The Finals: Spurs win 11th consecutive NBA title in double OT classic, 150-143.

Dejounte Murray was unstoppable.

A close Game 4 turned wild in the 3rd Quarter, with the Phildaelphia 76ers mounting control over the Spurs, fighting for their season, desperate to send the series back to Texas for Game 5. By the end, it would not happen. But on the way there, an instant classic unfolded and the heart of a champion was demonstrated by the San Antonio Spurs, who were dead in the water, down 82-76 heading into the final quarter.

Philly boosted their lead to 14 points as the 4th Quarter got underway, with the defending champions nearly buckling under the road team pressure in front of a hostile crowd that chanted "Defense!" all game long. A sweep looked "not meant to be" as San Antonio's best shooters, Joe Harris & Fred VanVleet, had gone cold for three quarters and the Spurs offensive chemistry on the floor looked fractured at best. Joel Embiid was getting every rebound, swatting Andre Drummond's shots at the rim with ease, frustrating the Spurs big man to the point of a flagrant foul being called in the first overtime period, erasing the small lead once the Spurs finally got it back.

With two-minutes left to play, the Spurs had narrowed the gap to 95-101, a reward for tenacious defensive pressure that became undoubtedly the backbone of their historically great season record (77-5), forcing a backcourt violation into the hands of Brandon Ingram's layup, cutting the gap to four. Murray tussled with Milton for the loose ball on the wing, last touch by Shake for another turnover, which became a dunk by Bazemore (99-101). Embiid hammered it home next, followed up by Murray on the other end, followed up again by Embiid, but the big man fell down on the play, leaving Drummond open for a dunk back down court, only for Embiid to get the rebound after Milton missed at the tin, putting the 76ers up 103-107 with 1:19 on the clock.

Fred VanVleet kept the Spurs alive in the 4th Quarter.

Then Fred VanVleet saved the Spurs, flying off a screen to hit a 3PTer. Embiid crushed a dunk through on the other end, but VanVleet buried another 3PTer to notch the score at 109 with 40s to go. Milton missed the corner 3PT shot, but Brandon Ingram couldn't slay the Sixers at the buzzer as his baseline J went awry.

OverTime basketball in Philadelphia!

Fred VanVleet powered the Spurs onward, giving them a 113-111 advantage as Drummond's block got them the ball back for Murray's dunk on the other end, 115-111: Spurs. Al Horford hit a bunny to cancel out the dunk, but Dejounte dunked it home again past the entire 76ers defense, ala LeBron James v. the Pistons years ago. Next was the flagrant foul by Drummond, spoiling the 4-PT lead. Ingram redeemed the mistake, making it 119-115. Joel Embiid hit again, 119-117. Murray turned the ball over next. Drummond played Embiid well on defense, forcing the layup to roll out, with Kent Bazemore's would-be dagger splashing through, 122-117. Embiid made it 122-119 next, but Ingram hit that J this time around, making it 124-119 with 38 seconds left in OverTime.

Al Horford got a slick pass from Simmons for the layup, and a steal by Embiid on the inbound pass erased the Spurs lead, 124-123. Ingram buried both free throws after an intentional foul. Then Shake Milton hit a bomb from Steph Curry distance, tying the score yet again. Ingram missed a second time nearly at the buzzer, and even Andre Drummond's put-back game-winning shot did not fall, 128-128.

It's tough to win a championship without your best player on the court.

The Spurs caught a huge break early in Double OverTime, when Simmons got whistled for his 6th death-knell of a personal foul. Brandon Ingram dunked A.J. Lawson onto a poster next, but neck-and-neck it still went on, 134-134 then 138-134 after two more dunks by Murray, then 138-138 after a turnover by Ingram for Tobias Harris to score on the fast break, only for Murray to hit a floater over Embiid, 140-138. Murray heroically stole the ball on the next play, setting a Spurs record with 7 steals in the playoffs, as the Spurs haggardly called timeout.

Masterfully, Coach Popovich saw an opening to end the fight and subbed in Joe Harris with 40.6 seconds left in Double OverTime. Harris would go on to bury consecutive 3PT daggers, making it 143-138, then 146-140 after Philly made two free throws as Harris buried the corner splash. Embiid would admirably hit the and-1 lay-in past Drummond to make it 146-143, but the intentional foul game did not reward Phildaelphia as Ingram hit both free throws. With 8.1 on the clock, Tobias Harris had to put up the 3PTer, but it missed and Ingram buried the last two free throws of the NBA Finals. Philly put up the prayer from full court with fighting spirit, but it was over, if only finally.

The Rest:

Brandon Ingram repeated as Finals MVP, averaging 29.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 3.5apg & 2.5spg and staying within the percentages that earned him Most Improved Player honors, 52% from the field overall and 41% from 3PT distance. He scored 45 points in Game 4, going 15-31 from the field with 7 assists, 5 steals & 5 rebounds. Close behind was the spearhead of the Spurs, Dejounte Murray, whose tally of 29 points, 12 assists & 7 steals was truly unforgettable. Fred VanVleet made up for a cold first half to win his first NBA championship on a stat line of 24 points (9/17 FG) with 7 assists, 4 steals on 5 threes. Kent Bazemore had 14 points & 5 assists. Drummond, despite his frustrations with Embiid tonight, had 14 points as well with 11 rebounds, 4 steals and that crucial block down the stretch. Joe Harris had 11 points.

The scoring columns went:

1st Qtr: 21-21

2nd Qtr: 33-25, SA

3rd Qtr: 36-22, PH

4th Qtr: 33-27, SA

OT: 41-34, SA

For Philadelpha, Joel Embiid powered the last stand of the 76ers with 40 points & 25 rebounds with 3 blocks (on Drummond). Ben Simmons fouled out with 21 points & 14 assists (7 turnovers). Al Horford had 17 quality points with 5 boards & 2 steals. Shake Milton scored 16 points with 9 assists, showcasing his playmaking abilities once Simmons exited the game. Tobias Harris had 16 points, with Clint Capela contributing 14 points with 7 rebounds.

Both teams shot 55% (SA) & 60%, respectively. The Spurs made seven more 3PT shots and got four more free throw chances, connecting on all but three with Philly missing three. The Spurs narrowly won the fast break, 31-28, with 98-82 being the lead for Philly on interior scoring. The Spurs had 44 assists, to 39 by the 76ers. By the final buzzer, the Sixers had 30 turnovers as a team to just 11 by San Antone, with the Spurs leading by 12 at one point and the Sixers by 14.

The Finals: Spurs overcome Philly's storm to seize control of title path, 99-93. (3-0)

The 76ers returned home, anxious for a crucial win, and they nearly got it, but not quite as the Spurs touched down in city of brotherly love with as much fire to take control of the NBA Finals. The quarters went: 24-21, SA; 24-14, SA; 24-21, SA & 27-37, PA. Philly shot 3-19 from 3PT range, a lost perimeter cause, with 16 turnovers in another sloppy turnout.

In the heartbreaking loss, Shake Milton had 19 points, 6 rebounds & 6 assists. He still was chilly with 5-13 shooting. Joel Embiid came to life with 20 rebounds and 17 points. Ben Simmons had 16 points, 7 assists, almost making up for 5 turnovers. Clint Capela tried his best to get the win, notching 16 points off the bench. Tobias Harris had 13 points, with Al Horford contributing 6 points with 7 rebounds.

For the Spurs, Kent Bazemore led them to a commanding 3-0 advantage with 26 points. Brandon Ingram scored 24 points. Andre Drummond had 12 points, 13 rebounds & 2 blocks. Dejounte Murray dished 10 assists to go with his 11 points.

The Finals: Spurs beat 76ers again in Game 2, 102-115. (2-0)

The Spurs controlled the 76ers in Game 2, winning the 1st Quarter 13-27. Philly made an admirable effort to come back and make a game of it, but the Spurs won the fourth, 30-22, to seal the victory. Brandon Ingram shined with 28 points & 7 rebounds. Joe Harris got hot for 19 points. Fred VanVleet had 14 points, with Kent Bazemore & Dejounte Murray combining for 26 points, with Murray dishing a career-high 14 assists. P.J. Tucker was back to form for 11 points, hitting three from deep with 2 steals. Andre Drummond & Thomas Bryant combined for 15 rebounds & 15 points.

For the Sixers, Ben Simmons went 5-12 and had 8 gross turnovers, spoiling his 14 assists (13 points). Tobias Harris had 17 points. Shake Milton was cold again, going 3-9, for 12 points. Al Horford managed 12 points, with Clint Capela looking strong (fresh off winning Sixth Man of the Year) with 17 rebounds & 12 points, 2 blocks. Joel Embiid had 12 points, 18 rebounds. A.J. Lawson scored 11 points, getting NBA Finals experience in his rookie year.

The Spurs had 35 assists and only 3 turnovers, compared to 19 awful turnovers by Philadelphia.

The Finals: Spurs outlast 76ers in Game 1, 87-100. (1-0)

Both conference victors split the season series, but the Spurs would strike first in Game 1, fending off the fierce 76ers by thirteen points, pulling away in the 4th Quarter 31-24. Brandon Ingram had 20 points, 8 rebounds with 3 steals.

Dejounte Murray had 19 points, with Fred VanVleet scoring 18 points on four threes. Kent Bazemore had 11 points, as did Luka Samanic. Andre Drummond went 2-8, but saved 17 rebounds. P.J. Tucker returned to action, but scored just 2 points in 11 minutes.

In the narrow loss, Ben Simmons had 20 points & 11 assists with 8 rebounds. Tobias Harris also scored 20, with Al Horford securing a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds. Shake Milton's shot was off tonight, going 4-11 and 0-3 from long range. Joel Embiid had 16 rebounds, but scored 9 points.

WCF: Spurs sweep scoreless Clippers, 103-88. (4-0)

The Spurs came out big in Game 4, winning the 1st Quarter, 25-16, along with the other three quarters. Kawhi Leonard was a far cry from his glory days in Texas with 16 points, 6 rebounds & 7 assists on a 7-23 shooting night. Paul George went 4-13, scoring 11 points. Off the bench, Reggie Jackson only hit on 2 of his 8 attempts. Lou Williams tried to save the Clippers' season, but shot 1-7 overall.

In the series-clinching win, Brandon Ingram had 24 points to lead the Spurs. Kent Bazemore had 17 points behind him, with Trey Lyles erupting for 16 points. Andre Drummond had 13 rebounds.

Facing the loss-less Spurs as the only remaining obstacle from the Larry O'Brien trophy is the NBA Finals returning Eastern Conference Champion, Philadelphia 76ers. They got one win last year against the Spurs, but clearly and by far this is a different caliber team meeting them for the greatest prize in the league. San Antonio held the Clippers under 100 points for 3 out of the 4 victories in this series.

WCF: Spurs down Clippers on the road in Game 3, 97-86. (3-0)

Kawhi Leonard scored better tonight with 21 points, taking 21 shots to get there, but Paul George struggled again with just 14 points on 6-16. Patrick Beverley did not help matters, coughing the ball up 5 times, despite scoring 13 points with 7 assists. Landry Shamet & Marcus Morris were the coldest shooters, combining to go 2-13. The scoring struggle came to a head in the 3rd Quarter, as the Spurs beat L.A. there 32-18.

In the significant series victory, Brandon Ingram led San Antone with 28 points & 10 rebounds. Andre Drummond had a good game with 19 points, 17 rebounds & 3 blocks. Dejounte Murray had 14 points & 6 assists, with 13 points coming from Fred VanVleet along with 7 assists. Kent Bazemore had 19 points.

Both teams shot under 50%, with the Spurs overcoming 40% on their end.

WCF: Spurs beat Clippers again, 98-111. (2-0)

The Spurs held the Clippers below 100 points in Game 2, a reward for winning the 1st Quarter, 32-17. Kawhi Leonard had another off shooting night, going 7-17, with Paul George faring even worse (6-18, 1-10 3PT, 13 points). Montrez Harrell had 17 points, 8 rebounds for L.A.; Landry Shamet scored 17 also. Patrick Beverley dished 13 assists to go with 11 points.

In the win, the Spurs were led again by Joe Harris who stayed hot after his career Game 1 performance, notching 19 points tonight and hitting on 5 threes. Brandon Ingram scored 15 points, 7 rebounds. Kent Bazemore chipped in 14 points, and Andre Drummond grabbed 16 rebounds with 12 points. Dejounte Murray didn't score much, but dished 8 assists. Johnathan Williams had 10 rebounds off the bench.

The Spurs have controlled the tempo  in this series, converting it into two victories so far.

WCF: Spurs defeat Clippers in Game 1, 102-111. (1-0)

Fresh off sweeping the Lakers and showing why they were the #2 Western Conference seed, the Clippers struggled to score against the Spurs tonight. To make matters worse, Joe Harris had one of those nights and surpassed a mark set by former Spurs marksmen, Ray Allen, and Patty Mills, along with Warriors premier sniper Klay Thompson, as the clutch shooter buried twelve 3PT shots to make a new record not just for the Spurs as a team but for the entire league. In a career-high effort, Harris finished with 38 points.

The Harris spectacle became the topic of the night and sealed the victory in a close game, after the Spurs won the first quarter 26-18. Fred VanVleet scored 16 points in an otherwise quiet night for San Antonio's star trio: Drummond, Ingram & Murray combined for only 28 points, despite Drummond grabbing 19 rebounds with 6 mighty blocks. Murray also dished 7 assists.

"He was incredible. People forget he won the 3PT Shootout a couple years back. Only takes one going in for his eyes to light up," Coach Popovich said on Harris' career night. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard had 29 points but shot 9-19 and 0-6 from 3PT range. Paul George had 17 points, 7 assists. JaMychal Green had 16 points, 12 rebounds & Montrez Harrell sealed 12 points with 9 rebounds.

WCSF: Spurs move on as Jazz sans Gobert bow out, 118-104. (4-0)

In Gobert's stead, Ed Davis played admirably for 24 points, 18 rebounds with 1 block, but it just wasn't enough, even with Donovan Mitchell finally looking on-point with 23 points, 7 assists (9-16 FG, 3-3 3PT). Mike Conley had 15 points, 9 rebounds, but without Gobert down low, the Spurs feasted on the Jazz.

San Antonio won the 1st Quarter big, again, this time 30-14, then won the next two quarters, 30-18 for the 3rd. Utah made a valiant comeback, 47-30, but still lost by sixteen points.

A reversal of fortune this season, no doubt, with the Jazz down one of their key players. Brandon Ingram had 23 points for the Spurs, with 4 steals. Andre Drummond terrorized the Jazz interior with 16 points & 25 monstrous rebounds. Kent Bazemore had 14 points, with Trey Lyles notching 12 of his own. Dejounte Murray had 10 points with Joe Harris & Luka Samanic combining for 17.

In other surprising news, the L.A. Clippers succeeded at a shocking sweep of the Lakers after beating them in two close games to face the Spurs next. A minor injury to P.J. Tucker's wrist will keep him out until then, but the Spurs didn't need him tonight as the story was all about Gobert's absence.

WCSF: Spurs fend off Jazz as Gobert suffers injury, 102-92. (3-0)

As the Western Conference Semi Finals shifted to Salt Lake City, the Jazz nearly made it a 2-1 affair were it not for Rudy Gobert suffering an ill-boding injury late in what was a close game. The Spurs won the 1st Quarter, 24-17, but the Jazz won the second 23-26, before losing Gobert's services and losing the second half, 55-49.

Brandon Ingram scored 20 points, with Murray scoring 18 behind him. Fred VanVleet got cooking for 17 points. Kent Bazemore hit hard for 16 points, and Drummond corralled 13 rebounds. Joe Harris & P.J. Tucker scored 16 between the two of them and four threes.

In narrow defeat, Mike Conley had 20 points & 10 assists, but eight bad turnovers. Rudy Gobert before going down had 18 points & 19 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell, however, was the missing link tonight, as he went cold on a 5-17 clip (14 points). Joe Ingles & Bojan Bogdanovic finally got going, too, scoring 25 points together. Notably, ex-Spur Michael Carter-Williams had 7 ugly turnovers to make matters worse.

Update: Rudy Gobert expected to miss Game 4 due to right knee sprain.

WCSF: Spurs blow out Jazz in Game 2, 90-120. (2-0)

The Jazz were arguably out of the running after one quarter tonight, going down big 14-37 after the 1st. They won the second quarter, 30-25, but lost the second half, 25-27 & 21-31.

In defeat, Rudy Gobert had 21 rebounds & 17 points. Ed Davis looked nice with 9 rebounds & 8 points. Donovan Mitchell almost got going for 17 points, 8-17 overall. Mike Conley tried to spark a comeback with 21 points, but the Spurs were too strong tonight, allowing only four three-pointers made by Utah.

In the blowout win, Brandon Ingram scored 28 points & 11 rebounds. Dejounte Murray commanded the offense with 22 points & 7 assists, hitting two 3PT shots. Kent Bazemore chipped in 17, hitting three from deep & Andre Drummond yanked down 20 rebounds with 4 blocks & 13 points. Fred VanVleet scored 11 points with Joe Harris contributing 10.

WCSF: Spurs defeat Jazz in Game 1, 89-102. (1-0)

The Spurs came ready for a fight against the team who last year took them to 7 games, and cost them Brandon Ingram for that seventh game due to injury, but tonight the Slender-Man took charge for 24 points. The Jazz stayed close, but lost the 1st Quarter 14-24 then the 3rd Quarter, 20-33.

Kent Bazemore looked sharp with 16 points & 7 assists, hitting four threes. Dejounte Murray dished 6 assists to go with 14 points, and Thomas Bryan had 11 points off the bench. Andre Drummond had a quiet 7 points, 9 rebounds, but 6 mighty blocks against the Jazz tonight. Luka Samanic combined with P.J. Tucker & Fred VanVleet for 25 points as a trio.

Rudy Gobert looked great tonight, scoring 27 points & 27 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell had a chilly outing, spoiling what could've been a Game 1 upset, going 8-22 and 1-8 from 3PT territory for 18 points. Mike Conley had a rough night with four turnovers, scoring 14 points & 8 assists. Bojan Bogdanovic had 10 points, but shot just 5-12 and went scoreless from the perimeter.

WCQF: Spurs finish off Suns in Game 4, 109-93. (4-0)

DeAndre Ayton played his heart out in this series, and much should be said for the Phoenix Suns improving so much over last season and fighting their way into the playoffs, even going so far as to defeat the history-making 77-5 San Antonio Spurs on the way there. Getting swept comes with a sting unlike any other pain, but the Suns should be very proud and look forward to next season with their heads high.

They stood pat with the Spurs in the 1st Quarter, 24-24, but lost footing in the second, 33-23, then badly got beaten in the 3rd, 38-19, which all but quieted the home crowd, reality setting in for this young team.

Phoenix sparked a big-time run in the 4th Quarter, winning that 27-14, but it was still too late. The Suns had eleven turnovers, to only four by the Spurs. Ayton had 27 points, 15 rebounds, looking amazing for the future of this team. Devin Booker, however, scored 14 points and hit only half of his shots, book-ending a bad series for him. Khris Dunn shot 2-11, not giving Ricky Rubio much to work with (4 assists). Mikal Bridges shot 2-7 and Kelly Oubre, Jr. went 0-3 from deep.

For the Spurs, Fred VanVleet scored 17 points. Dejounte Murray notched 16 points, and Kent Bazemore scored 12. Brandon Ingram had a quiet night with 11 points, going 5-14. PJ Tucker scored 11 solid points, hitting three from long range. Joe Harris hit three, for good measure.

WCQF: Spurs obliterate Suns in Game 3, 104-88. (3-0)

Returning home did not cure Phoenix's woes, as they got squashed in the 1st Quarter by the road squad, 35-18, then 25-20 in the 2nd Quarter, facing a 60-38 deficit at halftime.

DeAndre Ayton looked bright again for the Suns, scoring 27 points & 15 rebounds but again had little support. Devin Booker scored only 12 points this time around, going 1-5 from long range and 5-11 overall. Ricky Rubio had 8 assists, 7 rebounds & 10 points but shot just 3-11 and 0-3 from long range. Khris Dunn went 1-7.

For the Spurs, Andre Drummond had 21 points & 15 rebounds. Dejounte Murray scored a strong 18 points, and so did Brandon Ingram to go with 11 rebounds. Fred VanVleet scored 14 points, hitting four 3PT daggers. Trey Lyles scored ten for the Spurs tonight.

WCQF: Spurs down Suns in Game 2 as Booker struggles, 94-104. (2-0)

A close first half set the tone for Game 2, with the Spurs losing the 1st Quarter (27-24) and winning the second, 23-27. It took three quarters, but the Spurs finally outscored the Suns (31-18) to seize a commanding lead, ultimately winning by ten points. Brandon Ingram was sensational with 29 points. Dejounte Murray finally overcame his demons against the Suns this year, going on to have a strong outing with 19 poins & 10 assists. Kent Bazemore contributed 19 points, hitting 4 threes, with 11 points & 11 assists backing him up from Fred VanVleet. Meanwhile, Andre Drummond crushed the glass with 28 dominant rebounds.

For the Suns, Devin Booker had a cold night on his hands with just 9 points, shooting 0-5 from long range and 4-13 overall. DeAndre Ayton managed 24 points, 19 rebounds with 5 impressive blocks. Dario Saric helped him with 19 points, but the Suns just didn't have enough tonight to stick with the home team. Ricky Rubio shot 3-10, Mikal Bridges went 2-6 & Kelly Oubre, Jr. only hit on 2 of his 7 shots.

The Spurs led by as many as 19 points.

WCQF: Spurs stagger for most of Game 1 then rally to win, 110-113. (1-0)

Phoenix nearly stole Game 1.

After a tumultuous first half separated by only two points, the Suns had the Spurs dead-to-rights after winning the 3rd Quarter, finding themselves up 99-83 in the champion's arena with no shots falling for the home team. 6:11 showed on the clock, a 16-PT deficit courtesy of a 14-4 blitz by the youthful Suns. Miraculously, that Texas fighting spirit sparked to life, as the Spurs ended Game 1 on a 30-11 rally of resurgence.

Credit must go to Fred VanVleet, whose five 3PT beauties got him 21 points on the night. The entire Spurs team overcame foul trouble, with FVV enduring five personal fouls to help the cause. Brandon Ingram ignited for 32 points, 2 steals & 2 blocks, shooting 11-19 and hitting two clutch 3PT shots. Andre Drummond was the spark of the comeback, grabbing 15 rebounds and giving the Spurs 15 second-chance points en route to fifteen threes as a team.

Drummond scored 16 points with 3 blocks. P.J. Tucker was also essential, filling in for a chilly 4-16 shooting night by Kent Bazemore (11 points), scoring 13 points and hitting three veteran-savvy perimeter strokes of survival. Dejounte Murray still has yet to decipher the Suns defensive strategy against him, having struggled to have his typical big scoring nights in all five games so far this season. He managed 10 points with 9 assists to make up for it, but shot 5-14. Joe Harris provided some help with 8 points, hitting an impressive floater over DeAndre Ayton (22 points, 23 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 11-17 FG%) and a trademark 3PTer during the fourth quarter upheaval.

In the stunning debacle, Devin Booker had a rocky night, going 6-13 for just 15 points. Ricky Rubio had 7 assists, but just 13 points, going 5-12. Kelly Oubre, Jr. paired with Dario Saric for 26 points. Mikal Bridges had 12 points & Frank Kaminksy III had 10 points. Phoenix lost the 4th Quarter, 25-36.

The Rest:

The Suns shot 55%, with just 47% by the Spurs. They only hit on six 3PT attempts, however, totaling 12 turnovers compared to only six by the Spurs. After losing the paint battle 74-50 and the fast break 25-13, Coach Popovich was not fond of the details despite the huge turnaround win. "We've got to be better. It's that simple. They had us calling in the priest. I'm proud of our effort to sneak out the back, but we've gotta man the front a lot better."

Spurs finish season 77-5, set new team win/loss record; Pop wins COTY; Andre Drummond earns MVP award & DPOY, Ingram snatches MIP, prep for Suns.

The Spurs ended the season with 15 straight victories, setting a new league record with 77 wins and only 5 losses, two of which came courtesy of the Phoenix Suns (41-41) who've made the playoffs after a last night knockout game against the Denver Nuggets, a follow-up crescendo to a huge overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in what has been a turnaround season for the young Suns.

Three Spurs players earned recognition in the award races this season, with Fred VanVleet having a tremendous first season with San Antonio. He improved his 3PT percentage from 37% to 44%, averaging 12.7 points-per-game compared to 9.4 in Toronto last season. His turnovers-per-game are also down from 1.5 to .9 and he averaged 4.8 assists-per-game, up from 3.9 a year ago. A definite candidate for Most Improved Player, it was still not as impressive as Brandon Ingram.

The Slender-Man in his third season with the Spurs averaged 22.7 points-per-game, up from 17.9, averaging .2 more rebounds per game, .3 more steals per game, .2 more blocks per game, but most impressively earned his membership into the hallowed "50/40/90" club. Ingram capped this season by making 50.7% of his field goals, remarkably shot 41.7% from the perimeter (a stark improvement from 32.6% last season) and made 91.5% of his free throws (up from 80% last season). Without question, Ingram showed the most improvement of any player in the league. Highlights this season included multiple 20-point performances, several 30-point games, some 40-point games, and best of all a career-high spectacle of 63 points.

The toughest decision yet came from having to choose between Ingram and newest Spur centerpiece, Andre Drummond. The Big Penguin joined only two other great players, Michael Jordan & Hakeem Olajuwon, in winning both Defensive Player of the Year honors and the coveted Most Valuable Player award. Without question, Drummond's impact on the defensive end of the court catapulted the Spurs to make league history with a 77-5 record. Drummond led the league in both rebounds per game, 16rpg, and blocks per game, 2.7bpg, edging out Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert & Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The most significant argument for Ingram to win the MVP award would've been Points-Per-Game, but Andre Drummond had the highest +/- rating of all players in the NBA this season, and when he went down in the first meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers after suffering a sprained wrist, the entire Spurs defense crumbled with it. He may have only averaged 11.8ppg, but worked hard with shooting coach Chip England this season to improve drastically from the free throw line to hit 81% of his shots from the charity stripe, warding off opposing teams to hack-a-Drummond anymore. He even made some 3PT shots this season (27.8%), with his rebound-per-game rate tying his 17-18 season. The big man also was very shrewd with the basketball this season, averaging only .8 turnovers per game, way down from 2.1 the last few seasons and dishing 2.7 assists per game.

"That's exactly why we signed him this summer," Coach Popovich spoke highly of Drummond. "He's the best center we've had since The Admiral, and we've sorely needed his impact for years. He makes his teammates better. He plays the game with a fire that is just truly a joy to watch. That's why he's the MVP."

Drummond received the most votes by far for MVP this season, especially due to how he helped his teammates improve by covering the glass with his towering interior presence and stellar defensive pressure, allowing them to focus on their own individual improvements, notably Ingram & VanVleet. Let us not forget Dejounte Murray's improvement this season also, averaging .5 less turnovers and shooting 6% better from long range while dishing .6 more assists per game and shooting 3% better from the field. Kent Bazemore had a strong first season with the Spurs as well, and Drummond was definitely a catalyst for the Spurs having such a great season.

The Playoffs have arrived, and so have the hungry Phoenix Suns. "Part of us wants to play them again. They got us twice this season. Monty Williams has done a fantastic job coaching that team. We're excited for the challenge," Coach Pop said at practice before Game 1 tips off!

Spurs edge Clippers in final regular season meeting (92-93), rally past Wizards (103-90).

Trey Lyles had a breakout night with 22 points, 10 rebounds against the Wizards in a game that had the Spurs down early, losing the 1st Quarter 12-24. It was a furious comeback in the 3rd Quarter, 38-21, and a cold 4th Quarter close by the Wizards that got the win for the Spurs in the Nation's capital.

Kent Bazemore had another strong outing with 23 points. Fred VanVleet scored 19 points & former Wizard, Thomas Bryant, had 15 rebounds. Ex-Spur, Jarrett Allen, had 15 points & 17 rebounds. Bradley Beal shot 7-20, faring badly in the final period as Washington let this one slip away, ending with 22 points.

Back in the Lone Star State, the Spurs edged the Clippers by a single point as Kawhi Leonard (19 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists) made a pull-up jumper, but then Brandon Ingram (22 points) stole his thunder with a layup down the fast break lane to win the game once Patrick Beverley (9 points, 2-8 FG) missed at the buzzer. Fred VanVleet had 17 points, hitting five 3PT bombs. Andre Drummond devoured 21 rebounds with 12 points and Luka Samanic scored 12 points. Dejounte Murray struggled for just 8 points, 7 assists on a 4-13 night.

For the Clippers, Paul George scored 17 points. The Clippers remain the #2 seed with single-digit games left on the schedule.

San Antonio endure early challenge by Heat, cruise to win

Brandon Ingram guarded Jimmy Butler (18 points, 8-19 FG, 1-5 3PT) all game long, scoring 22 points of his own in the first half. Not even the slick new blue/pink uniforms could get the Heat over the hump tonight, losing badly at home.

Notably, they did not lose by 50 points again, but superior play-making separated the Spurs tonight as they led by 12 points heading into the final period. San Antonio won the 3rd Quarter 32-22 after a contentious first half battle. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 26 points, 15 rebounds.

The Slender-Man finished the win with 28 points, with Andre Drummond scoring 20 points & 14 rebounds. Kent Bazemore notched 15 points on the night.

Spurs control Hawks in second half, win 121-109.

Kent Bazemore had another great performance against one of his former teams, scoring 25 points and hitting another five three-point bombs. Joe Harris got hot tonight, scoring 22 points. P.J. Tucker continues to earn a spot in the potential playoff rotation with 16 points, hitting three from deep.

Fred VanVleet had 15 points, with Drummond notching 10 points, 13 rebounds with 3 blocks. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo had 12 assists to go with 8 points as Dejounte Murray & Brandon Ingram took the night off.

For Atlanta, their effort vanished in the second half, losing the third 30-22 after losing the first quarter, 27-18 and stalemating San Antone 32-32 in the second quarter. They did win the 4th Quarter, 37-32, but it was too late. The Spurs amazingly hit 17-27 from 3PT range. Trae Young wounded up with 23 points, 9 assists, with DeAndre Hunter scoring 22 points.