Somehow, someway, the Spurs would not say die and came back to win the whole shebang, courtesy of stellar shooting by Fred VanVleet (4-8 3PT, 14 points). Joe Harris came through in the clutch also, hitting two long bombs, but it was Andre Drummond alley-ooping his team to victory, breaking up would-be slams between LBJ & A.D. when it mattered most, an athletic weapon that the Spurs did not have last year in the playoffs. The Big Penguin finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds.
Dejounte Murray scored 18 points, 7 rebounds with 8 assists despite 3 fouls. Brandon Ingram was the high man for the west's best team, impressing the home crowd with 26 points & 12 rebounds. Kent Bazemore continued to struggle, going 0-4 from long range, but PJ Tucker scored 8 points hitting two threes to help stop the drought. The Spurs won the 4th Quarter, 18-29. The rest of the quarters went 21-27, SA; 32-21, LA & 26-24, SA.
In defeat, Davis had 19 points & 6 rebounds. LeBron James had 7 assists, 6 rebounds with 15 points. Jrue Holiday had 14 points, 7 assists. The perimeter shooting just wasn't there, as Dion Waiters & KCP shot poorly and the entire Lakers squad going 6-24. Meanwhile, the Spurs played more tightly this time around, giving up only six turnovers.
With the victory, the Spurs improve to 56-4 on the season, cruising to the top seed with just 22 games left to be played, a pace that could become the team's best record of the dynastic decade. Looking ahead, two of the four teams worthy enough to defeat the Spurs this season will meet San Antonio one last time (Suns and 76ers) with a final game against the Clippers (who've firmly moved into the #2 seed in the Western Conference standings) on the horizon as well.
