Spurs 106 – Wizards 116
Despite the fact that he only played 18 minutes before sustaining a knee injury toward the end of the second quarter, LaMarcus Aldridge led the way for the Spurs with 13 points and four rebounds. Bryn Forbes put up 12 points and six assists as the Spurs fell to the Wizards for just the second time in eight games.
Spurs 103 – Thunder 99
In an extremely important matchup against the OKC Thunder, Aldridge had a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds as he led the Spurs to the win and a tie for the 4th seed in the Western Conference. Dejounte Murray made a huge impact on defense with five steals, a few against Russell Westbrook, as he helped keep the reigning MVP to just 19 points and only five assists.
Spurs 100 – Rockets 83
The Spurs, led by LaMarcus Aldridge’s 23 points and 14 rebounds, blew past the top-seeded Houston Rockets Sunday afternoon. Rudy Gay and Patty Mills helped Aldridge out with 21 and 14 respectively.
Week in Review
During week 24, the Spurs continued to show they are not ready to be counted out so easily. Over the past few weeks, the Spurs have shown a greater intensity and focus as they strive to make the playoffs yet again.
Though they sat in 10th place in the West only two weeks back, the Spurs, coming off one of their worst Rodeo Road Trip performances ever, have regained a shot at a playoff run. What happened? How did they go from mediocre play to what they’ve managed to do against the Thunder and Rockets?
Possibly the acceptance that Kawhi Leonard will most likely not return this season pushed the Spurs to realize LaMarcus Aldridge needed help. Maybe they’ve come to realize the talent the Spurs team has isn’t dependent on one player, rather the culmination of all of their unique skill sets and abilities put together.
What the Spurs have done the last few games, during an extremely difficult schedule, has shown they have potential. The talent the Spurs possess is evident.
Dejounte Murray, though only 21-years-old, is morphing into a dependable starting point guard that has the advantage of height, speed, and rebounding on his side. Patty Mills, in his new starting role, has given the Spurs added energy to begin the game while Rudy Gay’s spark off the bench gives them that lasting power.
There are so many facets to this Spurs team that they can compete against the league’s best. They might not have realized or felt it earlier on in the season, but something has changed. Whatever the change, the Spurs came to play, and they’re doing just that.
Looking Ahead
The Spurs will now head to Los Angeles for a back-to-back against the Clippers on Tuesday and the Lakers Wednesday. They’ll then come home to go head to head with the Portland Trailblazers Saturday night.
