After beating top two in Eastern Conference, are Spurs’ fortunes turning

 

The San Antonio Spurs have been very up and down all season as they have struggled to a record under the .500 mark.

But if you paid attention to the Spurs the last few days, you will notice that not only have they beaten the Eastern Conference’s top two teams within a three-day span, they’ve beaten them handily.

On Saturday night at home in the second part of a home and home series against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs toppled the team with the league’s best record and limited Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their three-point shooting was a big key to the win, especially as big man LaMarcus Aldridge has started shooting a higher volume of three-pointers.

But their defense on Giannis was also impressive, and even as he tried to kick out to shooters on the perimeter, the Spurs either rotated quickly or the Bucks shooters struggled to hit anything but iron.

They gave the Celtics their 10th loss of the season while the Spurs creep closer to .500 at 16-20.

The Spurs had a huge lead in the first half and almost let it all be for naught as the Celtics went on a rally in the fourth quarter, but they were able to hang on thanks to the defensive work they did in the first half.

DeMar DeRozan had a big game with 30 points, and Lonnie Walker IV came off the bench to score 19 points in 19 minutes.

If the Spurs can continue to win, especially in key games coming up against the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat, the NBA and oddsmakers may start to pay closer attention.