The Spurs put together two big wins, as they have now won 8 straight games, bludgeoning the Blazers & Bulls back-to-back, with its star trio of Murray/Ingram/Drummond dominating the court.
First, against Portland in a 115-97 road victory, Murray had 24 points & 11 assists with Ingram scoring 25 points, 9 rebounds & 5 assists. Fred VanVleet had a hot game for 23 points with 7 assists, hitting five threes. Down low, Drummond commanded 18 rebounds on a night with Damian Lillard & C.J. McCollum shooting a combined 9-26 on the floor. The Spurs crushed Portland in the 4th Quarter, 38-21, after winning the 1st Quarter, 31-19.
Next, the gritty Chicago Bulls boasted #2 Pick, Jalen Green's 21 points with impressive athleticism, but the night became a 1-on-1 duel to top the scoreboard between Ingram & Drummond, as the Spurs weathered a second half storm to win 119-111. The Slender-Man fared one point better, finishing with 41 points, 7 rebounds & 12 assists on a near-flawless 18-22 shooting night. Drummond missed three damning free throws, but beast-moded his way to 40 points & 19 rebounds with 3 steals, 2 blocks. Murray had 18 points with 8 assists. Evan Fournier dished 7 assists.
The Rest: The Spurs are now able to negotiate a contract extension with Ingram, who can sign for up to 3 more years with the franchise, reportedly seeking a max salary deal beginning at 29m/yr that would be a hefty increase over his 4 year, 72 million deal. The Spurs are now 28-4 on the season thus far.
