau Gasol contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio.
"We knew we were going to be able to bounce back at least emotionally today and play a better game," Ginobili said. "The fact is that it's just too tough. We are missing Kawhi's offense and defense in this series. They were just too much for us today offensively. KD got hot in the moment when we had a chance. They got a lead, and they just played their rhythm and they were better than us."
The Spurs took a 26-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Patty Mills late in the first quarter and expanded it to 33-27 with 1.1 seconds to play on two free throws by Ginobili. The Warriors stole the final points of the quarter and a little of the momentum when David West threw an end-to-end pass to Ian Clark, who caught the ball underneath the Spurs' basket and laid it in as the horn sounded, bringing Golden State within 33-29 at the quarter break.
Golden State surged back into the lead in the middle of the second quarter, building a 61-49 advantage with 1:28 remaining while holding the Spurs scoreless for more than three minutes. San Antonio cut the deficit to 61-55 on a free throw and a basket by Ginobili and a put-back by Aldridge, but West canned a 3-pointer with 10.9 seconds left in the half to grant the Warriors a 64-55 lead at intermission.
McGee led the Warriors with 16 points in the half while Ginobili paced the Spurs with 13 points on 4-for-4 shooting from the floor.
Durant caught fire in the third quarter, hitting on 5 of 6 shots as the Warriors built as much as an 18-point lead before settling for a 100-88 advantage through three quarters. Golden State shot 60 percent in the period (12 of 20) but allowed San Antonio some hope when it committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions.
Spurs reserve forward David Lee was forced from the game with a hyperextended left knee late in the first quarter while hitting a layup and being fouled. Lee went straight to the San Antonio locker room and was not able to return to shoot the free throw he earned, meaning he could not return to the game.
"Our competitiveness was great," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Every time you look up, you're playing against four All-Stars, so you better be pretty perfect, and competitiveness-wise I couldn't ask for anything more. We turned it over too much, and we've got to make some more shots. But Golden State is a hell of a team."
NOTES: San Antonio won 33 consecutive home games against the Warriors from the start of the 1997-98 season up until April 10, 2016, when it dropped a 92-86 decision to Golden State for its only home loss on the 2015-16 season. During that stretch, the Spurs posted a 57-13 record against the Warriors. ... In Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, the Warriors dished out a franchise-record 23 assists in the first half on the way to a 2017 playoff-high 39, one shy of the team playoff record. ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich served as an assistant for the Warriors under Don Nelson's staff from 1992-93 through the 1994-95 season. ... Warriors coach Steve Kerr had two playing stints with San Antonio, appearing in 131 games while averaging 3.5 points from 1998-2001 and in 75 games during the 2002-03 season while helping lead the Spurs to their second NBA championship.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Leonard iffy as Spurs host Warriors in Game 3
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It is put-up-or-shut-up time for San Antonio when the Spurs face the red-hot Golden State Warriors on Saturday in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio is trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series and has looked completely lost after star forward Kawhi Leonard reinjured his left ankle midway through the third quarter of Game 1. The Spurs were up by as many as 25 points in that contest before losing 113-111 and then, with Leonard unavailable because of the injury, were steamrolled 136-100 in Game 2.
Both of those games were in Oakland, and the Spurs are hoping that the series shift to the Alamo City will change the momentum. Leonard's return would help bolster that change but, even after six full days of rest and rehabilitation, he was listed by the team as questionable for Game 3.
Leonard originally sustained the ankle injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets. He is averaging 27.7 points on 52.5 percent shooting, to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the postseason.
Leonard said Friday at the Spurs' shootaround that he will make the decision on his playing status.
"I will have a lot of input," Leonard said. "If I feel good, I'm going to play. Part of that is just seeing if I can run and at least be myself on the court. I don't want to hobble around or shoot off-balance shots. I just want to be able to push with both legs."
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said he was not planning any contingency plans for his team in case Leonard decides he can't play.
"Either Kawhi is going to play, or he's not," he said. "Everything else, you just work on what you want to work on."
The Warriors are expecting Leonard to play Saturday and are readying to handle the boost he and the change of venue could give the Spurs.
"I'm 100 percent sure he's going to play," Golden State's Kevin Durant said after practice Friday. "I haven't talked to anybody, but that's just my gut. It's Game 3 at home, and he's got a few days of rest on that ankle. They're a way better team, obviously, with him on the court. They pose a different threat."
Lost in all the talk about Leonard's injury is Golden State's overall excellent play, especially in Game 2, and the Warriors' ability to step things up when needed. Golden State has won all 10 of its games in the postseason, sweeping Portland and Utah and now taking the first two games from San Antonio.
Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to an easy win, but understands that things are going to be a lot more difficult moving forward. Game 4 will also be in San Antonio, on Monday, and two Spurs wins would put the series back on track.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys before Game 2 that we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit. That was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3.
"Think Game 1 was tough?" Brown added. "Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3 is going to be tough for us."
Not everything has gone the Warriors' way in this series. San Antonio outrebounded Golden State 49-40 in Game 2, and the Spurs' 22 offensive rebounds were the most the Warriors have surrendered in any game this season. San Antonio also had a significant rebounding advantage in the first two quarters of Game 1 before Leonard's injury.
Golden State's Andre Iguodala (left knee soreness) and Zaza Pachulia (right heel contusion) are listed as questionable for Saturday's Game 3. Iguodala participated in practice Friday and appears closer to a return than Pachulia at this point.
It is put-up-or-shut-up time for San Antonio when the Spurs face the red-hot Golden State Warriors on Saturday in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio is trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series and has looked completely lost after star forward Kawhi Leonard reinjured his left ankle midway through the third quarter of Game 1. The Spurs were up by as many as 25 points in that contest before losing 113-111 and then, with Leonard unavailable because of the injury, were steamrolled 136-100 in Game 2.
Both of those games were in Oakland, and the Spurs are hoping that the series shift to the Alamo City will change the momentum. Leonard's return would help bolster that change but, even after six full days of rest and rehabilitation, he was listed by the team as questionable for Game 3.
Leonard originally sustained the ankle injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets. He is averaging 27.7 points on 52.5 percent shooting, to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the postseason.
Leonard said Friday at the Spurs' shootaround that he will make the decision on his playing status.
"I will have a lot of input," Leonard said. "If I feel good, I'm going to play. Part of that is just seeing if I can run and at least be myself on the court. I don't want to hobble around or shoot off-balance shots. I just want to be able to push with both legs."
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said he was not planning any contingency plans for his team in case Leonard decides he can't play.
"Either Kawhi is going to play, or he's not," he said. "Everything else, you just work on what you want to work on."
The Warriors are expecting Leonard to play Saturday and are readying to handle the boost he and the change of venue could give the Spurs.
"I'm 100 percent sure he's going to play," Golden State's Kevin Durant said after practice Friday. "I haven't talked to anybody, but that's just my gut. It's Game 3 at home, and he's got a few days of rest on that ankle. They're a way better team, obviously, with him on the court. They pose a different threat."
Lost in all the talk about Leonard's injury is Golden State's overall excellent play, especially in Game 2, and the Warriors' ability to step things up when needed. Golden State has won all 10 of its games in the postseason, sweeping Portland and Utah and now taking the first two games from San Antonio.
Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to an easy win, but understands that things are going to be a lot more difficult moving forward. Game 4 will also be in San Antonio, on Monday, and two Spurs wins would put the series back on track.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys before Game 2 that we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit. That was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3.
"Think Game 1 was tough?" Brown added. "Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3 is going to be tough for us."
Not everything has gone the Warriors' way in this series. San Antonio outrebounded Golden State 49-40 in Game 2, and the Spurs' 22 offensive rebounds were the most the Warriors have surrendered in any game this season. San Antonio also had a significant rebounding advantage in the first two quarters of Game 1 before Leonard's injury.
Golden State's Andre Iguodala (left knee soreness) and Zaza Pachulia (right heel contusion) are listed as questionable for Saturday's Game 3. Iguodala participated in practice Friday and appears closer to a return than Pachulia at this point.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Warriors throttle Spurs to take 2-0 lead
(TSX / STATS) -- OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich expected more from his ballclub Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
Golden State Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to a blowout victory, but he was prepared to head to San Antonio fully convinced it wouldn't occur again.
The Warriors took full advantage of Kawhi Leonard's absence, bombing the uninspired Spurs with 18 3-pointers en route to a 136-100 trouncing that gave Golden State a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Stephen Curry scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in a 33-16 first-quarter run-away, allowing the Warriors to hold the serve at home that they earned by running up the NBA's best regular-season record.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning. We can't ease into the game," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit.
"And that was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3. Think Game 1 was tough? Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3's going to be tough for us."
The Spurs get three days off to lick their wounds and hope Leonard, who sprained a previously injured left ankle in Game 1, can be ready for Game 3 on Saturday.
Leonard or no Leonard, Popovich insisted the series is over if his team doesn't get an attitude adjustment.
"I don't think we believed," he said. "I'm disappointed. The only way I can process this is I think it's not about the O's and X's or rebounds or turnovers or anything like that.
"You have to believe. I don't think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves psychologically. It showed in the lack of edge, intensity ... That was disappointing."
Two days after falling behind by 25 points in the first half to a Leonard-led team, the Warriors had a 25-point lead of their own in the 16th minute of the rematch en route to a 72-44 halftime advantage.
The Spurs were never appreciably closer in the second half.
"We felt sorry for ourselves," Popovich said. "We need to get slapped and come back and play Game 3 and see who we are.
"All I care about is the next game, and we'll see how they come out. Whether they win or they lose, I want to see how they play. If they do the right things and play the game and obey the basketball gods, they'll have a great chance to win."
Curry used 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers to lead seven Warriors scorers in double figures. He also found time for seven rebounds, a game-high seven assists and three steals in 31 minutes.
Five other Warriors connected on multiple 3-pointers in an 18-for-37 barrage that dwarfed the Spurs' 8-for-23 success from beyond the arc.
"It's fun to watch. (Curry) gets everybody else open once he gets it going like that," said Kevin Durant, who added 16 points to the Warriors' cause. "If he's got it going, give him the ball."
Draymond Green contributed 13 points, a team-high nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots to Golden State's 10th consecutive postseason win this season.
Only eight other NBA teams have ever opened a postseason 10-0.
Warriors reserve Patrick McCaw took advantage of 27 minutes of playing time to chip in with 18 points.
"When the game starts, it's whoever wants to grab that momentum early and set the tone for the game, and I think we did that a little bit better tonight. So that was huge," Curry said of the Warriors, who had 39 assists on their 50 field goals, and shot 56.2 percent from the field. "You don't want to give them any reason and any life."
Jonathon Simmons, starting in place of Leonard, had a team-high 22 points for the Spurs, who fell behind 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the Western semifinals in 2010.
Davis Bertans dropped in 13 points, and Dewayne Dedmon had nine points to go with a team-high nine rebounds off the bench for the Spurs, whose reserves outscored their starters 53-47.
"We can't necessarily play any worse than we did tonight," point guard Patty Mills said of the Spurs, who made only 37 percent of their shots. "We'll just lay it out there Game 3 on our home floor."
NOTES: The Warriors have won the last nine playoff series in which they took a 2-0 lead. The last time they lost a series when up 2-0 was against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 Western semifinals. ... The Spurs haven't rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to win a series since overcoming the New Orleans Hornets in seven games in the Western semifinals in 2008. ... Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich labeled SF Kawhi Leonard (sprained left ankle) "questionable" for Game 3 on Saturday. ... The Warriors played without SF Andre Iguodala (sore left knee), then lost C Zaza Pachulia to a heel injury in the first quarter. X-rays on Pachulia's heel were negative, but he was scheduled for an MRI exam on Wednesday nonetheless. ... Warriors coach Mike Brown had a run-in with the police escorting the Spurs team bus while entering the Oracle Arena parking lot, an incident witnessed by Popovich. "Somebody's got to tell him," Popovich noted in a rare light moment, "if the California Highway Patrol tells you to move over, you move over."
Golden State Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to a blowout victory, but he was prepared to head to San Antonio fully convinced it wouldn't occur again.
The Warriors took full advantage of Kawhi Leonard's absence, bombing the uninspired Spurs with 18 3-pointers en route to a 136-100 trouncing that gave Golden State a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Stephen Curry scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in a 33-16 first-quarter run-away, allowing the Warriors to hold the serve at home that they earned by running up the NBA's best regular-season record.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning. We can't ease into the game," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit.
"And that was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3. Think Game 1 was tough? Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3's going to be tough for us."
The Spurs get three days off to lick their wounds and hope Leonard, who sprained a previously injured left ankle in Game 1, can be ready for Game 3 on Saturday.
Leonard or no Leonard, Popovich insisted the series is over if his team doesn't get an attitude adjustment.
"I don't think we believed," he said. "I'm disappointed. The only way I can process this is I think it's not about the O's and X's or rebounds or turnovers or anything like that.
"You have to believe. I don't think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves psychologically. It showed in the lack of edge, intensity ... That was disappointing."
Two days after falling behind by 25 points in the first half to a Leonard-led team, the Warriors had a 25-point lead of their own in the 16th minute of the rematch en route to a 72-44 halftime advantage.
The Spurs were never appreciably closer in the second half.
"We felt sorry for ourselves," Popovich said. "We need to get slapped and come back and play Game 3 and see who we are.
"All I care about is the next game, and we'll see how they come out. Whether they win or they lose, I want to see how they play. If they do the right things and play the game and obey the basketball gods, they'll have a great chance to win."
Curry used 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers to lead seven Warriors scorers in double figures. He also found time for seven rebounds, a game-high seven assists and three steals in 31 minutes.
Five other Warriors connected on multiple 3-pointers in an 18-for-37 barrage that dwarfed the Spurs' 8-for-23 success from beyond the arc.
"It's fun to watch. (Curry) gets everybody else open once he gets it going like that," said Kevin Durant, who added 16 points to the Warriors' cause. "If he's got it going, give him the ball."
Draymond Green contributed 13 points, a team-high nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots to Golden State's 10th consecutive postseason win this season.
Only eight other NBA teams have ever opened a postseason 10-0.
Warriors reserve Patrick McCaw took advantage of 27 minutes of playing time to chip in with 18 points.
"When the game starts, it's whoever wants to grab that momentum early and set the tone for the game, and I think we did that a little bit better tonight. So that was huge," Curry said of the Warriors, who had 39 assists on their 50 field goals, and shot 56.2 percent from the field. "You don't want to give them any reason and any life."
Jonathon Simmons, starting in place of Leonard, had a team-high 22 points for the Spurs, who fell behind 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the Western semifinals in 2010.
Davis Bertans dropped in 13 points, and Dewayne Dedmon had nine points to go with a team-high nine rebounds off the bench for the Spurs, whose reserves outscored their starters 53-47.
"We can't necessarily play any worse than we did tonight," point guard Patty Mills said of the Spurs, who made only 37 percent of their shots. "We'll just lay it out there Game 3 on our home floor."
NOTES: The Warriors have won the last nine playoff series in which they took a 2-0 lead. The last time they lost a series when up 2-0 was against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 Western semifinals. ... The Spurs haven't rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to win a series since overcoming the New Orleans Hornets in seven games in the Western semifinals in 2008. ... Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich labeled SF Kawhi Leonard (sprained left ankle) "questionable" for Game 3 on Saturday. ... The Warriors played without SF Andre Iguodala (sore left knee), then lost C Zaza Pachulia to a heel injury in the first quarter. X-rays on Pachulia's heel were negative, but he was scheduled for an MRI exam on Wednesday nonetheless. ... Warriors coach Mike Brown had a run-in with the police escorting the Spurs team bus while entering the Oracle Arena parking lot, an incident witnessed by Popovich. "Somebody's got to tell him," Popovich noted in a rare light moment, "if the California Highway Patrol tells you to move over, you move over."
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Leonard out, Spurs fuming ahead of Game 2 vs. Warriors
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OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shifted the attention of the Western Conference finals away from his team's problems Monday and squarely onto what he labeled the unsportsmanlike means by which the Golden State Warriors grabbed an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
While disclosing that Kawhi Leonard would be held out of Game 2 on Tuesday night, Popovich blasted Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for contact on the Spurs star that the coach compared to manslaughter.
"This is (baloney). It can't be, 'Oh, this was inadvertent; he didn't have intent,'" Popovich said less than 24 hours after Pachulia, attempting to defend a 3-pointer, stepped underneath Leonard and caused an ankle injury that will keep the Most Valuable Player candidate out of Game 2, and perhaps longer.
Leonard underwent an MRI on his left ankle/foot Monday. It came back negative, which keeps the door open for him to return when the series shifts to San Antonio on Saturday.
"Who gives a (darn) what his intent was?" Popovich continued. "Have you ever heard of manslaughter? You still go to jail, I think, when you're texting and you end up killing somebody, but may have not intended to do that.
"All I care is what I saw. All I care about is what happened. And the history there exacerbates the whole situation and makes me very, very angry."
Popovich went on to cite three examples of unsportsmanlike acts Pachulia, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, performed on his players.
One involved former Spurs big man David West, who is currently one of Pachulia's teammates on the Warriors.
West sidestepped the issue when asked about it at practice Monday, labeling Pachulia a guy who plays "hard."
If the goal of the accusation was to get people talking about anything other than the historic collapse of the Spurs in Game 1, Popovich succeeded. The only Warrior who wouldn't get sucked in was Draymond Green, but even his silence on the issue raised additional questions when he was perceived not to have had his teammate's back.
Warriors coach Mike Brown went as far as to accuse San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge of similar tactics against Stephen Curry on Sunday.
You never would have known the Warriors were riding the incredible high of having erased a 20-point halftime deficit with the third-biggest comeback in NBA playoff history.
"So, Game 2?" Green queried at one point, attempting to change the subject.
Playing brilliantly on both ends of the floor, the Spurs led the series opener 78-55 after Leonard had made his two free throws following the Pachulia foul with 7:53 left in the third quarter.
Leonard never played again, and a team that had scorched the Warriors for 78 points in 28 minutes was held to 33 in the final 20.
Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili was brutally honest afterward, fearing his team had just lost Game 2 as well.
"It's the toughest part," he said when asked to project the Spurs' ability to bounce back. "It's very hard to react from a game like this. I always prefer to lose by 20 ... in which case the home team relaxes a little bit, feels good about themselves, and we are hurt, we are angry. (But) the opposite happened.
"We played an outstanding game for a half and a little bit. Then they came back. They overplayed us. They were more aggressive. They made more shots. So if it wasn't bad enough, we lost our best player that was struggling already with a bad ankle. So it's hard to see the positives, even though we were 20-something up. A very bad outcome of the game."
The status of Warriors super-sub Andre Iguodala for Game 2 remained up in the air Monday after he underwent an MRI on his sore left knee.
Iguodala sat out the second half on Sunday, although Brown insisted afterward it was more of a coach's decision than a necessity.
OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shifted the attention of the Western Conference finals away from his team's problems Monday and squarely onto what he labeled the unsportsmanlike means by which the Golden State Warriors grabbed an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
While disclosing that Kawhi Leonard would be held out of Game 2 on Tuesday night, Popovich blasted Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for contact on the Spurs star that the coach compared to manslaughter.
"This is (baloney). It can't be, 'Oh, this was inadvertent; he didn't have intent,'" Popovich said less than 24 hours after Pachulia, attempting to defend a 3-pointer, stepped underneath Leonard and caused an ankle injury that will keep the Most Valuable Player candidate out of Game 2, and perhaps longer.
Leonard underwent an MRI on his left ankle/foot Monday. It came back negative, which keeps the door open for him to return when the series shifts to San Antonio on Saturday.
"Who gives a (darn) what his intent was?" Popovich continued. "Have you ever heard of manslaughter? You still go to jail, I think, when you're texting and you end up killing somebody, but may have not intended to do that.
"All I care is what I saw. All I care about is what happened. And the history there exacerbates the whole situation and makes me very, very angry."
Popovich went on to cite three examples of unsportsmanlike acts Pachulia, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, performed on his players.
One involved former Spurs big man David West, who is currently one of Pachulia's teammates on the Warriors.
West sidestepped the issue when asked about it at practice Monday, labeling Pachulia a guy who plays "hard."
If the goal of the accusation was to get people talking about anything other than the historic collapse of the Spurs in Game 1, Popovich succeeded. The only Warrior who wouldn't get sucked in was Draymond Green, but even his silence on the issue raised additional questions when he was perceived not to have had his teammate's back.
Warriors coach Mike Brown went as far as to accuse San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge of similar tactics against Stephen Curry on Sunday.
You never would have known the Warriors were riding the incredible high of having erased a 20-point halftime deficit with the third-biggest comeback in NBA playoff history.
"So, Game 2?" Green queried at one point, attempting to change the subject.
Playing brilliantly on both ends of the floor, the Spurs led the series opener 78-55 after Leonard had made his two free throws following the Pachulia foul with 7:53 left in the third quarter.
Leonard never played again, and a team that had scorched the Warriors for 78 points in 28 minutes was held to 33 in the final 20.
Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili was brutally honest afterward, fearing his team had just lost Game 2 as well.
"It's the toughest part," he said when asked to project the Spurs' ability to bounce back. "It's very hard to react from a game like this. I always prefer to lose by 20 ... in which case the home team relaxes a little bit, feels good about themselves, and we are hurt, we are angry. (But) the opposite happened.
"We played an outstanding game for a half and a little bit. Then they came back. They overplayed us. They were more aggressive. They made more shots. So if it wasn't bad enough, we lost our best player that was struggling already with a bad ankle. So it's hard to see the positives, even though we were 20-something up. A very bad outcome of the game."
The status of Warriors super-sub Andre Iguodala for Game 2 remained up in the air Monday after he underwent an MRI on his sore left knee.
Iguodala sat out the second half on Sunday, although Brown insisted afterward it was more of a coach's decision than a necessity.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Warriors rally for 113-111 win after Spurs lose Leonard
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Stephen Currystarted the rally in the third to get Golden State going, then Kevin Durant was determined to do his part in the fourth.
Two of the biggest stars on one side delivered when the best player on the other went down.
Curry scored 40 points and hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining, and the Warriors rallied from way behind afterKawhi Leonard was lost to an ankle injury to beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-111 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
"It's the playoffs. You've got to expect everything," Curry said. "I wouldn't call it smooth sailing at all. We've actually had to execute and get to this point. They came out and challenged us heavy, put a nice little run together. It took us a minute to figure it out to get up to that game speed after this little break. It's definitely a nice way to win Game 1. We've got to capitalize off that and start Game 2 a lot better."
Draymond Green gave Golden State the lead for good on a three-point play after the Warriors trailed by as many as 25 points.
Leonard left in the third quarter after he re-injured his left ankle, and the Warriors capitalized with an 18-0 run.
Durant scored 10 straight points during a key fourth-quarter stretch on the way to 34 points, while Zaza Pachulia had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Leonard had 26 points and eight rebounds.LaMarcus Aldridge produced another clutch playoff performance with 28 points and eight boards.
Somehow, these unusually careless, cold-shooting Warriors found a way to keep their unblemished postseason record alive at 9-0.
Game 2 in the series is Tuesday night back at Oracle Arena.
Curry scored 19 points in the third quarter and went 7 for 16 on 3s and 14 of 26 overall as the Warriors overcame their largest halftime deficit ever in the postseason at 20 points.
Leonard first went down after stepping on a teammate's foot along the bench after taking a shot. Pachulia later slid toward him as he came down from shooting and Leonard fell into the Spurs bench, grabbing his ankle.
Losing Leonard could be the story of this series, though coach Gregg Popovich had no update except that Leonard hurt the same foot. He shot 7 of 13 in 23 minutes to go with eight rebounds and three assists. He made all 11 of his free throws.
He sat out Game 6 of the last round against Houston, a 39-point, series-clinching win on Thursday, after injuring the ankle in a Game 5 overtime victory.
"It's a tough break. He's coming from an injury on that ankle and he tweaked it twice in the last minute he played," Manu Ginobilisaid. "So we couldn't react to his absence."
Durant has repeatedly spoken of elevating his game when it matters most - and wow did he do it at the very moment the Warriors needed a huge lift on their home floor.
His 3-pointer with 7:53 to play got Golden State within 94-88, then he drove to his left and right by Kyle Anderson for an emphatic one-handed slam the next possession to ignite a deafening sellout crowd. Durant hit another 3 at the 6:10 mark and a jumper the next time down before Shaun Livingston's driving dunk.
"Steph got us going in the third, I just tried to do my part in the fourth," Durant said.
Popovich lost to good friend and old pupil Mike Brown, filling in as Warriors acting coach for the ailing Steve Kerr - who played for Popovich.
Yet for much of the afternoon, the Spurs outplayed the mighty Warriors on both ends of the floor.
While Kerr spoke to the team at halftime, he watched the game from behind the scenes in the arena a day after returning to the practice floor for the first time in more than three weeks.
"He's gone through hell," Popovich said pregame. "I'm sure most people don't really know, and I'll leave that to him to describe as much as he wants to describe. But it's been very difficult for him. He's shown a lot of courage getting through what he's gone through."
TIP-INS
Spurs: Patty Mills, a college star at nearby Saint Mary's, struggled in place of the injured Tony Parker - out for the remainder of the playoffs with a leg injury. Mills shot 1 for 8 and missed all six of his 3-point tries for five points. "I don't want to talk too much about Patty Mills because the more good things I say the more we're going to have to pay him," Popovich cracked before the game. ... Pau Gasol picked up two quick fouls and his third 5:18 before halftime.
Warriors: San Antonio forced 19 turnovers and had six steals among the Warriors' initial nine miscues. ... Green received his second technical of the postseason when he celebrated a third-quarter steal and referee Marc Davis penalized him. ... Golden State's 16 points in the first were its lowest-scoring quarter of the postseason. ... Andre Iguodala was limited by a sore left knee.
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