Beyond the Box Score: Spurs Burn Nets in Double-Digit Victory Over Brooklyn

 In just his second home game of the season since returning from a quad injury, Kawhi Leonard’s season-high 21 points in 26 minutes of action was more than enough to propel the Spurs to a 109-97 victory inside the AT&T center Tuesday evening against the Brooklyn Nets.

OFFICIAL BOX SCORE

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THE BASICS

• Spread before tip-off: SA -11.5
• Score: Brooklyn Nets 97, San Antonio Spurs 109
• Records: Nets (12-21)   |   Spurs (24-11)
• Date:Tuesday, Dec. 26 | 7:30 p.m. CST tip-off
• Location:AT&T Center | San Antonio, Texas
• Attendance: 18,581
• Series:San Antonio Spurs lead the all-time series 73-23 (69-21 regular season, 4-2 playoffs)
• Referees: Derrick Collins, Dedric Taylor, David Guthrie
• Get Social: Twitter – @projectspurs| Facebook – Project Spurs | Instagram – projectspursnet

TURNING POINT:

After the Spurs took control for the entire first quarter, both teams seemed to go back-and-forth for the next two quarters. The Spurs managed a pair of big runs in the third to take a double-digit lead into the fourth and a 9-3 run by San Antonio ultimately put the game away for the guys in white and black; winning by 12 in San Antonio.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• In the win, the Spurs shot 51.3 percent (41-for-80) from the floor, compared to Brooklyn’s 39-of-93 (41.9 percent) from the floor in the loss.
• San Antonio recorded a 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) mark from three and went 20-of-24 (83.3 percent) from the charity stripe. The Nets, meanwhile, went 12-of-32 (37.5 percent) from beyond-the-arc and went 7-of-9 from the foul line (77.8 percent).
• Despite being outrebounded by two (45-43), San Antonio managed five team blocks to Brooklyn’s zero.
• Spurs produced more steals than Brooklyn (3-2) and out-rebounded the Nets 44-42.
• San Antonio shot higher than 81 percent at the charity stripe for the third consecutive game.

INSIDE THE FLOW:

• The 1^st quarter saw just one tie and one lead change as the Spurs held a slim three-point lead after one quarter of play; six different Spurs players scored.
• Quincy Acy hits back-to-back three-point buckets to give the Nets a one-point lead with 4:41 to go until half.
• A quick 8-0 Spurs run helps give San Antonio a six-point lead at break; four different players scored during the run.
• After being knotted up at 54-all midway through the third, a 11-0 Spurs run results in a 65-54 lead with 5:40 to go in the quarter.
• A 6-2 run to open the 4^th quarter helps the Spurs take command of the game; maintaining a double-digit lead for most of the fourth.
• The Spurs go on a 9-3 run in the last three minutes of regulation to put the W in the win column yet again.

NOTABLES:

• Aldridge, a five-time, and potentially six-time, NBA All-Star, recorded 20 points and nine boards; has reached double-figure scoring performances in every game played in this season.
• One game after dropping his 10^th career triple-double in a victory over Sacramento, Gasol registers a double-double with 15 points on 60 percent shooting (6-of-10) and a game-high 12 rebounds.
• Leonard recorded a season-high and game-high 21 points in a limited 26 minutes of play; 8-of-17 from the floor (47.1 percent), including 2-of-5 beyond-the-arc (40 percent).
• San Antonio has limited its opponent to 100 points or fewer in its sixth consecutive game (5-1); now 41-4 all-time at home vs Nets.
• The Spurs’ front court outscored the Nets’ 56-23.
• Brooklyn’s Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen combined for 30 points on 14-of-22 from the floor (63.6 percent); Allen also with nine boards.
• Four of the Spurs’ starters reached double-digit scoring performances (Aldridge, Gasol, Leonard, Parker).

UP NEXT:

• San Antonio welcomes the Knicks into the AT&T Center in a couple of days before hitting the road for another three-game road skit.  The Spurs face New York Thursday evening, tip-off set for 7:30 PM CST

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