Spurs flirt with lead before collapse in LA without Drummond's rebounding, 96-104.

The Brow had 34 points, 12 rebounds as the Lakers eventually rallied to win a behind-the-eight-ball home outing against the champion Spurs. The Lakers crushed San Antonio without Drummond by 20 rebounds, mounting momentum down low. San Antonio led by as much as 9 points, but Fred VanVleet went cold (4-12, 3-10 3PT, 11 points) when the Spurs needed a clutch bucket. Brandon Ingram played well in defeat with 27 points, 11 rebounds, but only got 9 rebounds from Drummond's relief, JaVale McGee. KCP had 17 points, hitting five 3's during the feel-good moments of San Antone's lead, before the eventual collapse.

Dejounte Murray had 11 points, 7 assists, unable to be effective at the rim without Drummond's invaluable pick-and-roll assistance, turning the ball over as McGee failed to connect at the basket when the game was still close. Evan Fournier hit his first three shots, but they were the only shots he made the rest of the game for 9 points.

For the Lakers, LeBron James had 14 points, 9 rebounds & 8 assists. Steven Adams had 16 points, 15 rebounds down low. Derrick Rose contributed 12 points. J.J. Redick splashed in two threes for 10 points. Jrue Holiday didn't shoot well, but dished 9 assists in the win.

Hopefully, Drummond will be back in good health when the Spurs next face the Lakers, as Los Angeles won the 4th Quarter, 37-27, with the other three quarters only being separated by 8 points between these two powerful teams of the western conference.

VanVleet burns Warriors with late 3PTer, as Spurs win 111-106 in Bay City.

A close game with a 52-49 lead for the road team at halftime turned into an exciting affair late, after an unfortunate elbow sprain for Andre Drummond and after the Spurs had won the 3rd Quarter, 33-22 to seize a sizable margin of control.

 Steph Curry, after a cold first half, got hot eventually with help from Giannis Antetokounmpo (29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) & Kevin Knox, III (18 points). Curry finished with 18 points of his own and 11 assists. DeAndre Jordan notched 13 rebounds, 12 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins tied the game for the Warriors late at the basket, but missed Golden State's final chance to tie the score in the closing seconds, a corner 3PT attempt.

Precipitating the clutch lead for the Spurs was a dagger three-ball first by Evan Fournier, courtesy of a nice pass under shot clock pressure by JaVale McGee (7 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in 18 minutes of action after Drummond went down), then next by Fred VanVleet (16 points, 8 assists, 4-6 3PT) to seal the tough road win.

In the victory, Brandon Ingram had 24 points & 8 rebounds. KCP had 13 points, with P.J. Tucker bouncing back in a good effort for 11 points, the same as Fournier (3-5 3PT). Dejounte Murray had 7 assists with 8 points. Before his injury, Drummond had 10 points & 15 rebounds. The Big Penguin's injury comes at an inconvenient time as the height-heavy Lakers are next on the Spurs schedule.

Spurs fend off late road surge by Klay's Bucks, 99-107.

The Spurs swished 50% of their attempts from long range (11-22) in what was a blowout but became a tense final few minutes against Milwaukee, after the Spurs had led at halftime, 71-43.

 It was a 37-22 rally spear-headed by Klay Thompson (28 points, 5-6 3PT, 2 steals). James Wiseman had 12 points & 8 rebounds, but the Bucks needed more help from Khris Middleton (2-11, 6 points) and Jeff Teague (5-16, 13 points, 8 assists).

For San Antonio, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 19 points on a trio of long balls, followed by Fred VanVleet's 16 points. Evan Fournier had 13 points, as did Brandon Ingram. Andre Drummond had a double-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds with 12 points coming from Luka Samanic.

Spurs dominate Blazers & Bulls as star trio shines for San Antone.

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.

Spurs make easy work of Clippers, 97-83.

Kawhi Leonard ground his way to 25 points, but the Clippers had trouble scoring the ball, only 46% overall, with Paul George shooting 5-13 (10 points).

Rudy Gobert still had a nice game of 18 points, 15 rebounds with his new squad but it was an injured Patrick Beverley that was missing for most of the game. Beverley is nursing a sore hip, as he scored just 2 points in 15 minutes. While it can be respected that he didn't sit out of an important rivalry game, playing well is different than suiting up to play.

Meanwhile, Brandon Ingram poured in 28 points with 8 rebounds. Fred VanVleet dropped 17 points with 4 steals, hitting 3 from deep. Andre Drummond had 19 rebounds, 15 points with 3 blocks. Evan Fournier chipped in 10 points, with Dejounte Murray dishing 7 assists. Kent Bazemore & KCP combined for 16.

The Spurs won the 1st Quarter, on the road, 25-10, leading 49-28 at halftime as the blowout set in.

Spurs overcome bad start to top #2 seed Timberwolves, 108-104.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have turned countless heads so far this season, finally cracking the code and surprising the NBA world by claiming the #2 seed in the Western Conference.

With the dynastic San Antonio Spurs coming to town, they primed a big-time punch at the championship juggernaut and almost put them away early, winning the 1st Quarter 25-16.

The Spurs fought back, 24-23 in the second, and it was the 3rd Quarter that saw the Spurs seize control of an exciting contest, 37-25. Both teams scored 31 in a stalemate for the 4th Quarter, ultimately finalizing in a road victory for the #1 seed over the #2 seed.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 19 rebounds for the Wolves. Jarrett Culver played a nice game with 19 points, and T.J. Warren dropped 11 on the Spurs. However, it was a bad shooting night by D'Angelo Russell that silenced the Wolves, as the ex-Warrior/Net/Laker shot 4-16 and 1-8 from 3PT territory, finishing with 11 points and 11 assists.

For the Spurs, Brandon Ingram had 30 points with 4 steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 15 points, with 18 rebounds & 14 points coming from Andre Drummond. Dejounte Murray had 8 assists, 14 points. Fred VanVleet buried two huge 3PT daggers in the closing minutes, after what had been a cold outing for him.

Spurs cruise by Knicks, 94-113.

R.J. Barrett had 18 points, but LaMelo Ball shot 1-8 with 4 turnovers. Meanwhile, Andre Drummond had 21 points & 21 rebounds, with Mitchell Robinson fouling out on the other end down low.

San Antonio won the 1st Quarter, 31-20, but owned the 3rd Quarter, 29-14 to put on the finishing touches in the game.

For the Spurs, Ingram had 19 points with 8 rebounds. Fred VanVleet scored 13, going a perfect 4/4 from 3PT range as he continues to hover around 50% on the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in 12 points, with Alex Caruso getting some burn in the blowout for 12 points.

Ingram sizzles to triple-double as Spurs demolish Heat, 70-105.

The Spurs crushed the Heat in the 1st Quarter, 32-9, led by 36 points, 10 rebounds & 12 assists by Brandon Ingram. Dejounte Murray had 14 points, as Drummond owned 11 rebounds with 12 points. Alex Caruso had a nice game with 12 points. For Miami, they only made 2-17 from long range as Jimmy Butler had a hard night shooting the ball, scoring only 6 points.

Spurs edge resilient Mavericks on road, 121-117.

Leading 31-23 after the 1st Quarter, the Spurs were benefited by a 3PT shot by Fred VanVleet to fend off the resilient Dallas Mavericks in an otherwise close contest. Fred VanVleet scored 6 points with 7 assists.

The other three quarters went: 25-28, Dallas; 33-34, Dallas & 32-32 in the 4th Quarter. Luka Doncic had 20 points with 8 assists, trying to win the Mavs to a win to snap a losing streak to no avail. Deni Avdija had 18 points, looking sharp. Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points with 9 rebounds, with Eric Bledsoe's 14 points & 12 assists.

In the win, Brandon Ingram sizzled his way to 38 points, his highest mark of the season so far, going 17-27 from the field. Andre Drummond continues to look more aggressive in the post and scoring end, notching 19 points & 12 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 15 points, hitting 3 from the perimeter. Evan Fournier scored 13 points, with Dejounte Murray dishing 10 assists in a near triple-double (7 points, 7 rebounds). Kent Bazemore scored 11 points for the champs over the rival Mavericks, who now drop to 11-14 on the season.

Spurs wallop Cavs & Nets as KCP shines for new team.

 

The Spurs continue to roll, despite already having four losses (after finishing 77-5 last season, a new league record), to the league's best tally with the surprising Minnesota Timberwolves close behind. The Clippers, with Rudy Gobert, and Lakers with Steven Adams continue to be in the mix also, whereas the Dallas Mavericks are on a big losing streak.

In the first road, the Spurs downed sophomore sensation Matthew Hurt (21 points) and Terry Rozier (6 assists) of the Cavaliers. Larry Nance Jr scored 19 points & 12 rebounds, with Domantas Sabonis notching 17 points. Sharpshotter, Grayson Allen, had 16 points. Meyers Leonard scored 15 points, and Darius Garland chipped in 13 points.

San Antonio was led by Brandon Ingram's 29 points, streaking down-court tirelessly, only missing three of his shots on a 14-17 shooting clip in a stellar display. Dejounte Murray crushed the rim for 23 points, dishing 12 assists to boot with 4 steals. Andre Drummond ha 20 points, with his new backup JaVale McGee notching 13 points, 11 rebounds. Kent Bazemore had 11 points, hitting 3-5 from deep. Evan Fournier scored 9 points, going 4-5 as Fred VanVleet dished 13 assists with 8 points. San Antonio shot 47% from 3PT range, climbing to a season-high 147 points, winning 147-122 after a 41-20 lead in the 1st Quarter.

Next, the Spurs headed to Brooklyn to face off against Kyrie Irving (20 points, 8-15, 2-6 3PT) & Kevin Durant (13 points, 5-12), but again the Nets need more help outside of its two star players, despite Irving's clutch 3PT shot over Fred VanVleet (10 points) to score Brooklyn's first points of the game. It got ugly from there, earning a serenade of boos from the temperamental NY crowd once Brooklyn went down by 26 points. The Nets did recuperate to win the 3rd Quarter and cut the lead within 7 points, before the Spurs steadily recovered until the buzzer.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played well against both the Cavs and Nets, adding a true scoring punch off the bench for the Spurs who are happy to have him back, with all signs pointing that he will be re-signed next summer as a free agent if he wishes to stay with the team. The Spurs are still waiting to see if Brandon Ingram wants to engage in contract extension talks later this season. Meanwhile, KCP scored 21 points, 3-5 3PT, 6 assists) against the Cavaliers and then 20 points (2-2 3PT) at Brooklyn as the Spurs now move to 22-4 on the season, winning 114-105.

Brooklyn was led by Kevon Looney's 21 points & 19 rebounds. Brandon Ingram poured in 24 points for San Antonio, with 6 rebounds & 7 assists. Dejounte Murray had 15 points & 6 assists with 3 steals. Evan Fournier scored 13 points. JaVale McGee had 12 points, 11 rebounds. Andre Drummond grabbed 14 boards.

Spurs downed by Hayward's 3PT dagger, lose to new #1 seed Pacers: 95-94

Gordon Hayward only had 13 points, but the Indiana Pacers played a tough game against an off shooting night by the Spurs, down in the final minutes by seemingly enough of a spread, before rallying to a road win as Hayward buried a lead-taking corner 3PT dagger. This win propels the Pacers to the #1 seed in the eastern conference, a feat not seen for several years, validating the free agency acquisition of Hayward, who had languished in his post-injury state with the Boston Celtics before moving on in his career.

In the loss, the Spurs were led by Dejounte Murray's 19 points & 6 assists. Murray had four turnovers, spoiling Fred VanVleet's 5-7 shooting night from 3PT land for 19 points, 5 assists & 3 steals. Brandon Ingram shot 4-12 in a rare cold night, for 12 points & 7 rebounds. Evan Fournier had 14 points. KCP had a rough first outing with his new team, going 3-11 and 0-6 from 3PT range. Kent Bazemore shot 1-5, as well. Andre Drummond had 13 points & 11 rebounds, but shot just 6-14.

The Pacers were led by Myles Turner's 22 points & 16 rebounds. Ex-Spur, Trey Lyles scored 12 points. The Spurs lost this close game, not seizing the chance to win on a 3-11 night for Victor Oladipo.

Spurs handle Mavericks, 96-109 with strong team effort.

As the timeless rival Mavericks arrived at the AT&T Center, the Spurs rolled into a strong team effort. Evan Fournier scored 20 points with 8 assists & 3 steals. Brandon Ingram had 20 points, 8 rebounds on a slick 9-12 shooting stroke. Andre Drummond dominated the paint with 23 rebounds and 20 points.

Moreover, Kent Bazemore had a solid 17 ponts, hitting three shots from deep range. Dejounte Murray had a quiet night of 11 points & 5 assists, due to Fred VanVleet dishing 8 assists of his own.

For the Mavericks, Eric Bledsoe had 16 points with 8 assists. Deni Avdija scored 16 points. Luka Doncic had a quiet outing with 15 points, going a cold 6-15 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis was an unimpressive 4-10, 1-4 3PT, for 12 points. George Hill went 4-11.

The Spurs led by as many as 26 points, due to aggressive play that netted them 16 made free throws.

In retrospect: Spurs roll past Rockets, 95-115, send them to 4-17 on the season.

The Spurs quickly put the clamps on the Rockets, crushing them by 28-12 in the 1st Quarter.

 Houston fought back to score evenly in the second quarter, but the Spurs kept a strong team effort going. Kent Bazemore had 15 points, hitting a trio of long range bombs. Alex Caruso had 12 points with 7 assists, giving Murray some rest on the sidelines with his strong play. Joe Harris had 11 points, as did Thomas Bryant with 8 rebounds.

 Fred VanVleet scored 10 points in limited action as P.J. Tucker scored 10 points on a perfect 4-4 shooting display, nailing two threes. Luka Samanic had 10 points, with Evan Fournier teasing a triple-double of 9 points, 7 rebounds & 5 assists. Also getting some rest in the blowout, Drummond & Ingram combined for 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The lone bright spot of Houston's night was Russell Westbrook. He scored 30 points, 7 rebounds & 6 assists, whereas James Harden scored just 6 points

Spurs reacquire Caldwell-Pope from Thunder with McGee, ship out Thomas Bryant & Joe Harris.

Showcasing a strong start to his season, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope caught the eye of R.C. Buford as it did once before, having been a complimentary financial asset in the landmark Kawhi Leonard/Brandon Ingram deal four years ago. Caldwell-Pope had begun to show improvement after a rocky start in San Antone, before being shipped mid-season to the Suns in the trade that got the Spurs T.J. Warren, another player that is no longer with the team. Such is the nature of roster shakeups in today's league.

KCP has shot 45% from 3PT territory so far this season with the gritty OKC Thunder, and he also brings defensive talent back to the Spurs. For the Thunder, they receive a playoffs-proven talent in Joe Harris, who's had a rough start to the season and is simply not KCP on defense. Kent Bazemore was drawing a sharp eye early from team trainers, but he's come around over the last few games to edge out Harris, with Bazemore also offering more defensive upside to supplement streaky scoring swings. KCP will wear #2 with the Spurs, his old high school number with the Greenville, Georgia Patriots.

Also shipping to Oklahoma City is Thomas Bryant, who just never figured it out with the Spurs. He has a nice touch shooting the rock, but just wasn't the defensive or athletic backup center the Spurs lost when they acquired him for Jarrett Allen despite being a rim-running five. Bryant will likely shine in OKC, with more time to play without Andre Drummond towering over him in the rotation. Much like when they had to part with Allen, San Antonio is also free from the burden of 'to sign or not sign' Bryant, who will be a free agent next summer. Allen received the same treatment, with Bryant having one more "prove-it" year by comparison, but Thomas just didn't do enough to stick around. The highlight of his play this season so far was a 22 point, 10 rebound performance.

Coming with KCP is JaVale McGee, who was rendered superfluous by the acquisition of Bryant, considering that OKC has Jakob Poetl challenging for that starting center role, off to a strong season. Behind them the Thunder also has Bismack Biyombo, also an ex-Spur, with McGee's stats additionally not being anything of merit to warrant a stay in OKC. By losing Harris, the Spurs will need someone else to come through in the clutch, as Harris set a new playoff league record with 12 three-pointers last season. But as the slogan goes, if it's not working out, something's gotta give and Harris will also relish more of a playing opportunity in OKC. McGee will have a no-nonsense coach in Popovich, encouraging consistent play from the traditional center, who had a nice season with the Lakers two years ago. They basically get Jarrett Allen back, without the significant youth or upside, but also without the financial burden" and with McGee having another year on his contract for next season as well if it pans out.

Breaking News: James Harden dealt to 76ers in blockbuster deal for Joel Embiid.

"The Beard", superstar scorer of the Houston Rockets, has been acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers, who've been second-best two seasons in a row. Consensus response by fans and basketball analysts says the Sixers have showed their hand and it's clear they are going ALL-IN to snag the Larry O'Brien trophy away from the powerhouse San Antonio Spurs dynasty. They got one win in last year's meeting, one better than the year prior, but they've got to win four games against the Spurs, should they meet for a third time. That meeting could come before the NBA Finals, however, as the board of governors approved only the best 16 teams by-record to make the playoffs.

By pairing Harden with Ben Simmons, who won league MVP two years ago, Philly gains another MVP winner and arguably one of the league's best scorers ever. Ball handling duties will be alleviated from Simmons in favor of Harden, but unlike Harden's time in Houston, he will also have some help making plays on the court. The Sixers have likely not forgotten that Simmons fouled out of the epic double-overtime Game 5 of last year's Finals, and having Harden on the floor will help avoid that problem again and Harden's knack for drawing fouls on the opposition will also benefit the 76ers in close games.

Losing Joel Embiid is a tough pain to swallow, but coming with Harden is Eric Gordon, a more proven veteran shooter than Shake Milton, who is en route to Houston along with Al Horford's services. Clint Capela will pick up the slack in Embiid's departure, with free agent acquisition Julius Randle able to back him up off the bench. Tobias Harris is able to slide back to his natural stretch four position, as will Simmons at the 3 spot, with Harden taking the PG reigns. Much of Philly's fan-base has often expressed disagreement and frustration with Simmons trying to do so many things, live up to so much expectation. Likewise, Harden escapes an impatient-turned-scornful eye in Rockets fan base for not coming through in the post-season, despite strong regular season accomplishments. Hopefully, both players can crack the code by coming together to win big under the brightest lights.

For the woeful Houston Rockets, they got blasted again by the Spurs despite a strong showing by Westbrook, dropping to 4-17 on the season. Luke Walton was canned as coach, with Sam Cassell taking over the reigns, signaling a turnover in roster construction. By pairing Russell Westbrook with Joel Embiid, Houston moves away from the D'Antoni small-ball era, a similar approach to Westbrook's time with Steven Adams in OKC. Shake Milton gets time to develop his scoring game under less scrutiny and it's clearly Westbrook's team.

Spurs escape OKC in turbulent series, 116-115 then 97-100 in second game.

The OKC Thunder put the breaks on a good start for the Spurs, but somehow the third-quarter stalwarts of San Antonio pulled through to win the 3rd Quarter, 37-20, erasing what was once an 18 point advantage and 16 at halftime, 46-62.

33-33 was the scoring stalemate in the final quarter, as both teams tied the other in the rebounding column. OKC's bench devoured the Spurs 38-13, but OKC missed five free throws. To the Spurs' benefit, they did shoot 53% within striking distance of OKC's 55% for the game, hitting a trio more of three-pointers that proved to be the difference tonight.

Terrence Ross (19 points, 8 assists, 4-4 3PT) hit a 3PTer at the buzzer, but the game was already over, as Dejounte Murray iced free throws at the line as part of his 30 points, 6 assists, 7 steals (a new career-high mark) stat line. In the win, Brandon Ingram had 35 points, 6 rebounds & 7 assists of his own, hitting on a stellar 15-26 shots from the field. Fred VanVleet came to life at the best time, burying six threes for 22 points & 6 assists to go with 2 steals. Andre Drummond had 12 points, 22 rebounds.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 13 points & 10 assists. Precious Achiuwa had 22 points.

The second go-around in this MLB-style series also went to the Spurs, but not after another late rally by the Thunder once the Spurs had seized a strong lead due to Andre Drummond (29 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks). Brandon Ingram had 18 points, with Kent Bazemore showing promise with 14 points. Fred VanVleet dished 9 assists and nabbed 5 impressive steals. Evan Fournier had 13 points. The Spurs held a scoring edge all game long, winning the 1st Quarter by 27-20, the second by 20-17 before OKC dead-evened the 3rd Quarter before a 34-27 run in the 4th, albeit too late. Achiuwa led OKC with 23 points & 8 rebounds. Jakob Poetl had a strong 19 points, 19 rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander had a rough showing, though, going 2-10 with 9 awful turnovers.

Spurs take the 'W' in first meeting against Giannis & Golden State, 97-116.

 

"I had a hot hand tonight and helped us get a big win against another contender, so it feels good," said Evan Fournier after scorching the Warriors for 36 points, hitting six 3PT daggers with 7 rebounds--a new career-high tally for Fournier.

 Not to be outdone by too much, Brandon Ingram delivered 30 points of his own on a sound shooting night. Dejounte Murray dished 14 assists with 16 points as well, notching 2 steals. Andre Drummond had some foul difficulty with four whistles, but still claimed 11 boards & 3 crucial blocks throughout the game.

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo snatched the lead away, if only for a moment, streaking with finesse downwind for 26 points & 12 rebounds with 2 steals for the Warriors. Steph Curry had a cold shooting night, not on his game to score just 7 points, surrendering 5 turnovers. Andrew Wiggins also had a quiet night with just 9 points. The Greek Freak will need more help next time around, as the Spurs dominated the 4th Quarter, 34-19 to pull away after a neck-and-neck face-off.

The Rest: San Antonio won the 1st, 32-24; Golden State won 34-28 in the 2nd, with the Spurs edging 22-20 in the 3rd. The Warriors only hit three 3PTers, and that won't get it done in today's league.