NBA Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
Dallas Mavericks (8-22) | 31 | 22 | 27 | 16 | 96 |
San Antonio Spurs (20-10) | 18 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 98 |
Manu Ginobli’s seventh-career game-winner helped San Antonio prevail from an 11-point deficit with 3:59 left in regulation. LaMarcus Aldridge recorded 22 points on 9-of-18 (50.0 percent) shooting from the floor, while Ginobli added 12 points off the bench, as it was just enough to defeat Dallas in a rematch from last Tuesday, 98-96, on Saturday night inside the confines of the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
THE BASICS
- Sportsbook Spread before Tip-off: San Antonio -6.0
- Score: San Antonio Spurs 98, Dallas Mavericks 96
- Records: Mavericks (8-22) | Spurs (20-10)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 16 | 7:30 p.m. tip-off CST
- Location: AT&T Center | San Antonio, Texas.
- Series: San Antonio Spurs lead the all-time series 128-84 (108-68 regular season)
- Get Social: Twitter – @projectspurs| Facebook – Project Spurs | Instagram – projectspursnet
TURNING POINT:
San Antonio held Dallas scoreless for the remaining 3:59 in regulation, resulting in a 13-0 run by the Spurs to get the big Southwest Division victory over the Mavericks. Dallas managed to score a team-low 16 points in the fourth quarter, compared to 27 by the Spurs.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- San Antonio shot 45.3 percent (39-for-86) from the floor, while Dallas was 39-of-80 (48.8 percent) from the floor in the two-point loss.
- The Spurs went just 5-of-25 from three in the victory and went 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) from the free throw line. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were 10-of-28 (35.7 percent) from downtown and went 8-of-9 from the charity stripe (88.9 percent).
- Coming off a 62 points-in-the-paint performance, the Spurs managed 48 points in the paint on Saturday, while Dallas had just 36.
- San Antonio managed 19 fast break points to Dallas’ two transition points.
INSIDE THE FLOW:
- The first half saw just two ties, as the Mavs took control of the game early and held a 53-43 lead at the break.
- Rudy Gay’s 26-foot three pointer knotted the game up at 9-all with 7:44 remaining in the first quarter, and Aldridge’s layup just 39 seconds later tied the game up at 11-11; those being the two lone ties of the first half.
- Four straight points by Gay with 2:54 left in the 3rd pulled the Spurs within five (70-65); the closest San Antonio would get until the 4th.
- Back-to-back buckets by Aldridge tied the game up with 23 second left in regulation.
- On the next defensive play, Ginobli managed to deflect the Dallas’ inbounds pass off Wesley Matthews for the Spurs to regain possession.
- Ginobli found his way to the rim for the layup, and more importantly, a two-point lead with three seconds left in regulation.
- Despite Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker not playing on Saturday night, San Antonio managed to pull out a big, come-from-behind win – 98-96.
NOTABLES:
- The game-winning layup was Ginobli’s seventh-career game winning make; tied 30th career all-time in NBA history in made game-winners.
- One day after being outscored 64-4 in scoring effort by the starting backcourt vs the Rockets, the Spurs’ starting backcourt outscored Dallas’ 25 to 23 on Saturday evening.
- Four starters reached double-digits in scoring for Dallas (Barnes, Ferrell, Kleber, Nowitzki).
- Aldridge has reached double-figure scoring performances in all 30 games having played in this season.
- Despite a horrendous 20% shooting from beyond-the-arc, San Antonio managed to out-rebound Dallas(41-38), as well as finish with more steals than the Mavs (5-4).
UP NEXT:
- San Antonio stays at home to take on Los Angeles when the Spurs host the Clippers on Monday, Dec. 18 at 8:30 p.m. CST
Tickets | Watch | TV: FSSW | Radio: WOAI 1200AM