Spurs go into New Year with blowout of Nets

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“It’s great that we had the chance to sit in the fourth quarter,” said San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili after his squad outscored the Brooklyn Nets 30-5 in the third quarter on the teams way to a 104-73 victory.

"We played great D in the third quarter,” said the Spurs’ leading scorer Tony Parker, who lead the team with 20 points and six assists, “we tried to make an effort defensively."

The Spurs did just that by holding the Nets to just five points, and allowing Brooklyn to make just 2-of-20 shots in the third.

The Spurs’ pick-and-roll offense dominated the Nets throughout the night as every active player who saw floor time scored in the game and six players finished with 10 or more points scoring.

Here’s the rundown of the Spurs’ sixth win in a row as they once again set a new franchise record and season record.

First quarter: Spurs 31, Nets 22

The Spurs didn’t miss many shots as they shot 72% in the first quarter. Most of the shots were made off of pick-and-roll execution as Parker, Ginobili, and Tiago Splitter (10 points) each had six points in the first quarter, mainly in the paint. The Spurs outscored the Nets 22-6 in the paint in the first quarter. The Spurs’ lead got as high as 11 points in the first quarter as well. 

Second quarter: Spurs 55, Nets 47

For half of the second quarter, the Nets managed to play much better defense on the Spurs’ pick-and-roll plays by cutting the Spurs’ lead down to three points with 5:40 left in the quarter, but the Spurs’ starters would return to go on a 6-1 run and build another eight point lead. The Spurs continued to dominate the paint as they outscored the Nets 38-18, but the Nets did shoot 4-of-8 from three-point land in the first half. Parker went into half with 15 points while shooting 70% (7/10) from the field.

Third quarter: Spurs 85, Nets 52

The Spurs scored 30 points, the Nets only scored five. That sentence is not fiction, the Spurs’ defense REALLY clamped down in the third as the Nets’ players also helped with turnovers and little passing. The Spurs’ pick-and-roll execution continued to dominate the Nets as the team scored from what look like almost anywhere on the floor. The Spurs were shooting 66% after three, the Nets 35%. The Spurs had four players in double figure scoring, while all players who saw floor time scored as well.

"It was an amazing quarter of course;” said Ginobili after the game, “outscoring them 30-5 is something that doesn't happen often." By holding the Nets to just five points in the quarter, the Spurs set a new franchise record for an opponent low in points in a quarter.

Fourth quarter: Spurs 104, Nets 73

In the fourth, the Nets figured out how to score again as the bench outscored the Spurs 21-19 in the final quarter, Marshon Brooks scored 13 of his 16 points in the final period, but it was too little too late as the Spurs’ starters rested the entire fourth quarter.

Tim Duncan finished the game with 15 points, Kawhi Leonard 10 points, Nando De Colo 11 points, and Matt Bonner with 10 points. The Spurs as a team shot 59% from the field and outscored the Nets 56-32 in the paint.

The team will have Tuesday off before resuming play in Milwaukee on Wednesday. With the win, the Spurs move to 25-8 on the season and snap the Nets’ two-game win streak. The Spurs also set a season low for opponents in scoring by holding the
Nets to 73 points on the night.

“Hopefully we don’t party too hard so we’re ready for Milwaukee,” jokingly said Parker after the game. "Have a Happy New Year guys," said Ginobili after the game.

Happy New Year from the entire Project Spurs team and myself as well.

-Paul