Spurs take Game 1 in best of 7 with Lakers

It wasn’t a shooting exhibition but it was good enough as the San Antonio Spurs ran away with a 91-79 victory at the AT&T Center. The Lakers shot just 41% and 20% from the three point line. The Lake show also gave up 18 turnovers.

“I thought tonight was the best defense we’ve played in three or four weeks,” head coach Gregg Popovich said. “It came at a good time.”

The Spurs didn’t shoot much better.  By the end of the game they were shooting an erratic 37.6% and 31.8% from the three-point line.  They were led by Tim Duncan (17 points, 10 rebounds 3 steals) and Tony Parker (18 points, 8 assists 3 steals) but Parker could do nothing but praise the return of Manu Ginobili.

“He is a huge key with what we do,  He has been here a long time and really knows our system and tonight he made some timely threes and was our energy off the bench…We are going to need that if we want to go far in the playoffs.”

Game 2 will tip off Wednesday at 9:30 PM so be sure to get your tickets!

Spurs take out Lakers in final seconds of thrilling game

The San Antonio Spurs walked into the Staples center knowing that the LA Lakers would be much tougher than their 3-4 record showed.  The Lakers always play the Spurs as if it’s a Game-7 of the NBA Finals. Tuesday night was no different.

With 19.9 seconds remaining in regulation and the Spurs trailing 82-81, Head Coach Gregg Popovich drew up a play for second-year player Danny Green.  After Duncan received the ball from Parker he in turn passed off to Kawhi Leonard. Meanwhile, Green got a rub off of Duncan screen and sprinted off to the right wing and took the pass from Duncan. Green tossed up a three-point shot with Kobe in his face for the game winner.

The Spurs next face the  undefeated NY Knicks this Thursday November 15, 2012 at the AT&T Center.  Be sure to get your tickets and help cheer on your San Antonio Spurs!

Spurs to face Lakers this Tuesday

The San Antonio Spurs will are facing a tough week with the surging, well sprouting LA Lakers Tuesday followed up by the seriously surging NY Knicks.

The Lakers are rolling into town with Bernie Bickerstaff as the interim head coach but the world already knows that Mike D’ Antoni has been hired on to replace him once D’ Antoni has fully recovered from  reconstructive knee surgery.

The Spurs (6-1) are coming off a Saturday night 112-109 victory over the Portland Trailblazers where Gary Neal came off the bench to score 27 points (20 in the second half) and the Spurs climbed out from under a 14-point deficit.  Duncan was his usual effective 22 points, nine rebounds self.

”He carried us on his back,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said about Neal. ”Sometimes a player will do that, and he picked a good time for it.”

The Lakers (3-4) are also coming off a victory over the Sacramento Kings 103-90 where Dwight Howard had 23 points and 18 rebounds and Kobe kicked in 20 points all before they knew that Mike D’Antoni was their new leader.

”My job is to coach the team until they ring the bell,” Bickerstaff said. ”But listen. What’s the reality here? I mean, we all know what’s going on and I understand that. But I consented to do this for the organization, and I’m not worried about the big picture.”

Spurs at the Lakers Tuesday night 10:30 pm Eastern Standard time.

Be sure to get your tickets to see the Spurs take on the Knicks at the AT&T Center Thursday night.