Spurs close out Rodeo Trip with win in Cleveland: Three Standout Players

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The San Antonio Spurs closed out their annual “Rodeo Road Trip” with a 110-94 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers (35-24) at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday afternoon.

The game closed out the annual road trip, which saw the silver and black go 2-4 through six contests. The victory snaps the Spurs’ four-game losing streak and gave them their first win since February 7.

Here is what went good and bad for the Spurs, as well as three standout players: LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green, and Dejounte Murray.

The Good:

  • The Spurs closed out a lackluster Rodeo Trip on a good note as they clobbered the defending Eastern Conference champions.
  • Dejounte Murray showed why Pop trusted him to take the starting job midseason with a very nice afternoon.
  • Danny Green looked like 2013 Danny Green.
  • LaMarcus Aldridge was LaMarcus Aldridge.
  • After searching for the right combination, Pop may have found it in Sunday’s win over Cleveland. His lineup of Murray, Kyle Anderson, Green, Aldridge, and Patty Mills helped San Antonio go on a 16-0 run early in the fourth quarter to take a 13-point lead.

The Bad:

  • San Antonio struggled to take care of the ball early as they committed five turnovers in the second quarter, letting Cleveland cut into their seven-point lead.
  • Tony Parker struggled as he went scoreless in 14 minutes, taking zero shots and committing three turnovers.
  • Rudy Gay continues to show signs of rust in his second game back after missing seven weeks. He scored just four points on 2-of-6 shooting.

Three Standout Players:

     LaMarcus Aldridge: Just like he has done all season long, Aldridge carried the load for the silver and black. He finished the game with a team-high 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting to go along with six rebounds.

Aldridge struggled against the tough defense from Cleveland big man Tristian Thompson but still remained aggressive. He scored three consecutive buckets in the fourth quarter and helped out defensively in the paint down the stretch to seal the win for the Spurs. However, unlike games past, he actually had help from his teammates.

     Danny Green: One of those players helping out Aldridge was Danny Green, who returned to action after missing Friday’s game against Denver with a stomach bug.

Green turned back the clock as he finished with 22 points and went 5-for-9 from three-point range. It was a welcome sight for Spurs fans since Green has been inconsistent on the offensive end for a few seasons. With the Silver and Black struggling to score with Aldridge on the bench, Green’s play really puts the Spurs over the top.

Dejounte Murray    Dejounte Murray: Sunday’s performance from Dejounte Murray showed why Coach Pop allowed him to take over for Tony Parker in the middle of the season.

Murray’s stat line was impressive. He finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. His most impressive time was in the fourth quarter where he stuck in for steals, got key rebounds, and turned on his aggressive play going to the basket. Sunday showed why Murray is the Spurs new leader on the floor and why he will be in that role for a very, very long time.

UP NEXT:

The Spurs are now 36-25 on the season and will return to the court on Wednesday when they welcome Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans (33-26) to the AT&T Center at 7:30 p.m.

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