SPUR-EVER: Ten Titles

Westbrook's strong game was spoiled by the Spurs' fighting spirit. The Spurs pulled off the comeback of the season so far, just barely eclipsing the visitor Houstn Rockets by a single point, persevering past a 24-point deficit after being unable to hit the broadside of a barn in the first quarter, going 35% by halftime from the field. San Antonio would show tremendous heart on the defensive end, winning both the third and fourth quarters in the scoring column, even overcoming foul trouble for Brandon Ingram. Houston seemed to regain control, as less than five minutes remained in the fourth quarter, with Joe Harris and other sharpshooters of the Spurs not able to light up the scoreboard. This comeback would not have been possible without impressive, strong play by Ingram, J.R. Smith & Dejounte Murray (30 points, 9 assists, 2 steals, 10-16). Smith was the first half spark for San Antone, whereas Murray had the game winning basket and Brandon Ingram (21 points) was clutc...

Journeymen Michael Beasley (former #2 pick) and Sam Dekker are now members of the San Antonio Spurs organization. Both roster hopefuls will spend time initially with the Austin Spurs of the G-League, with Dekker's agreement being a two-day contract given only his four years of NBA experience. Beasley & Dekker had previously spent time overseas after not catching traction with a handful of NBA teams so far in their careers, despite each player's potential and athleticism. With the Spurs looking to always improve the athleticism of the team, this pair of moves makes sense, also when each player's shooting ability from 3PT range is taken into account. Neither is a sharpshooter by any stretch, but have shown flashes of being able to contribute in the open floor and on the scoreboard. Beasley being the better shooter between the two, it was only two seasons ago that he shot 39% for the Knicks from beyond the arc and 41% for the Bucks the year before. Dekker is most...

Brandon Ingram sent the Spurs back to Texas with a win. The referees may have missed a back-court violation on Derrick Rose for Detroit's final possession, which ultimately led to the put-back lay-in by Andre Drummond (24 points, 21 rebounds, 5 blocks), but nothing could stop Brandon Ingram from taking up the mantle and his place as alpha, fadeaway-jumper for the 1-PT victory at the buzzer, crushing the hearts of the Pistons fans inside Little Caesars Pizza Arena. The Spurs called timeout with 5.0 left on the clock after the controversial sequence, as Coach Popovich was livid on the sidelines. "I told him to take us home, come what may on that shot," Coach Popovich spoke after the game. "Brandon's come a long way with us so far, and I'm sure his game-winner is all over the web now. Brandon has been working hard on developing some go-to shots, so he deserves all the likes and tweets," Popovich joked and did not mention the blown call by officials. ...

The Spurs defense was the key factor tonight. The Clippers came into Texas, looking to put on a show, but the Spurs defense had other ideas and caused a mess in the first quarter, winning it 19-35. LA would outscore the Spurs in the 2nd Quarter, but the Spurs led by as many as 23 points and the Clippers never took a lead. Breaking up alley oop attempts, swiping three turnovers out of Lou Williams, courtesy of Derrick White (7 rebounds)--the Spurs did it all to win. That doesn't mean they didn't try, erasing the lead down to single digits several times, making for an anxious night for the home crowd. Timofey Mosgov (15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks) was the key for the Spurs, padding the lead back up to 10 despite the Clippers sneaking back close in the final minute. Kawhi Leonard, with Ingram draped over him, made a tough layup with the foul, only for Dejounte Murray (19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) to make one on the other end as the Clippers took a moment to acknowled...

Nik Stauskas went off for a new career high. Things got bad quickly for the T'Wolves as the Spurs recovered well after the disappointing loss to the Lakers. The Spurs got so hot from long range, they tied the Houston Rockets all-time NBA record with 27 made three-pointers. Nik Stauskas came out firing and kept firing, splashing a sensational nine 3PT baskets for a new career high of 33 points. "It felt amazing. Once I get on a roll like that from three, I just let it fly." Stauskas also got some pick-and-roll burn, scoring a nice layup slotted in at the 2 position. The Rest : Dejounte Murray dished 10 assists and slashed to the hoop for 22 points, impressively dropping in three from long range. Taurean Prince scored 22 points, and Brandon Ingram dropped 20; no 3PT misses between the trio, going 8-8. Joe Harris had a good game after a cold spell, hitting four from deep (12 points) and distributing 7 assists. Avery Bradley scored 9 points, as did J.R. Smith. P.J. ...

The Lakers dealt the Spurs a first loss at home. A frustrating defeat came at home, snapping the tradition of a lengthy home win streak of years past, as the Lakers overcame an 8-PT halftime deficit to ultimately win by eight. The Spurs would claw back within two points midway through the fourth quarter, but LeBron James (28 points, 7 assists) was too strong. His new teammate Anthony Davis owned the paint with 17 rebounds & 16 points with 2 blocks. Danny Green was a pest on the wing, splashing in 15 points with 6 assists, scorching his old team. Troy Daniels hit four threes for 12 points, snapping any momentum for the Spurs. Replacement for DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard grabbed 12 rebounds and got 2 steals with a block. Kentavius Caldwell-Pope & Javale McGee combined for 22 points, with McGee snaring 9 rebounds with 3 blocks and 3 steals. The Lakers shot 50%, compared to only 42% by the Spurs. Brandon Ingram was very cold in this game, going 4-20 with 3 turnovers (12...

Julius Randle was a force for the Knicks tonight. Avery Bradley (28 points, 11-15, 4 steals, 2 blocks) sparked the Spurs road effort in the first half and commandeered the team to pull out the win, pulling up over Julius Randle to secure a four-point lead in the final minute and even getting the block on the bigger man. By the buzzer, the Knicks had two chances from three-point territory to tie the game after a miss by Ingram left New York with the final possession, but Marcus Morris Sr. (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3-5 3PT) and Kevin Knox II ( 1-8, 0-2 3PT) both misfired to end the exciting game that saw the Spurs cling to a modest margin of a lead before nearly letting it slip away. "I leave my heart on that court every night, do what I gotta do to get us a W," Bradley told TNT's David Aldridge, fresh off his new two-year 32 million deal, and tonight he reminded everyone why the Spurs value him so. Bradley drove hard to the basket for the most part, protecting the lead...