San Antonio earns the season series split in big win over Finals opponent, 76ers: 118-131.

Brandon Ingram scored 28 points, and Kent Bazemore (27 points, 5 threes, 4 steals) came alive as the Spurs weathered a big fight from the eastern conference's toughest squad, overcoming an early deficit to spark a 3rd Quarter run. Leading into the 4th Quarter by 15 points, the Spurs got the "W" in convincing fashion as Joe Harris (19 points, 5 threes) kept burying 3PT daggers and Andre Drummond showed Philly that his wrist was just fine this time around, on his way to a 16 points, 19 rebounds performance.

Fred VanVleet dished 13 assists, approaching his career-high in dimes, scoring 7 points as well. Dejounte Murray had 19 points & 9 assists. Ingram got the highlight play of the game, swatting the ball down as Al Horford rose up for a layup attempt.

For the Sixers, Ben Simmons scored 14 points with 9 assists, 3 turnovers. Tobias Harris (14 points) had a chilly shooting night, going 6-13 from the field with Shake Milton notching 17 points. Al Horford finished the night with 11 points. Joel Embiid had 19 points, 19 rebounds to lead the Sixers. Behind him, Clint Capela had 12 points, 7 rebounds, catching a nice alley oop during the early run by Philly. However, the 76ers had 14 turnovers and only made five shots from long range, compared to 18 threes by the Spurs. Free throw shooting was also a problem, as Philly went 17/24 in what was mostly a close game.

If the stars align this summer, we'll see the Spurs and 76ers at least four more times. With two contentious battles in the books, it promises to be a great potential NBA Finals rematch (4-1, Spurs last year) in what has become a fierce rivalry between two tough-minded defensive squads.

Spurs sweep Rockets, win 94-106.

Fred VanVleet had 20 points, but had an off night shooting the 3-ball (3-10 3PT), but luckily Kent Bazemore's 19 points got the Spurs the win tonight, with Bazemore hitting five from deep. Brandon Ingram had 16 points in also a cold shooting spectacle, but managed 3 steals & 2 blocks.

Andre Drummond was the key component with 21 rebounds, 15 points. Dejounte Murray dished 8 assists to go with his twelve points.

For Houston, Russell Westbrook scored 24 points, 7 rebounds & 7 assists. James Harden had another cold night, scoring 18 points & 7 assists on a 5-17 clip (1-7 3PT) with six turnovers between Houston's brightest stars.

The Spurs only had 3 turnovers as a team, rolling to victory tonight.

Spurs defeat Kings at home, win 93-101.

On a night with limited minutes for the star trio, Thomas Bryant took up the mantle and led the Spurs to a close win down the stretch with 29 points, 11 rebounds. Joe Harris chipped in 14 points, with 12 points coming from Fred VanVleet. In limited action, Ingram, Murray & Drummond combined for 21 points, with Drummond grabbing 8 boards.

Marvin Bagley, III shined for Sac-Town again, scoring 19 points & 13 rebounds. Aaron Gordon had a decent night with 17 points, but shot just 7-16. DeAaron Fox had 16 points, 10 assists but missed two crucial free throws late that all but lost the game for the Kings, especially when Joe Harris buried a dagger from downtown to make it a six-point lead.

Richaun Holmes scored 12 points, 15 rebounds for the Kings; Kyle Kuzma scored eleven.

San Antone outlast run by Rockets, 96-95.

The Rockets came into this home game against the Spurs on an eight-game losing streak that was only extended by the buzzer, as Brandon Ingram nearly had a perfect 1st Quarter with 18 points. The Duke star finished with 31 points. Flawless interior scoring by the Spurs shot them out to a 20-PT advantage by halftime as the Rockets continue to fall apart at the seams, sporting a 20-45 win/loss record this season as they are nowhere near playoff contention in the western conference, with a surefire top-to-bottom team blow-up bound to happen this summer.

To their credit, the Rockets put together a stunning rally for the home crowd, stealing the lead away if only for a breath, as Dejounte Murray dunked the Spurs to a road victory as Harden followed with a tough 3PT miss at the buzzer.

The Rest:

The Spurs won the 1st Quarter, 33-20. But it was Houston that won the second half, 26-19 & 26-16. Andre Drummond had 11 points, 13 rebounds with 2 blocks. Robert Covington had 25 points. Russell Westbrook scored 21 points, 9 rebounds with 7 assists but shot just 9-16. Still, he fared better than James Harden (17 points, 7-17, 1-8 3PT) and Eric Gordon (1-7, 0-6 3PT) as the three-ball simply refused to fall for the Rockets.

Ingram lifts Spurs past fierce road effort by Pelicans, 116-123.

Brandon Ingram took charge of the Spurs tonight, scoring 43 points in what became a very tough contest courtesy of a career-high 20 assists by fellow ex-Laker Lonzo Ball (17 points), who got his first layup attempt swatted by former teammate, Ingram, before involving Nikolai Vucevic (30 points, 8 rebounds) & sophomore sensation Zion Williamson (30 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks).

Supernova in his own right notwistanding, Ingram benefited from Andre Drummond (12 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks) being a force down low, as the Spurs eventually seized control late after overcoming an eight-point deficit. The Pelicans stayed within two points in the final minute, before a huge 3PTer by Ingram sealed the deal, courtesy of an offensive rebound by Drummond.

The Rest:

Dejounte Murray had 17 points, 7 rebounds & 12 assists. Kent Bazemore also scored 17 points, with 3 steals. P.J. Tucker contributed 12 points, hitting 4 three-pointers. Fred VanVleet had 10 points with 8 assists, whereas Joe Harris buried a trio of threes. The Pelicans only made one 3PT shot as a team. The Spurs pulled away late to win the 4th Quarter, 23-34.

Spurned Spurs retaliate, crushing Heat by fifty: 79-129.

The Heat shot the ball so poorly, it got them whooped by fifty points, a season-high point spread mark by San Antonio, finding themselves back in the win margin once again. Brandon Ingram got that pass from Murray tonight, scorching Miami for 33 points & 11 rebounds with 4 steals. Murray, meanwhile, notched 27 points & 10 assists, redeeming himself after his blunder in Phoenix. Murray also snagged four steals.

The Rest: Kent Bazemore had 15 points, going a sweet 5-8 from long range as he improves to 37% overall after a cold slump last month. VanVleet notched 10 points, and Iman Shumpert got some burn for ten of his own. Andre Drummond smothered the interior for 23 rebounds & 7 assists to go with 8 tremendous blocks. P.J. Tucker scored 8, hitting two threes. Harris had 7. The Spurs won all four quarters: 14-31, 27-35, 17-29 & 21-34.

Former Spur, Skal Labissiere led the Heat with 15 points & 6 rebounds. Nico Mannion had 12 points, 7 assists. Kevin Love had just 10 points, 7 rebounds. Jimmy Butler had an awful game, with just 7 points on 3-10 shooting. Miami shot 41% for the game, going an ice cold 0-18 from 3PT territory with 16 turnovers.

Spunky Suns snap 27-game win streak, 112-116.

DeAndre Ayton had a career-high 20 rebounds to go with 27 points, whereas Dejounte Murray made a mental blunder catching the inbound pass as one foot dangled over the half-court line, on what Coach Popovich revealed post-game was meant to be an ISO jumper-attempt to win the game by Brandon Ingram (20 points, 7-16). Instead, Devin Booker hit a go-ahead push jumper at the free throw line and Ingram drew contact but missed a layup at the buzzer as the win streak crumbled in the valley of the sun.

The Suns become now the only team to defeat the titanic Spurs twice this season, claiming two of the team's only five defeats. "They play with heart," Coach Pop spoke highly of the Suns, who find themselves behind the #8 seed Golden State Warriors, having slipped a bit recently after a turnaround season. "Depending on where the ball drops at season's end, we could be seeing them again." If Phoenix uses this huge victory to go on a much-needed run, they could very well play against San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. Time will tell...

Meanwhile, Murray had a poor showing with only 11 points. Kent Bazemore scored 16 points, as the Spurs tried to involve Andre Drummond to no avail, going 5-12 with just 10 points, 10 rebounds. P.J. Tucker continued to play well, notching 14 points. Fred VanVleet has surged into 44% from 3PT range on the season, going 4-7 tonight for 14 points also, as Joe Harris scored 9 points and nearly won the game for the Spurs, only for the champions to blow a 103-96 advantage.

The Rest:

Thomas Bryant scored 11 points. Rajon Rondo had 8 assists. For the Suns, Brandon Ingram chased Devin Booker off the 3PT line, but he still finished with 24 points. Frank Kaminsky had a terrific game with 19 points, going 3-3 from long range. Dario Saric also had a strong 15 points.

3rd Quarter boosts Spurs past Jazz, 104-92.

The Jazz were bludgeoned by the Spurs in the 3rd Quarter, 34-21, after an otherwise close encounter with its longtime rival. The Spurs came out hot in Utah, 28-20, but the Jazz broke even 21-20 in the second. They even managed to claw back within 6 points, winning the 4th Quarter 30-22, before falling short.

Brandon Ingram led the Spurs with 24 points. Fred VanVleet had 16 points, hitting 4 threes. Dejounte Murray dished 10 stellar dimes, with 14 points & 3 steals. Kent Bazemore had 13 points, with Andre Drummond corralling 22 rebounds with 6 blocks. Trey Lyles had 9 points.

For the Jazz, Rudy Gobert had 16 points & 12 rebounds. Mike Conley, however, had six turnovers with just 13 points & 8 assists. Bojan Bogdanovic had 13 points. Donovan Mitchell went a cold 5-12, for just 12 points.

San Antonio rallies to down Kings on road, 97-82.

The Spurs won the 4th Quarter, 23-13, the perfect compliment to a 24-16 win in the 3rd, recuperating after Sacramento came back to win the second, 31-20, after the Spurs won the 1st, 30-22. Another low-scoring affair saw both teams shooting 37% & 39%, but the Kings shot just 3/18 from long range. The Spurs fired in desperation at certain moments, but it paid off as they buried 18 long-bombs.

For the Kings, they were led by Marvin Bagley, III's 13 points, 10 rebounds. De'Aaron Fox scored just 10 points with 7 assists. Aaron Gordon shot 4-12, going 1-4 from long range. Kyle Kuzma went way cold for 6 points, going 3-10 & 0-3 from 3PT range. Evan Fournier, Richaun Holmes & Dennis Schroder went a combined 5-20 from the field, with Harrison Barnes going 3-12 by his lonesome.

San Antone was led by Fred VanVleet's 21 points, as he went a flawless 5-5 from 3PT territory. Kent Bazemore shined bright for 19 points, hitting five threes. Brandon Ingram notched 18 points, with Dejounte dropping 14. Andre Drummond was the difference-maker, demanding 24 rebounds. Joe Harris had 12 points.

Spurs top T'Wolves again, 125-109.

The Timberwolves fared much better compared to the last meeting, but still fell short against San Antonio. In the loss, D'Angelo Russell scored 23 points with 14 assists (8-19 FG, 2-4 3PT). Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points, 10 rebounds with 4 blocks. Ex-Spur, T.J. Warren, scored 17 points with Jarrett Culver contributing 15 points. It was a 4th Quarter swing, 34-26 that helped the Spurs pull this win off, having enough momentum left over from a 37-22 1st Quarter blitz.

The Slender-Man led the Spurs with 28 points, going 13-16 & 2-2 from 3PT distance. Murray backed up Ingram with 22 points, 8 assists. Kent Bazemore continues to play well, scoring 17 points on 5-8 3PT shooting. Andre Drummond had 15 points, 7 rebounds with Thomas Bryant grabbing down 9 boards.

Smart basketball breeds success, as the Spurs only had 7 turnovers to 14 by Minnesota.

Spurs cruise past Hornets, 76-115.

Andre Drummond was all smiles as the Spurs rolled to a big home victory, with the big man dropping 23 points, 16 rebounds with 7 assists, 4 blocks & 5 steals in a masterful performance. Fred VanVleet ran the offense as Murray & Ingram took the night off, dishing 12 assists with 16 points & 3 steals. Joe Harris droppeed 16 points, hitting 4-5 from long range, as Bazemore & Tucker combined for 26 points. The Hornets barely scored in the 1st Quarter, losing it 8-36. Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points, 11 rebounds & Colin Sexton scored 14 points. Charlotte shot just 41%, going 5-16 from long range with 17 turnovers. The Spurs hit sixteen daggers, shooting 57% overall and scorching the court for 57 fast-break points.

Spurs claw out road win over Grizzlies, 94-85.

Ja Morant tried his hardest, going for 26 points & 7 assists (10-19 FG), with Jarren Jackson, Jr. scoring 15 points & 14 rebounds, but the Memphis Grizzlies went cold late against the Spurs. Malik Beasley had a cold game, going 3-13 & 0-5 from 3PT range. Paul Millsap had just 10 points, 12 rebounds.

For the Spurs, a 24-17 4th Quarter yield was enough to pull out the victory, led by Brandon Ingram's 23 points & 7 rebounds. Dejounte Murray had 17 points. Andre Drummond was a force for 19 rebounds, but shot poorly on a 2-11 night. Kent Bazemore & P.J. Tucker combined for 25 points. Fred VanVleet had a sharp 11 assists.

Both teams shot 38% & 41% respectively, with the worse-off team winning the game. The Grizz went 4-17 from long range, as the Spurs only had 3 to Memphis' ten turnovers--enough to be the difference.

Spurs obliterate Timberwolves as Murray reaches new career-high, 115-145.

The Spurs clobbered the visiting Timberwolves tonight, as Dejounte Murray soared to a new career-high with 41 points & 12 assists. Murray shot 18-24 with 4 steals. Not far behind was Brandon Ingram's 36 points, going 14-19. Kent Bazemore had 14 points, hitting two threes with 5 assists. Joe Harris scored 13 & P.J. Tucker had 11, hitting three threes. Andre Drummond notched 12 points, 14 rebounds with 3 blocks.

The Spurs won all four quarters: 23-38, 33-35, 26-33 & 33-39. The Timberwolves were unusually led by third-string center Bruno Fernando with 18 points. Jarrett Culver managed 14 points, going 4-11. KAT had 13 points, 14 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell had only 7 points. The Spurs were on fire, shooting 62% and hitting fourteen 3PTers. The Wolves shot just 8/25 from deep, coughing the ball up 15 times. The Spurs had 38 assists, with 74 points in the paint.

Spurs sweep Lakers in season series, 95-103.

Anthony Davis did everything he could, spearheading a furious Lakers road effort to take a 12-PT lead. Topsy-turvy to last season, the Lakers find themselves unable to defeat the Spurs.

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.

Spurs top testy Pacers, 98-106 in Texas.

Brandon Ingram led the Spurs to a gritty win over the tough Indiana Pacers, whom with a better performance by Myles Turner may have stolen this game. The Slender-Man had 22 points, 7 rebounds. P.J. Tucker had a breakout night with 20 points, hitting a dazzling six 3PT shots. Dejounte Murray had a solid 16 points, with Fred VanVleet dropping 13 with 2 steals (4-8 3PT, 42% avg this season). Drummond tormented the glass with 17 rebounds, as did Thomas Bryant (11 rebounds).

For Indiana, it took a 4th Quarter swing in San Antonio's favor to prove the difference, 25-35, in the Spurs direction, as Victor Oladipo scored 19 points. James Johnson had 12 points, 9 rebounds with Malcolm Brogdon finishing with 10 points & 6 assists. Myles Turner had 13 points, but only 6 points (1-10 FG). The Pacers won the third period, 27-22, nearly buckling the home team were it not for its stars coming through for the San Antonio faithful.

The Lakers are next to visit, the last of the season series that the Spurs lead 3-0.

Spurs edge Lakers in war of attrition, 92-87.

Both teams did not shoot the ball well, so one point seemed like a mile of advantage over the opponent, as the Spurs did just enough to win this game. The quarters were split 26-22, SA; 10-13, LA; 28-23, SA & 28-29, LA. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Lakers with 20 points on a night with both of LA's biggest weapons struggling to be effective: LeBron James shot 4-13, going 0-4 from long range with 4 turnovers, to score only 11 points (with 10 assists) & Anthony "A.D." Davis scoring 15 points & 10 rebounds (0-3 3PT).

For San Antonio, its strongest weapons proved to be the difference with Ingram scoring 27 points, 10 rebounds after two poor games with 2 steals & Dejounte Murray dropping 22 points and 7 assists. They got some help from Fred VanVleet's 11 points and PJ Tucker's, the two stalwart defenders hitting six threes between them. Andre Drummond had a quiet scoring night, but corralled 14 rebounds. The Spurs had their own problems, as Kent Bazemore shot just 1-6 & Joe Harris went 3-11, 2-9 from 3PT range.

Spurs pull away over Thunder, 97-116, beat Nuggets again 110-89, then down Warriors 108-96.

Brandon Ingram had a rough night shooting the ball (6 points, 3-13 FG) but Joe Harris scored 15 points & Andre Drummond (17 points, 12 rebounds) powered the Spurs to a home victory, the strong offense led by Dejounte Murray's 10 points, and 10 assists. Kent Bazemore scored 13 points, as did Trey Lyles & Iman Shumpert. San Antonio won the 4th Quarter 20-39, after going 21-25, 24-25 & 32-27 (OKC won the third). Allen Crabbe had a return to action with 12 points.

In the loss, Steven Adams secured his All*Star selection with 19 points, 18 rebounds, with Mike Muscala dropping 18 also. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points with 6 assists, whereas Chris Paul struggled for just 12 points & 7 assists.

In Denver, Bol Bol had 24 points, 10 rebounds in a stellar outing but Nikola Jokic (6-15 FG) was quiet with 15 points, 13 rebounds. Jerami Grant had a solid 14 points, 12 rebounds but Jamaal Murray shot 3-10, with Michael Porter, Jr & Monte Morris combining to shoot 5-18.

Meanwhile, the Spurs crushed the Nuggets in the 1st & 3rd Quarters, 29-22 and 33-19 to pull away. Fred VanVleet hit three long range bombs for 17 points with 3 steals, seconded by Brandon Ingram's 15 points. Thomas Bryant had a quick-and-easy 15 points, 11 rebounds. Dejounte Murray dished 7 assists with 13 points, with Joe Harris & P.J. Tucker combining for 24 points and going 4-4 from 3PT territory.

A rivalry now in the rear view, the Warriors made things fun as Andrew Wiggins eventually got to a good showing with 23 points (10-19 FG) & Steph Curry dropped 22 points with 11 assists (7-20 FG, 3-12 3PT) in what was far from the Curry of old. Klay Thompson continues to struggle against the Spurs, with just 13 points (6-12). The Spurs won all four quarters: 28-22, 25-24, 24-22 & 31-28.

In the win, Dejounte Murray got top marks with 28 points, 6 assists & 4 steals, shooting 13-16 overall. Brandon Ingram was not far behind him, notching 22 points. Down low, Andre Drummond dominated the basketball with 17 points, 24 rebounds. Luka Samanic had a nice 13 points.

Spurs avoid collapse at home on cold shooting night to improve winstreak to 15 in 103-112 victory over Denver.

Benefiting by a cold shooting stroke for San Antonio, the Nuggets went up by ten points, 101-91, after recently acquired-JJ Redick hit a would-be 3PT dagger. But the perseverant Spurs would not say die, with their 14-game win streak on the line, sending the home crowd into a bonafide frenzy by the buzzer. "It sounds like a rock concert in here!" Kevin Harlan remarked on the sidelines, having witnessed quite the comeback by the home team.

The recipe for the comeback? Constant defense and consistent scoring. First, an otherwise chilly B.I. (12 points, 11 rebounds, 5/13) hit a 3PTer, followed up by Fred VanVleet's masterful stroke (42% avg) & then Andre Drummond (8 rebounds, 8 points, 5 steals, 2 blocks) caught a misfire and slammed it home (101-99). Denver would finally respond, as Nikola Jokic (22 points, 12 rebounds) hit a baseline jumper with 1:08 to play, yet it would be their final basket in the contest. Dejounte Murray (in an effort just two points shy of his career-high) hit two clutch free throws, then hit a layup to tie the score at 103 with .45 left on the clock VanVleet (20 points, 3-10 3PT, 3 steals) would carry the Spurs over the hump, his layup giving San Antone the two-point advantage, and Murray would hit the crescendo with a 3PTer to make it 103-108.

Ending the game on a 21-2 blitz, the Spurs now look ahead to the visiting OKC Thunder as the last challenge before All*Star Weekend with a tremendous feel-good victory tonight to celebrate, towering above the league with now their 50th win on the season, as the Nuggets conversely struggle to overstep the post-season threshold. B.I. got a highlight rejection on rookie Bol Bol (6 points, 8 rebounds), as did Johnathan Williams (6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) on a dunk attempt by Jokic.

The Rest:

A brush of good luck came in the form of Thomas Bryant only suffering a minor injury scare once entering the game, as the Spurs smartly took him out for the rest of the night. Medical staff says he'll be ready to go for the game against OKC, but the Spurs surely missed his scoring contributions. Kent Bazemore had 13 points, sparking a third-quarter resurgence (31-28, after Denver narrowly won the first half 48-46). The Nuggets would regain momentum, trailing just by one after the third quarter which made the near-upset possible. JJ Redick had 13 points, hitting 3-4 from long distance. Will Barton scored 12, as did prospect Michael Porter, Jr. Jamaal Murray had another quiet showing with just 10 points & 8 assists. Anything more, and Denver likely would've hung on tonight for the upset.

Defensive prowess helps Spurs (49-4) overcome large deficit to overwhelm Bucks on road, 117-103.

Past NBA Finals rivals squared off in the Cream City tonight, as a huge ?-point lead grew for the Bucks in the 2nd Quarter from a display of dominance by Milwaukee. The dynastic Spurs surged back, sparked by stellar perimeter power (15/31 3PT), crushing the Bucks in the fourth quarter with furious defense that erased the deficit for the defending champions.

After a frustrating three quarters, Brandon Ingram (21 points, 3 steals, 1 block) finally figured it out and dunked it home for a 97-95 lead, the two of a one-two exchange by the Slender-Man burying a mid-range dagger that had tied the game. Ingram also swatted Middleton at the rim late. Kent Bazemore (19 points, 2 steals) nailed two 3PTers in the final minute to ice the game, with the scoreboard having gone topsy-turvy by the buzzer's call. Fred VanVleet was big, yet again, with 12 points and hitting four 3PT bombs with 5 assists & a key steal down the stretch.

The Bucks won the 2nd Quarter, 38-19, with San Antone dominating the 4th Quarter, 43-16, to finish the season sweep, highlighted by Ingram swiping the ball loose from Antetokounmpo (20 points, 17 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 turnovers). On another memorably wild exchange, Khris Middleton (6-14, 2-8 3PT) back-ironed a golden three-pointer off a double screen, with both teams' big men smacking the rebound backward into the hands of a hot Eric Bledsoe (24 points, 6 assists, 11-16 FG, 2-3 3PT), but Joe Harris (11 points, 3-3 3PT) pried the ball free yet again for the big slam by Murray (19 points, 8 assists) to give the Spurs a 99-95 lead.

Andre Drummond was a force on the glass, scoring 17 and yanking home 14 rebounds. Drummond even hit a corner 3PTer late in the first quarter, left alone by the Bucks defense. Thomas Bryant came through in the clutch after a cold second quarter, finishing with 8 points, 8 rebounds and burying a 3PTer during one of San Antonio's impressive runs, highlighted by P.J. Tucker burying a three.

Spurs roll past Bulls (98-108), then Cavaliers (116-105) with strong bench play.

The star trio rested two games, as the All*Star Break approaches, allowing prospects Luka Samanic & Thomas Bryant to shine against other youth-led squads in Chicago & Cleveland. The Cavaliers even came back after being down big and sneaked the lead away for a moment, but the Spurs were able to recover for the road victory despite a strong showing by Domatas Sabonis (18 points, 13 rebounds).

Luka Samanic had 7 points, hitting all three of his shots in Cleveland, but scored a career-high 20 points against Chicago with 7 rebounds, impressing Coach Pop with 2 blocks on a 9-14 shooting night. Thomas Bryant also continues to gel with San Antonio, dropping a big 23 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals & 2 blocks against the Bulls. Bryant followed that showing up with 19 points, 10 rebounds in Cleveland. P.J. Tucker had a breakout night after going through a rough slump since shooting hot early this season, scoring 18 points. Joe Harris had 15.

10-Game Win Streak Recap: Spurs (45-4) stay atop league standings, Drummond makes All*Star Game; Ingram drops 41 and VanVleet has a perfect game.

Ingram is averaging 23ppg this season.

Sparked by Andre Drummond's career-high night, the Spurs followed it up with nine more victories, topping the Pelicans (97-112), Trail Blazers (93-125), Knicks (75-94), Pacers (106-101) & Rockets (97-125).

Brandon Ingram scored 24 points against Zion Williamson (18 points, 10 rebounds). Lonzo Ball dished 10 assists and new Pelican Nikolai Vucevic contributed 18 points & 14 rebounds, but it was enough due to 21 points by new Spur Thomas Bryant (3-4 3PT) and 17 points by VanVleet, 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists by Dejounte Murray & 16 rebounds, 14 points by Drummond.

The Big Penguin heated up again, flexing against Portland for 25 points, 21 rebounds with 4 steals & 2 blocks as the Spurs cruised to another home win. Ingram contributed 19 points and Johnathan Williams had a delightful 14 points. Damian Lillard scored just 18 points, with CJ McCollum going 4-11.

Up next, Fred VanVleet put on a virtuoso performance, scoring on all ten of his baskets (including a 3PTer) for 24 points. Trey Lyles had a resurgence of 16 points & 6 rebounds, hitting two threes. Allen Crabbe had a nice outing with 15 points, going 4-6 from deep territory. Bryant contributed 11 points, 9 rebounds, as the star trio sat this one out for the Spurs. LaMelo Ball had a rough night, shooting 2-11 with 5 turnovers. Blake Griffin had just 10 points, with Kevin Knox II going 0-4 from long range & RJ Barrett having a quiet night, as well.

The Pacers came closest to a win, but were seemingly always 5-6 points behind the curve as the Spurs surprised the home team 31-20 in the first quarter. Myles Turner did star with 24 points, 9 rebounds, but Victor Oladipo had a quiet night with just 9 points, 11 assists. Dennis Smith, Jr. went 3-9 & James Johnson got outpaced by Brandon Ingram (24 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks), despite 16 points. Malcolm Brogdon was the x-factor, sadly shooting 4-14 despite having a nice year shooting-wise thus far. Indiana still remains high in the eastern conference standings, though. Dejounte Murray had 18 points, 8 assists & Fred VanVleet dropped 16 points with 7 assists, going 4-5 from long range. Andre Drummond had 14 rebounds, 12 points with 5 blocks. Kent Bazemore droppd 13, as San Antonio shot 58% from 3PT territory (11/19).

Lastly, the struggling Houston Rockets were blown out again, courtesy of a master-class showing by Brandon Ingram, who was showered with "M-V-P" chants by the San Antone faithful, notching 41 points and going 3-3 from long range. The Slender-Man is now boasting 40% from 3PT this season, a high improvement over last season. Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet is making a lot of noise for Most Improved Player, now shooting 41% from deep. FVV continues to average higher assists and scoring numbers, as well as less turnovers and higher steals rate than last season with the Raptors. Fred hit all three of his perimeter daggers in this game, whose shot selection has been nothing short of spectacular.

Luka Samanic dropped 14 points, 7 rebounds, as the sophomore shooter continues to carve out a role in the rotation. Iman Shumpert scored 11 points, as Andre Drummond corralled 18 rebounds with 10 points. Dejounte Murray had 14 points. For Houston, they sneaked within 10 points in the third quarter, before going back down by 20 points again. Robert Covington had a nice game, 20 points, one less than an off night by James Harden (10 assists) and Russell Westbrook had 13 points (5-12). The Rockets only shot 31% from 3PT distance.

In other news around the league, the Lakers & Clippers are pulling away from the rest of the west in the standings. The Knicks have lost five straight, after a hot start to the year, and the Raptors season had a nice moment with Pascal Siakam dropping a career-high 46 points last night in a win over those same Knicks.

Spurs cruise to win over Rockets, as Drummond drops career-high 41 points, 127-105.

Andre Drummond was whistled for a controversial flagrant foul, which Coach Popovich unsuccessfully challenged. But rather than let it dictate the rest of the game, the Big Penguin got fired-up and scored countless second-chance baskets, en route to a career tally on the box score. Drummond finished with 41 points, 20 rebounds, 2 steals & 4 blocks. Dejounte Murray fed the big man, dishing 5 assists, scoring 19 points and blocking a corner 3PT attempt by Houston throughout the game. Brandon Ingram had a quiet 13 points, 6 rebounds, as did Joe Harris (after a cold spell of games) who hit 3 threes. Fred VanVleet scored 1

For Houston, James Harden had a down game, as Houston only made 4-21 long shots, finishing with 16 points, going 2-7 from long range with 2 turnovers. Russell Westbrook (28 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 13-28 FG, 0-4 3PT) made it a fun night for the Rockets crowd, but the Spurs controlled this game, winning 3 of 4 quarters (w/a second quarter stalemate). Nemanja Bjelica scored 17 points, 6 rebounds, but Houston did not get much more help from the supporting talent. Eric Gordon shot 2-7, as the Rockets continue to fall in the standings, trailing once by 22 points in this game.

Spurs pulverize Suns with 20-0 run, win 112-119.

The improved Phoenix Suns came in strong, and may have taken command of this game had Brandon Ingram not scored 22 points in the first half and contained Devin Booker (17 points, 7-17, 2 turnovers) on defense. The Suns, however, were blown out of the sky in the 3rd Quarter by a master-class showcase from San Antonio. The Spurs trailed by eight points, 65-73, forcing Coach Popovich to call timeout. Phoenix suddenly went cold as the Spurs defense heated up, and with three minutes left they now led by 10 points, courtesy of a 20-0 scoring blitz, 85-73. The Spurs won the third, 37-20.

Notably, the Suns did regain some momentum to win the 4th Quarter, 35-23 but the Spurs led for most of the quarter.

Ingram finished the game with 31 points, hitting three perimeter shots. Fred VanVleet scored 23 points, as Dejounte Murray dished 8 assists with 13 points. Andre Drummond had 13 points, 11 rebounds & 4 blocks. Trey Lyles had a bounce-back game with 13 points, going 3-3 from long range. For the Suns, DeAndre Ayton notched 26 points & 16 rebounds. Dario Saric scored 17 points with 7 rebounds, 5 assists. 

Spurs fend off Utah to best rival Jazz a third time, 98-105.

At least there's respect between coaches, Synder & Popovich.

The Jazz stayed close, as Rudy Gobert (26 points, 23 rebounds) terrorized a rusty Spurs team--whose stars came back to the hardwood, notably post-injury Andre Drummond--but fell short as the Spurs defense forced multiple shot-clock violations due to fierce blocks.

Fred VanVleet (10 points, 7 assists) delightfully poked the ball loose, Drummond (16 rebounds, 3 blocks) dished it back to him, and he splashed in the 3PTer. Brandon Ingram (27 points) had a cold first half, but powered the Spurs to a win hitting 3-of-5 from downtown, excelling on two-man play in the fast break with Dejounte Murray (19 points, 7 assists). Having led the Spurs past the Pistons last game with 23 points, Kent Bazemore had another solid outing of 19 points, hitting three long shots.

The Rest: P.J. Tucker scored six points, getting a clutch steal down the stretch as the Spurs led by as much as fourteen. Thomas Bryant made his Spurs debut, grabbing six boards and swishing a corner 3PT shot in the 4th Quarter. Johnathan Williams caught a slick pass from Rajon Rondo, burying the elbow jumper. For Utah, Donovan Mitchell got the Jazz within striking distance in the 4th Quarter, scoring 20 points. Mike Conley dished 11 assists and scored eleven. Joe Ingles, however, went 0-4 and 2-7 overall. Utah only hit on three tries from 3PT distance, compared to 13 by the Spurs.

Trades Recap: Lakers land Jrue Holiday, Charlotte deals Batum, Brooklyn ships Warren.

As the Lakers sat firmly in second place of the western conference (with the Clippers and the next three teams) only two-to-three games behind them, push came to shove and GM Rob Pelinka pulled off another stunning deal, trading for Jrue Holiday (and his expiring 26m contract) in a record-breaking eighteen-player blockbuster arrangement.

On a 10-game losing streak (even after acquiring Zach LaVine), the Orlando Magic parted ways with Nikola Vucevic and thereby committed to Mo Bamba's development as the new starting center. The Pelicans were happy to receive Vucevic's scoring ability to pair alongside Zion Williamson and help spread the floor better than with Derrick Favors, who slides back to a backup center/power forward role. The Pelicans supplemented Orlando's loss with prospect center Jaxson Hayes (#8 pick, 2019) and rookie point guard Killian Hayes (#13 overall, 2020) to make up for losing DJ Augustin to New Orleans.

The Lakers motivation was addition by subtraction, nabbing Jae Crowder's perimeter defense and Wilson Chandler, in exchange for Danny Green joining the Magic, choosing to hang onto Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who's having a better year). They had to deal JaVale McGee to Orlando, also, but have subsequently signed free agent (and ex-Spur) Joakim Noah, rival of LeBron James for years in the eastern conference, now turned teammate to back up Marc Gasol.

The Rest: Quinn Cook joins Orlando, prospect point guards James Drew & Ayo Dosunmu, center rookie N'Faly Dante go to the South Bay Lakers, Jimma Gatwech heads to N'awlins, Patty Mills takes his mentorship role to Orlando where he can help Markelle Fultz (and Hayes) improve their game. Both Green and Mills also boost Orlando's scoring problem, despite having LaVine and DeRozan. Time will tell if the Magic can figure their way back up in the standings, despite a bevy of roster moves over the summer and this season. The Pelicans receive Talen Horton-Tucker, Matthew Dellavedova (a reunion with LeBron James that didn't quite pan out) & Tre Jones.

After dealing Terry Rozier away to Cleveland, the Hornets are nearly back to zero financially after finally finding a new home for Nicolas Batum to the Memphis Grizzlies with Miles Bridges in exchange for Kyle Anderson & Jonas Valanciunas. Memphis will now be able to play Paul Millsap alongside Jaren Jackson, Jr in the starting lineup. The Grizzlies also get a top 3 protected 2023 draft pick. John Wall joined the Pistons to help mentor Cole Anthony (leading ROY candidate), Blake Griffin joined the Knicks with Julius Randle joining the Wizards for Derrick Rose to Detroit.

In other news, the struggling Brooklyn Nets are now able to slot Kevin Durant into the PF spot as T.J. Warren (ex-Spur) was dealt to the improved Minnesota Timberwolves to pair with KAT in the frontcourt. Marco Belinelli joins the T'Wolves, as Josh Okogie joins Brooklyn. The Pelicans made more waves by dealing Josh Hart to the Nuggets for Gary Harris, losing out on JJ Redick, who'll improve Denver's playoff chances, gaining two more draft picks for the Duke sniper.

Spurs sign-and-trade Allen to Wizards for Bryant, ship Cazalon to Portland.

Thomas Bryant is a rim-running stretch five.

The trade winds picked up a head of steam, with the Spurs front office deftly solving roster predicaments and future financial issues.

The Washington Wizards have acquired budding star center, Jarrett Allen, in exchange for Thomas Bryant. The Portland Trail Blazers got involved to help San Antonio's roster issues, nabbing promising French point guard prospect, Malcolm Cazalon, who spent most of his time this season with the Austin Spurs of the G-League, averaging 2.8ppg and 1.5apg for San Antonio & 17ppg, 5.2apg for Austin. A swap of draft picks will see the Spurs give Portland a 2023 2nd round pick and acquire Washington's 2024 2nd round pick, with Washington receiving Portland's 2024 2nd round pick.

To make the trade desirable for the Wizards, the Spurs locked up Allen to a 3-YR, 53m pact, securing three years after this season for Washington to see him further develop into a star impact player alongside Bradley Beal. Allen had played so well this far into the season that the financial figures didn't make sense in the long run for the Spurs to have a backup center on nearly a 20-million deal. Without an Andre Drummond to worry about, the Wizards are able to improve their interior defense, as Allen has averaged 2.2 blocks per game, hoisting down 9.4 rebounds. In two less minutes of action this season, Allen had equaled his stat-line from last season, further showing that he's ready to make the next leap with more opportunity, a starting position he'd never get with Drummond as part of San Antonio's future plans.

Jarrett Allen improved his stock too much.

Compared to Thomas Bryant, the Wizards improve their defense while losing some of Bryant's scoring talent from long range, which was attractive for the Spurs to contrast against Drummond's bruiser, defense-first mentality on the court. San Antonio's excellent defensive training staff will certainly aim to improve Bryant's effectiveness on defense, but they already like what they see on the scoring side. Bryant also has one year left on a 3-YR deal of his own with Washington, so the Spurs don't have to worry about losing him this summer, which was likely to have transpired with Allen.

In a corresponding move, the Spurs no longer have roster issues and are able to sign third-string (and capable backup with Drummon out) center, Johnathan Willliams, for the rest of the season as his two-way NBA games limit had expired. San Antonio also gets to keep onto Wes Iwundu, who they would've most likely reluctantly cut to accommodate Williams to fit on the roster, and continue his development. Bryant also fits the overall timeline better, not seeming to bump against Drummond for playing time. With his shooting ability, it's possible the Spurs may run him at the power forward spot also.

Spurs top LaMelo's Knicks @MSG, 93-86.

The Knicks lost control, eventually.

In the wake of the Philadelphia 76ers snapping the 10-Game win streak, the San Antonio Spurs looked low in spirit and abysmally low in perimeter scoring for one half of basketball, losing 18-26 then 18-21 to the young-blood Knickerbockers led by LaMelo Ball (7 points, 9 assists, 2-8 FG) & Blake Griffin (21 points).

Then the 3rd Quarter erupted, as the Spurs won it big 31-13, going on to stalemate New York 26-26 in the final quarter to succeed at the comeback dream in the Garden tonight. Kevin Knox, II had 15 points and DeMarcus Cousins scored 12. Mitchell Robinson yanked down 16 rebounds, but R.J. Barrett (#9) shot just 3-9 as the Knicks struggled from 3PT territory. Ex-Buck, Sterling Brown, shot a cold 1-7 to boot.

For the Spurs, cranking up the defensive pressure worked wonders led by Brandon Ingram (23 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals). Dejounte Murray had 18 points. P.J. Tucker buried a 3-PT dagger late, scoring 11 overall. Filling out the rest, Kent Bazemore & Luka Samanic combined for 17 points, despite a cold night by Joe Harris. Both teams shot under 45%, but the Spurs made twice as many 3PT shots, notching 13 steals as the Spurs Way totally disrupted the on-court flow of the young-and-gun Knicks.

Finals Rematch: 76ers win showdown as Spurs lose Drummond, 95-98 in Philly.

Joel Embiid dominated the glass.

Update: Spurs medical staff diagnoses sprained left wrist for Andre Drummond (C), expected to miss 3-5 games.

There was a buzz in the Brotherly air tonight, but the injury bug bit Andre Drummond (6 points, 10 rebounds, 16 minutes), a dark spot in an otherwise epic Finals grudge match and likely preview come this April.

Before the ugly sight of Drummond tussling with Embiid onto the hardwood after a missed shot attempt and subsequently falling onto his wrist, the Spurs edged the Sixers after quarter one, 28-27. Philly would strike back, 17-22, in the second. The second half was scored, 23-24 (PHI) and 27-25 (SAS), with the 76ers ultimately holding on for the cathartic victory after a 1-4 Finals defeat, despite winning both meetings in last year's regular season.

The Spurs valiantly fought to the bitter end without their newest, best weapon to contend with Embiid's towering presence (19 points, 23 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Ben Simmons' continual growth as the leader of the 76ers (15 points, 10 assists). They trailed by as many as 13 points, but weathered the storm until Embiid missed 1 of 2 at the free throw line. Down by three, Coach Pop drew up a play for a wing 3-PTer for Brandon Ingram (22 points, 7-24 FG), only for Al Horford (6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block) to showcase his defensive value by intercepting the pass to the buzzer's liking. Philadelphia's mountainous physicality caused fits for Ingram & Murray all game long, as San Antonio''s point guard tallied a quiet 13 points (despite 10 assists) on 6-17 shots. By night's end, Jarrett Allen--who normally answers the call when Drummond has sat out games--came up small with only 2 points & 8 rebounds, on the giving end of too many mistakes by the Spurs to win this one.

The Rest:
Kent Bazemore scored 18 points, hitting a trio of perimeter shots in the 1st Quarter. Fred VanVleet was sharp, knocking down five threes, scoring 17 points. Joe Harris buried five as well for 15 points, but missed in the clutch during San Antone's few chances to seize control back to their side.

Tobias Harris had 14 points; Shake Milton looked good in his new starting SG role with 12 points. Clint Capela, supporting Embiid off the bench, had 10 points & 9 rebounds. #20 pick, A.J. Lawson, scored 10 points, smashing down a highlight reel dunk. This rivalry has only just begun.

Bazemore, Allen lead Spurs past Cavaliers, 95-100.

Darius Garland & the Cavs lost a close one tonight.

After the huge win over Utah, the Spurs once again deployed load management for its star trio, leaving victory responsibilities to Kent Bazemore (22 points) and Jarrett Allen (22 rebounds, 4 blocks) with Fred VanVleet (17 points, 6 assists) lighting the way for them. Luka Samanic had a nice 13 points, hitting three deep blows against the young Cleveland roster.

Point guard prospect, Malcolm Cazalon, dueled with Darius Garland for stretches, finishing with 11 points, as Garland notched 23 points with 7 assists. Terry Rozier, III, had 16 points for Cleveland, on a chilly 6-15 night. Domatas Sabonis scored 10 points, 11 rebounds with Cedi Osman splashing in 11. Lottery pick, Matthew Hurt, grabbed 11 rebounds with Malik Monk going 2-10 overall.

Cleveland benefited from a hot start, but San Antonio edged close only losing the 1st Quarter 20-26, and responding largely to win the 3rd Quarter, 21-31. Both teams struggled to shoot well, below 50%, but the Spurs had more control with only four turnovers as a squad.

Spurs withstand upheaval by Utah, win 100-101 in final seconds.

Mitchell nearly downed the Spurs at the buzzer.

A sluggish outing for both rival teams turned volatile after Rudy Gobert (25 points, 17 rebounds, 4 blocks) spear-headed a fierce road team rally in the 3rd Quarter, foreshadowing a tumultuous final period. Utah won the third, 28-18.

Meanwhile, San Antonio was weighed down by foul trouble for both Andre Drummond (12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks) and uncharacteristically, Brandon Ingram. Both stars were whistled for fouls in the first minute of action. Drummond would eventually foul out of the showdown with 1:40 left to play, despite salvaging his performance with some nice defensive plays and dunks on second chance baskets.

The Jazz may have sprung to life first, threatening to become only the third team to defeat the Spurs at home (and only the fourth team to defeat them, at all, this season), but Fred VanVleet (12 points, 2 steals, 1 block) came through in the clutch and Dejounte Murray (19 points, 5 assists) took up the leader's mantle, rocking the rim in transition and posterizing Gobert midway through the 4th Quarter to the roar of the Spurs loyal. Murray would keep the Jazz at bay, hitting two free throws with 90 seconds to go.

The tantalizing pick-and-roll by Mitchell & Gobert nearly eviscerated the Spurs defense, spoiling a nice shot by Ingram as Utah made it 95-97, a two-point tight-wire act. San Antonio's prowess and timing on the offensive glass was vital to this narrow victory. Mike Conley (13 points, 14 assists), who'd caught fire in the 3rd Quarter along with the Stifle Tower, Gobert, missed a corner 3PT shot that would've stolen the lead with 40s on the clock. Unfortunately, Gobert would get the rebound and make one of two shots at the line.

Gobert & Mitchell reminded fans why Utah went seven games with the Spurs last April.

With thirty seconds ticking down, Kent Bazemore (14 points) sealed a tough layup in transition past Joe Ingles (0-4 3PT) to give the Spurs a three-point yield as Utah called timeout. Mitchell would get hacked by Allen (8 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks), bury the two free throws to make it a 1-PT affair, then rip the ball off the inbound pass and temporarily steal the show in Texas, hitting the quick bunny. This amazing play forced high-point man, Brandon Ingram (23 points, 9 rebounds), to fire back at the rim, only for Gobert to swat it away. Luckily, Ingram's second jump was a bit faster as he called a timeout after the loose ball rescue at 13.4 on the clock. The Slender-Man would make a clutch dunk of his own on the next possession, catching the inbound pass and spinning on a dime with an open lane to the hoop, 100-101: Spurs.

With 10.7 left, and no timeouts remaining, Donovan Mitchell (24 points, 1-5 3PT) got the hero's ball in his hands. Murray met him at halfcourt, with the game on the line. Ingram would catch up, swarm Mitchell with a double-team and knock the ball loose momentarily. 4.5 seconds diminished in the suspense, as Donovan clutched for the ball, spun around getting an inch of fleeting separation from Murray. Recovering to the front of Mitchell, Dejounte overstepped backwardly forced to watch the Jazz star's would-be dagger take flight.

The ball hit back-iron off the rim, as the buzzer sounded.

"So that's what a heart attack feels like," Coach Popovich joked on the sidelines. "Hats off to the Utah Jazz. We gave them every opportunity tonight, and somehow, someway, maybe that Brandon Ingram guy, the box score will say the San Antonio Spurs won this game tonight."

The Rest:

Both teams shot below 50%, with the Jazz going 18% from 3PT range to the Spurs 29% perimeter results. The Jazz were more aggressive by far, causing the Spurs foul trouble woes, but missed 7 of 28 free throws, ultimately losing by a point. The Spurs did win the interior battle, 66-64 and the second chance points column, 14-10, dishing five more assists. San Antone had one less turnover and led by 14 at one point. Utah led by as many as 8 points, as this rivalry burns even hotter after this 9th straight victory for the defending champions with Cleveland next to visit.

Veterans power Spurs second unit past Kings on road, 112-103.

The Spurs rested their stars on this second night of a back-to-back after a huge victory in L.A last night. It appeared to be a blowout in the making as the Kings broke out to a big lead, but the Spurs fought back hard to overcome a 15-PT hole early, only losing the 1st Quarter by three points, and used their savvy veteran experience to pull out the upset despite a big night for Marvin Bagley, III (25 points, 16 rebounds).

A dunk show by new Sac-Town superman,Aaron Gordon (18 points, 8 rebounds), was spoiled by Joe Harris going supernova for 27 points, hitting 7 three-point bombs, double teams be damned. Fred VanVleet was also clutch for 19 points on three 3s, showcasing his playmaking abilities in tandem with Rajon Rondo (9 assists). Jarrett Allen shined once again as the starting Center, dropping 14 points & 18 rebounds with a tremendous 6 blocks, making it financially tougher for the Spurs to extend his contract as the trade deadline looms near.

The Rest:

Trey Lyles was cold early, but redeemed himself for 11 points. Kent Bazemore played only the second half, given his effort last game, but managed 11 points also. Allen Crabbe & P.J. Tucker combined for 20 points. For Sac-Town, Richaun Holmes had 16 points & 7 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma & De'Aaron Fox combined for 24 points & 20 assists, but Fox had a cold shooting night. The Spurs won the second half, 34-26 & 27-20 to pull off the upset.

Recap: Spurs endure past 40-PTS by Greek Freek, win 95-110.

Giannis was unstoppable tonight.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 40 points (17-24, 3 blocks), nearly buck-ling the Spurs homestand with 18 rebounds, but even still Milwaukee was unable to overcome a 17-34 deficit after the 1st Quarter.

Brandon Ingram led San Antonio with 31 points & 10 rebounds. Allen Crabbe had a standout game with 19 points, hitting five three-balls. Dejounte Murray had 13 points with 11 stellar assists. Kent Bazemore & Andre Drummond combined for 24 points, with the Big Penguin corralling 17 rebounds.

For the Bucks, they shot 4-25 from long range unable to buy a bucket at times, despite the awesome third quarter run. Brook Lopez had 12 points, but Eric Bledsoe shot 3-10, with Khris Middleton & Wes Matthews shooting 3-12. George Hill shot 1-6 in the loss.

In epic showdown, Spurs survive Lakers rally to win 7th straight: 107-104.

Anthony Davis blocked Ingram's layup on the 1st possession.

This game by night's end became an instant classic, with the Spurs enduring a turbulent storm by the Lakers at home by the edge of a knife. Teases of blockbuster suspense came at the opening tip as Brandon Ingram (30 points, 2 blocks, 1 steal) was stuffed at the basket by A.D. (30 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals, 15-23 FG), who dished the ball to a streaking LeBron James (22 points, 9 assists, 2 blocks) for a huge dunk past the Spurs defense. San Antonio, led by Ingram, would weather the opening salvo by Los Angeles to hold a ten-point spread at halftime.

The Lakers had shooting woes for most of the game, and it appeared that San Antone would pull away for good with the lead growing to 74-60 midway through the 3rd Quarter. Then the first furious rally of of two by the Lakers happened, erasing the Spurs lead (which was hampered by foul trouble) and by the buzzer's call, A.D. had dunked the ball home to lead by one point heading into the final period.

Murray is showing strides as a floor general.

Remarkably, the Spurs were boosted by the 1-2 performance of Ingram & Murray as Coach Popovich shrewdly sat one (with both in foul trouble) while the other took up the slack to pad the lead. Murray (16 points, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block) excelled in the clutch down low, weaving his way past Marc Gasol (11 rebounds) with 4:18 to play, a 5-PT lead for the defending champions, slayer of last season's Lakers squad. Several loose balls and defensive deflections shined upon the Spurs tonight, as Kent Bazemore lost the ball on a drive only to claw it back away from Gasol's mighty hands, who would foul Andre Drummond, with the Big Penguin being remarkably solid from the charity stripe to push the lead to seven points. An alley oop to A.D. and it was back down to five...

Then down to three after KCP's floater, only for Ingram to crash the rim on the fast break, 94-89. Another dunk by A.D: 94-92, as Murray would draw the foul to hit one of two as the clock dropped under two minutes. James would miss a 3PTer, with Fred VanVleet dishing to an unopposed Drummond downwind for the thunderous windmill jam. Davis would respond back with the offensive rebound put-back dunk, roaring to the STAPLES Center faithful.

A.D. wasn't finished, blocking Ingram's layup yet again with 1:21 remaining. Danny Green couldn't capitalize, however, with Marc Gasol whiffing on both free throws. VanVleet made the Lakers pay with a would-be dagger from the perimeter on the lone man fast break, 100-94, but KCP would strike right back off a Gasol screen, 100-97 with 52s left in regulation.

Then the final minute happened, and not a million flash bulbs could do it justice!

The King came up short, but just barely.

Murray kicked it to Ingram, who was looking to ISO a shot over Davis, but A.D. ripped the ball from Brandon and dunked it home with 38s left to go, flexing to the roar of the home crowd, 100-99. Dejounte spotted Ingram galloping to the tin, but A.D. was on his heels, contesting the lay-in just enough for it to miss. With a hero's chance, Davis kicked the corner pass in transition to Caldwell-Pope, but it did not go in. Davis caught the rebound, but Ingram stripped it free for his revenge as Drummond. The Lakers tried to foul the big man, but he chucked the ball ahead to Murray for the standalone smash on the other end, 102-99 with 14.1s on the clock.

A Lakers timeout ensued, as did a mini-war of free throws, but the Spurs ultimately got the W.

The Rest: 

San Antonio (32-3, #1 in Western Conference)
VanVleet: 18 points, 6 assists (4-6 3PT), 2 steals
Bazemore: 14 points, 2-3 3PT, 2 steals
Drummond: 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Harris: 9 points (3-6 3PT)

Los Angeles (27-9, #2 in Western Conference)
Caldwell-Pope: 18 points, 5 assists
Waiters: 15 points

1st: 29-19, Spurs
2nd: 21-21
3rd: 26-37, Lakers
4th: 31-27, Spurs

The Lakers missed nine free throws, with the Spurs missing only six and hitting four more threes than the Lakers. The Spurs led by sixteen at one point, in what promises to be a fierce Playoffs rematch down the way.

In war of attrition, Spurs sparked by Rondo past Doncic's Mavericks, 87-96.

On a night when the best shooters of both teams struggled to score, Rajon Rondo (9 points, 4 steals) knocked down a trio of three-pointers to help San Antonio win a close one at home. Kent Bazemore starred with 20 points, hitting a trio of 3s; VanVleet had 13 points. Joe Harris managed 9 points. Dejounte Murray had limited action but scored 9 points. Luka Samanic returned to the lineup with 7 points, with Johnathan Williams notching 12 rebounds in Drummond's stead. Jarrett Allen had 16 rebounds with 5 blocks.

For Dallas, Doncic commanded the team with 28 points. Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points & 13 rebounds. Delon Wright had 14 points, but Seth Curry shot 1-7.

1st: 26-21, Mavericks
2nd: 19-27, Spurs
3rd: 17-25, Spurs
4th: 25-23, Mavericks

Spurs Spotlight: Fred VanVleet.

VanVleet has more than delivered thus far.

Fred VanVleet was somewhat controversially acquired in a sign-and-trade for Avery Bradley to the Toronto Raptors, but VanVleet has definitely hushed any concerns about fit and value to his new team, excelling in the fast break and showcasing point guard capabilities that remind Spurs fans of Manu Ginobili. A second upgrade is VanVleet's apparent perimeter shooting, an area where Bradley showed flashes but ultimately struggled to stride in.

Against the Memphis Grizzlies, VanVleet scored a season-high 25 points and has all but kept the defensive intensity of Avery Bradley, averaging 1.5 steals-per-game and dishing 4.4 assists. Fred is shooting a higher overall percentage (48%) from the field and standing pat to his career 3PT percentage with 38% this far into the season, fluctuating up to 40% and under. VanVleet is scoring 12.7ppg and only averaging .7 turnovers which is down from his time in Toronto (highest mark having been 1.5tpg last season). With Rajon Rondo being the primary backup one spot, Fred hasn't had as much of a load as he did in Toronto backing up Kyle Lowry. Less has definitely been more. FVV has scored above 20 points four times, and at least double that in double figures.

With the starting 2 spot, VanVleet has his eye on improving in every area moving forward. "The transition has been great. This organization is world-class, everybody knows that. I'm just focusing on every aspect of my individual game and trying to be a vital part of our offensive execution." When asked about the Spurs early season win streak, VanFleet smiled with a joke. "Going 16-0 was amazing. I was glad to see us gel so well so early in the season. We've only lost three times, so we're doing good things here, for sure. I'm very happy so far."

So are the Spurs, VanVleet. Keep it up.

Spurs dominate 1st Quarter in Portland (37-13), win 130-98.

The Blazers had no fire tonight.

The Spurs won all four quarters in the scoring column, as Iman Shumpert scored 28 points off five 3PTers and VanVleet dropped 22 on the Blazers. Rajon Rondo was highly effective with 15 points, 5 assists as the Spurs star trio got some much needed rest with a Lakers game on the horizon.

The Rest: Joe Harris had 11 points, with Bazemore's 10 helping the lead stay put. Ingram scored ten in limited action, with Murray scoring 9. Drummond got his in, his being 21 rebounds and a sick alley-oop on the fast break and a poster jam over Zach Collins.

Fast-Break/Defense: The Spurs scored 40 points in transition, forcing 9 turnovers with 7 blocks. San Antone shot 42% from the perimeter, dominating the interior with 78 points in the paint to lead by as much as 34 points. They dished 37 assists and shot 63% overall from the field.

The Blazers shot 4-19 from 3PT range and their interior defense was very bad, shooting just 45% overall. Lillard had 17 points with 8 assists, but 4 turnovers. Prospect Nassir Little had 17 points, also. High-pick Isaiah Stewart (#14 overall) scored 14 points. C.J. McCollum scored just 11 points.

Spurs led by Murray overpower feisty Nuggets, 122-108.

Dejounte Murray had 20+ after one quarter, finishing with 36 points (a point short of his career-high), 8 assists & 5 steals as the Spurs overpowered a feisty start by Denver, despite strong showings by Jamaal Murray (26 points) and Nikola Jokic (25 points, 12 rebounds). The Spurs burst into the second quarter, winning it 33-19, then subsequently both second half quarters (34-30; 32-31) to win heartily in the high altitude.

Overall, Murray is having a great season so far. He is passing the ball more efficiently, cementing his status as floor general, and having Rajon Rondo mentoring him has definitely paid dividends. His scoring may be down (mostly because Brandon Ingram is scoring more, which is also great to see), 15.4 down from 17.3 last season), but he is up 6.3 in assists compared to 5.6, and controlling the ball better at 1.1.tpg compared to 1.6 last season. Most impressively, Dejounte is shooting 43% from long range, having become more in-tune with his strengths and weak points as a player, not going for so many shots from deep that resulted in 30% last season. When he does fire from afar, Murray is hitting. Also up are Murray's steals, 2.1 up from 1.5 last season.

The Rest: Kent Bazemore scored 14 points, getting his 3PT percentage back up to 35% after experiencing a cold streak, showing restraint and picking his spots better. Joe Harris scored 14. Drummond had a low-key double-double, 10&10, with Brandon Ingram scoring 13 as VanVleet dished 7 assists.

Curry goes 2-11 from 3PT range as Spurs cruise to 100-80 road victory.

Steph Curry didn't connect on a three-pointer until the 4th Quarter, and the rest is what you would expect as the Spurs cruised to a blowout win. San Antone led 25-15 affter one, winning the 3rd Quarter largely 28-16 also, to seal a 20-PT victory.

Dejounte Murray had 29 points, with Andre Drummond having a strong outing of 18 points, 20 rebounds with 6 tremendous blocks. Fred VanVleet scored 14 points with 2 steals. Brandon Ingram knocked down 7 shots for 14 points with 7 rebounds to boot & P.J. Tucker had a double-double.

For the Warriors, Curry still was the leading scorer speaking volumes of the shooting woes for Golden State tonight, with 16 points (6-20, 2-11 3PT). #4 pick, James Wiseman, had 10 points, 11 rebounds. Even Klay Thompson's shot went awry tonight, and Andrew Wiggins shot 3-10, to make it worse.

Team Announcement: Spurs to debut new uniforms against Warriors.

Dejounte Murray is averaging higher PPG & APG this season.

An exciting piece of news has come with the San Antonio Spurs announcing that the team has updated its official uniforms for the second half of the season reasonable starting point that was permitted by the league, having considered strategically-less jersey production volume before the season began and now that half a season's worth of jersey sales have already accumulated.

The refreshingly new uniforms represent the championship dynasty over the last 11 seasons with accents of gold inside the spur symbol in lieu of a front jersey player number, with an alternate camouflage gold uniform that includes each player's first name set to be worn at the next Spurs home game.

The Spurs' 15 titles are commemorated in gold on the collar patch.

The Spurs now wear black-n-gold.

The colloquial moniker, "San Antone", dons the jersey front proudly in fancy font, with the collar patch of "15x" alongside the Larry O'Brien trophy showcasing the team's total championship victories. The "Icon" jersey has a wishbone collar, stark black with silver and gold stripes, with the main jersey being a crisp white.

"Oh, yeah, the 'City' jersey is fly. I can't wait to rock the new look and put on a show for our fans," Brandon Ingram spoke fondly at the press conference, where the two main jerseys were revealed to many oohs-and-aahs. The court at AT&T Center will also have a new look, only to be used for "City" uniform games.

Spurs recover as VanVleet's dagger (and defense) edges Timberwolves, 100-87.

Fred VanVleet (18 points, 7 assists, 4-7 3PT) hit a deep dagger over D'Angelo Russell (whose own would-be game-tying three misfired) in the final minute, and then the Spurs defense coughed up more steals to pull away.

The road win was powered by stellar shooting and court vision by VanVleet and star performances by Ingram (29 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks) & Murray (25 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) notably Drummond (21 rebounds) for his clutch block on Karl-Anthony Towns' fadeaway shot late in the 4th.

In the disheartening home defeat, Towns had 18 points & 19 rebounds (6-18 FG%) and D'Angelo Russell scored 17 points (8-20, 1-5 3PT) in a misfire kind of night. Kevin Huerter had 12 points. The promising Minnesota squad still appears to need more help and vision as a team moving forward, despite the quality grab of Russell to pair with KAT.