Spurs survive Durant's career-best 50, Thunder late rally with Ginobili's versatility
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (OKC :: SAS)
SAN ANTONIO, January 1 -- The San Antonio Spurs once again had to hold their breathe after watching another big lead disappear, but escaped AT&T Center with a 106-105 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN. Tony Parker scored 18 points and Tim Duncan posted 17 as the Spurs almost surrendered a 18-point lead before holding on. Parker gave the Spurs the lead when he snapped a 14-14 tie with a basket in the first period, igniting a 13-3 run that gave San Antonio a 10-point lead. Another run in the third quarter, this one 11-2, gave San Antonio what looked like a comfortable 18-point lead at that point, but unfortunately, that's when things started to go down the drain. The Thunder went on a 14-2 tear in the fourth quarter, pulling them within 102-96 with 1:12 to go on a jumper by James Harden. “They hit some really difficult shots,” Parker said. “They just cranked it up and turned up the intensity. You know they're going to do that when losing by double-digits, and we just didn't turn it up with them.” Kevin Durant cut the deficit to 102-100 with a fastbreak dunk, but Parker was fouled on a leaner and he drained both free throws. A 3-pointer by Russell Westbrook pulled Oklahoma City within only one point, 106-105, but then ran out of time; a desperation half-court shot by Harden was an airball.
“They shot the ball extremely well down the stretch. They came back into the game with huge shots and we weren't making our own, so they made it a game,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We got lackadaisical with the big lead and sometimes that happens.” Durant finished with a career-high 50 points for the Thunder -- the second time in the last three games that the Spurs suffer a 50-point game from a opposing team's player. “Happy about the career-high, but not happy with this result,” he said. The Spurs have won 10 of their last 11 games. “The last few games have been too close for comfort, but we managed to get a win both times,” said Manu Ginobili, who had 11 of his 15 points in the first half, to go with four rebounds, four assists, four steals and also a block to boot. Jeff Green contributed with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Westbrook 14 and 17 assists, as the Thunder dropped their first contest after a three-game winning streak. “I'm not happy at all. You've got to be happy about the triumph, but the whole picture, it ain't pretty right now,” Duncan added. “We can't throw away games like this, not even two guys score 50 on us. We got to find a way to lock in.” The Thunder had 31 assists on 40 field goals, but were outrebounded (44-38 for the Spurs) and their bench was worse (36-10 for San Antonio's).
The Thunder (21-14) are battling for the fourth playoff spot in the West with the Houston Rockets (19-13). “It is very important to win games on the road, but today we just got too far behind and just ran out of gas for the final punch,” Westbrook said. “We have to start winning on the road like we do at home if we want to make the playoffs on a high seed.” San Antonio played without DeJuan Blair for the fourth game in a row, as he suffered a lower back strain on December 23 at Orlando, but his return ain't very far away. Thunder swingman Thabo Sefolosha did not play because of a broken back suffered in mid-November. He's a week away from his comeback. Rookie James Anderson shot 6-of-8 from the field, including four rebounds for 15 points (13.5 ppg in his last 4 games). “I've got great teammates. They're the same shots I've been getting all season and they've been preaching me all season to keep shooting,” the rookie said. “They've been a positive influence on me since I've been here. I'm just thankful they are still finding me when I'm open.” The Spurs play their next three games on the road: January 4 at New York and January 5 at Boston, before flying to Indiana on January 7.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Video Music :: Cagedbaby • “Hello There” [The Presets Remix]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Facebook | 
Twitter | 
Texting | 
Podcast | 
MySpace | 
LinkedIn
They're gone!
And yes he should, my mistake. Will edit it for next month!
Didn't have much time, lol.
