After losing two games on the road against the Utah Jazz and Portland Trailblazers, the Spurs returned to San Antonio to face the Toronto Raptors. With Tony Parker sidelined
for a week, all eyes were on George Hill as he took the reigns of the Spurs. Oh and Duncan was not in action for the game and was listed as day-to-day. Awesome huh? How did the Spurs do? This is how it went down in San Antonio.
First Quarter:
Talk about a complete change at the starting lineup. The Spurs started with Hill, Jefferson, Ratliff, Finley, and Bogans.
Ratliff started the game with a nice dunk and Bogans hit a three. Good to see from the new guys. Hill had a slick move to the rim for an easy layup. Can you say learning from Parker?
But the Spurs D was non-existent as the Raps were hitting the outside shots and getting to the rim easily. Doing the damage for the Raps were Bosh and Bargnani. Spurs were down 12-9 at the 7:26 point of the first quarter.
Hill was steadying the team by getting to the rim and Bogans was aggressive attacking the basket. However the Raps were using their size against the Spurs with former Spurs Turkoglu, and Nesterovic and with Bosh and Bargnani. This proved to be too much for the smaller Spurs.
But to the Spurs credit they stayed tough and with help from Matt Bonner hitting a three and a soft turn around jumper, the Spurs took the lead, 23-22 at the 3:06 point of the first quarter.
After the Spurs went on an 8-0 run, Finley checked in late in the first quarter and hit a three but Antoine Wright answered back with a three of his own for the Raps.
Even after some Manu hustle, and Spurs toughness, Raps Jarrett Jack hits a three pointer to end the first to allow the Raps to take the lead, 32-31.
Second Quarter:
Spurs started with Bonner, Hill, Mason, Blair and Jefferson.
Spurs started off slow, missing shots, not finishing but Hill stayed in attack mode and hit a nice shot in the paint. Blair used his big body on Bosh to block him out for a nice layup off a Hill miss but it still wasn’t enough as the Spurs were down 40-35 at the 8:35 point of the second quarter.
Raps Jose Calderon was hitting mid-range jumpers but the Spurs Richard Jefferson had a nice reverse dunk in the lane. RJ was continuing to be aggressive going to the lane but at the 5:48 point of the second quarter it was 47-40 Raptors leading.
Then enter Manu. He was running the show for the Spurs. Setting up guys for easy buckets and the Spurs went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 49.
Still wasn’t enough as the Raps were leading, 53-49, at the 2:50 point of the second quarter.
It was a back and forth affair to end the quarter as the Raps and Spurs stayed close to each other. Even Bonner had a dribble-drive for a dunk. No joke.
To end the first half, RJ hit a three to tie the game at 63.
Leading the way for the Spurs was Manu with 13 points.
Third Quarter:
Spurs started with Bonner, Jefferson, Hill, Ratliff, and Bogans.
RJ showed some ball-handling ability for a coast-to-coast layup to take the lead for the Spurs, 70-69, early in the third quarter.
Hill had some nice moves to the basket, including some fancy dribbling on Bargnani, and Bogans hit some shots but it was a back and forth game during the midway point of the third.
At the 6:40 point it was 77-75 Spurs. With the D not really being there the Spurs relied on their offense to get it done.
Manu looked like he was fresh in the third quarter. He was getting to the rim, scoring, and setting up other guys for easy scores. Whatever they put in rabies shots, keep jabbing Manu with them! Seems to be working.
Though the Raps were shooting above 60% in the third, the Spurs kept it close since they were out-boarding the Raps, especially on the offensive glass.
Manu was just vintage Manu. Driving, scoring, drawing fouls. He did it all to keep the Spurs close. But with seconds left in the third, Marco Belinelli hit a three point shot to end the quarter to take the lead for the Raps, 95-93, heading into the fourth quarter. Yes you read that right. Spurs put up 93 points and the game wasn’t over.
Manu leading the way after three with 24 points.
Fourth Quarter:
Spurs started with Mason, Jefferson, Hill, Bonner, and Blair.
Bonner and Jefferson started off strong. RJ slashing to the rim and Bonner hit a three to open up the quarter.
Manu was continuing his hot hand and with 8:03 left in the game, he already had 30 points. The Spurs also went on an 8-0 run until Bosh went to the free throw line to make it 108-105 Raptors.
RJ, Dice, Bonner, and Manu were leading the way for the Spurs and it was 114-109 with 4:04 left in the game.
Manu continued to pour it on hitting three’s and even Bonner got in the three point barrage by hitting a three of his own and with 2:50 left in the game it was 123-112, Manu. . . . I mean Spurs!
With 1:04 left in the game it was 117-125, Spurs in the lead.
Though the Raps kept it close with a Bosh three but in the end, the Spurs closed out the Raptors and got back on the winning track. Final score Spurs 131, Raptors 124.
Spurs get back to .500 with a record of 3-3. Manu finished with 36 points and two blocked shots.
The “Shiny Spur Award” goes to Manu Ginobilli while the “Rusty Spur Award” goes to Roger Mason.
Thoughts:
- Whatever these rabies shots are Manu is receiving, he needs to keep them coming. He looked like the Manu we know.
- Dice and Blair did a fine job on the boards with 10 and 7 boards respectively.
- Great to see the Spurs play great without Parker and Duncan.
- Hill did a fine job steadying the Spurs while TP is out. He was getting to the rim and finishing. 22 points and 5 assists.
- For all the smack talk I give Bonner, I may have to take it back. He was draining 3’s, fighting for boards, hitting his shot, putting the ball on the floor for drives and even had a dunk.
- RJ seems to be finally getting the swing of things in the Spurs system. He finished with 24 points and 7 assists.
Please leave us your comments and thoughts on this win by the Spurs.
