The Spurs ended a tough six-game long Rodeo Road Trip Sunday afternoon with a 100-94 win in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
After a four-game losing streak that intersected with the 2018 All-Star Weekend, the Spurs’ win in Cleveland was much welcomed by the silver and black, as they closed week 19 of the 2017-2018 season.
Here is a look at week 19 for the Spurs:
Despite a game-high 38 points from LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs fell to the Nuggets, 122-119, Friday night. With Danny Green out with food poisoning, Patty Mills got the start at the two spot. Mills finished with 21 points and five assists in the close loss.
For their second win of this year’s Rodeo Road Trip, the Spurs outlasted LeBron James and the Cavaliers in a 110-94 win in Cleveland, Ohio. With 27 points and six rebounds, Aldridge once again led the way for the Spurs. Coming off the bench for San Antonio, Green scored 22 points of his own on 6-for-11 shooting in 23 minutes.
Week in Review
The last few weeks for the Spurs have been filled with controversy and drama surrounding the injury and delayed return of starting forward Kawhi Leonard. The continued focus on the return and status of Kawhi has given San Antonio a lot of time in the spotlight, a place they hardly appear.
With talk of Kawhi’s reason for not playing interrupting the focus of the team, the Spurs’ team and management staff has remained focused and seemingly unaffected during this difficult and uncertain time. In acceptance of the fact that Leonard is unlikely to return for the remainder of the season, coach Gregg Popovich is adjusting players and roles, to make things work out best for San Antonio. Green, who has started for the Spurs since the 2012-13 season, came off the bench Sunday afternoon in a possible new role for San Antonio.
With Green coming off the bench, the Spurs turned to Mills for the starting shooting guard position. Mills did not disappoint in the starting position with 11 points and five assists while his two three-point shots moved him into the 4th place for most three-pointers from a Spur with 657.
The Spurs have a tough schedule ahead of them as they strive to reach fifty wins once again.
Looking Ahead
San Antonio will stay at home for the next three games, the first of which they play on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. They will conclude week 20 as they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
