Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDZzBI4OtLA
The San Antonio Spurs know they are still working the kinks out as they get ready to turn the page on another calendar year. Missing their star player, the Silver and Black turned to their veterans to help them grab one more home win in 2016.
Tony Parker scored 18 points as he helped the Spurs defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-94 at the AT&T Center to close out the 2016 portion of their schedule.
Danny Green added 18, going 6-of-9 from three-point range. Jonathon Simmons chipped in 19 for San Antonio, who won their fourth straight overall and seven straight home game.
The Silver and Black struggled in the first half, trailing by as many as 13 points. A pair of three-pointers from Manu Ginobili and Green cut the deficit to five points at halftime.
”We’ve got to do a better job of coming out with more of an edge to the game,” Gasol said. ”Teams know we’ve been having the slow starts and they play with confidence. Then we turn it up and win games, but it’s something we need to keep in mind going forward so that it’s not something that is repetitive or too repetitive.”
The Trail Blazers were led by C.J. McCollum’s 29 points. Maurice Harkless and Allen Crabbe each added 12 for Portland (14-21), who was without star point guard Damian Lillard.
Up next: The Spurs are now 27-6 on the season and will return to the court on Sunday afternoon for their first game of 2017 against the Atlanta Hawks inside Phillips Arena at 5 p.m.
