SAN ANTONIO – Rudy Gay was determined to not let his team lose and he called game on Tuesday night.
With the ball in his hands, he sank a 21-foot jumper as time expired to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 126-124 win over the Phoenix Suns (11-42) at the AT&T Center.
The win was the second of their four-game homestand before heading out on the month-long Rodeo Road Trip. San Antonio led by eight, nine, and 12 points throughout the game and despite getting the win, their coach was not happy.
“It was a pathetic performance,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We had no respect for them or the game. Phoenix was robbed.”
Here is what went good and bad for the Spurs, as well as three standout players: LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, and Davis Bertans.
The Good:
- The Spurs got lucky to win a game that really should have been a blowout from the start. Inconsistent play going into the rodeo trip may not be the best trend.
- DeMar DeRozan got another night off, which can only help him in the long run.
- Rudy Gay is cold blooded.
- Davis Bertans continues to light it up from outside.
The Bad:
- San Antonio’s defense continues to struggle, giving up 124 points to a Phoenix squad who lost eight straight coming into the game.
- Devin Booker lit up the Silver and Black for 38 points on 73 percent shooting from the field.
Three Standout Players:
LaMarcus Aldridge:
The big man held down the fort with DeRozan missing another game due to injury as he did his best to fight through the double teams from Phoenix and made a big impact on both ends of the floor.
Aldridge finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds on the night. He shot 67 percent from the floor (10-for-15) and had no trouble going up against the Phoenix big men. When he was doubled, he found his teammates for open shots as he finished with four assists.
“It wasn’t our best game,” Aldridge said. “We didn’t execute well. We lost some games we should have won and tonight we dodged a bullet.”
Davis Bertans:
The sniper off the bench got snubbed from the All-Star Weekend three-point shootout despite being the best shooter in the league from beyond the arc. Tuesday night he showed fans what they’d be missing out on in Charlotte next month.
Bertans finished with 18 points and went 5-for-8 from three-point range. He hit some big buckets, including a shot that lifted the Spurs to a six-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“You never know how many times you’ll have to do it,” Bertans said. “I may not play in the All-Star game but I remember watching All-Star Weekend and would love to be a part of it.”
Rudy Gay:
The veteran forward hit the game-winner, so why wouldn’t he be a standout player?
Gay finished with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting but there was no doubt his seventh made shot and final two points were the biggest of the night.
“It’s a win,” Gay said. “I’m not happy about how it happened but that is a part of being a good team. You have to find ways to get wins.”
UP NEXT:
The Spurs are now 30-22 on the season and will return to the court on Thursday when they welcome the Brooklyn Nets (-) to the AT&T Center at 7:30 pm Central Time.
