SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs overcame a slow start to defeat the league-best Milwaukee Bucks 121-114 at the AT&T Center on Sunday night to stay red-hot at home.
The victory was the fifth straight win overall for the Spurs, who have won eight consecutive games inside the friendly confines. The win puts San Antonio back in seventh place in the Western Conference.
“We’re thrilled we got the win,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We caught a break with them flying down here after a game last night. It as a good win. Now let’s see if we can honor it and continue to play well.”
Here is what went good and bad for the Spurs, as well as three standout players: LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, and Marco Belinelli.
The Good:
- The Spurs bench came out swinging as the second unit scored 37 of the Spurs’ 121 points on the night.
- Jakob Poeltl got the start and continues to improve. He finished with eight points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in 26 minutes of work.
- Patty Mills had a solid game as he scored 16 points and connected on 4-of-7 three-pointers.
The Bad:
- San Antonio began the game struggling to shoot from the floor. The Bucks went on an 11-0 run for nearly four minutes and took a 15-point lead in the first quarter.
Three Standout Players:
LaMarcus Aldridge:
The Spurs’ big man went to work early and made the Bucks pay each and every time in the post and on the glass.
Aldridge finished with 29 points on 53 percent shooting and 15 rebounds. Milwaukee put former Spur Pau Gasol on Aldridge in the second quarter and it only made life that much easier for the All-Star forward.
DeMar DeRozan:
The Spurs’ leading scorer shredded his way through the Milwaukee defense as he iced the game with big buckets and big passes on Sunday.
DeRozan finished with 28 points, six assists, and two steals. He made key passes to Patty Mills, Aldridge, and Davis Bertans for big buckets to keep the Spurs ahead late in the game.
“DeMar found people on top of his scoring,” Popovich said. “He found people and that was so unselfish. It was great for us.”
Marco Belinelli:
“The Professional” came off the bench and made his presence felt in a game that really showcased just how important he is to the team.
Belinelli finished with 16 points and went 4-for-8 from three-point range. He hit big shots and his big three gave the Spurs a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT:
The Spurs are now 38-29 on the season and will return to the court on Tuesday when they take on the Dallas Mavericks (27-39) on Tuesday night from the AmericanAirlines Center at 7 pm Central Time.