San Antone: Seeking Nine Rings

Dejounte Murray, under Pop's tutelage, won Finals MVP. Dejounte Murray has a bright future, is set for a contract extension soon and showcased why the Spurs will definitely wish to retain his services moving forward. The developing floor general had 30 points to lead the Spurs to a 9th consecutive NBA Championship , setting history as the famous Boston Celtics will no longer hold that record. Murray averaged 20.1ppg, dashing and slashing his way inside for 101 total points scored against the tall Bucks of Milwaukee. "I told him to finish it," Coach Popovich revealed on the sidelines as pandemonium and jubilation ensued as the last buzzer of the NBA Finals sounded throughout AT&T Center. "We kept building our lead, they kept breaking it down. It was a bad case of déjà vu." Everyone watching couldn't blame Giannis Antetokounmpo for never giving up, despite his team being down 1-3 without home court advantage, as the Bucks got within single digits. So,

The Spurs avenged Game 3 with inspired play tonight. The Spurs got out running on the Bucks, steaming from the Game 3 upset and surging in the final two minutes with big-time shots by Patty Mills & Brandon Ingram to silence the Milwaukee crowd as the lead grew out of reach, despite Eric Bledsoe's second-best effort in this series of 43 points (19/28). The Greek Freek came up meek in this outing, though, dampening his team's ability to fend off the tactical Spurs. He had an unsightly 8 points and 6 assists, double-teamed all game long by the Spurs in a new defensive scheme. Brook Lopez scored 20 points with 16 rebounds, as George Hill notched 16 points on his former team of years past. Malcolm Brogdon was the only other Buck to score big with 11 points, as Khris Middleton struggled for only 7. San Antonio owned the 1st Quarter: 39-26. The 2nd Quarter went 31-30, Bucks, and although Milwaukee narrowed the gap with a 32-21 halftime response, the Spurs overpowered them

The Greek Freek commanded 50 points, two shy of his career high. Down 0-2 was enough for Giannis Antetokounmpo, taking command early in this game, despite the Spurs aiming for Milwaukee's collective throat for the 3-0 advantage, trying to control tempo to no avail, squandering a double-digit lead in this game. San Antonio led 31-22 after one, but the Bucks fired back to win the second 41-31 and the vital 4th Quarter 40-32. After the Greek Freek nearly destroyed the rim with a lead-taking dunk, Brandon Ingram missed at the buzzer, and even though Kyle O'Quinn got the rebound, the buzzer sounded before a second shot could get off. So close to an all-but guaranteed championship, the Spurs will have to recover and focus on Game 4, still with a chance to take a 3-1 lead back to Texas for Game 5. Tonight, only if barely, belonged to the Bucks courtesy of its superstar's memorable performance. Milwaukee shot a masterful 82% (mostly Antetokounmpo), spoiling 58% by the Spurs

Milwaukee was blown back home in Game 2. Avery Bradley responded to Eric Bledsoe's big performance in Game 1 by taking a charge, sending a message to the aggressive scorer. In Bledsoe's stead, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 14 points in the first quarter, despite the Spurs shooting well, especially Patty Mills. The Spurs led 35-39 after one, with Nikola Mirotic hitting a deep three at the buzzer. Bradley next was the recipient of a nice screen, rising up for the easy jumper at the elbow, surging to 17 points on his own, sparking San Antone to a huge 60-80 halftime lead, boosted by Iman Shumpert's outburst of 13 points as he hit several times from the perimeter off the bench, showcasing his worth. To cap it off, Mills hit a three to end the half at the buzzer. Patty went 5-5 and Shump 6-6. It only got better for the Spurs, and worse for the Bucks: Mills was soon 8-8 and didn't miss a shot until the fourth quarter. Skal Labissiere hit a 3PTer to punctuate a mountai

The Bucks almost pulled off the Game 1 upset. Eric Bledsoe had a career night, toppling his past 41-PT high mark with forty-six points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, tormenting Avery Bradley (22 points). The best of both conferences truly came to play tonight, scoring a combined 275 points. However, even with last season's showdown, these two teams spent the 1st Quarter feeling each other out, the buzz of a new series--one last time--taking effect. Milwaukee led at halftime, 68-67, the Greek Freek sporting 19 points and Bradley with 3 early fouls. Patty Mills hit a 3PTer to take the lead to end the third quarter, after Giannis was double-teamed into a turnover, 99-102. The Bucks would gradually retake the lead, as the Spurs were only able to make a 5-6 point spread. Brandon Ingram (24 points, 6/9 3PT) would be the difference-maker, hitting a three, then Patty Mills did the same for the 101-108 advantage. Antetokounmpo's free-throw shooting struggles came to light, as Gianni

Kevin Durant and Draymond Green argued heatedly during a timeout. Kevin Durant had 31 points by halftime, putting the Warriors post-season on his back and then some, tallying 50 by the final buzzer, the outcome not to his liking despite a 63-60 lead at the split. Spectators inside AT&T Center clapped and cheered as Durant and fellow Warrior Draymond Green had a heated exchange during a timeout. This timeout came after Patty Mills got the whistle on a 3PT attempt that splashed through the net, sparking a 14-4 run by the Spurs, putting them up 90-102 not a minute into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Spurs met every survival effort by the Warriors with their own desire to cap this series and take on their newest rival, the Milwaukee Bucks, in a Finals rematch of last year. The Bucks will be ready, having been swept by the Spurs in last year's NBA Finals, and having been tested by the Philadelphia 76ers in a six-game war to claim the Eastern Conference crown. Giannis &

This game got ugly fast, as a furious Spurs team wasted zero time in establishing control. Dejounte Murray had 32 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in a masterful display with 4 steals, slashing to the basket and finally hitting perimeter shots to secure the lead, going 3/4. The Spurs led by thirty points before long, despite the Warriors trying to trim it down, but San Antonio kept replenishing it throughout. T.J. Warren had one hell of a game, with 27 points, the other fist beating the Warriors down in the first quarter. The Spurs led 73-48 at halftime, the crowd @Oracle in uneasy silence. Meanwhile, the Spurs won every quarter: 39/22, 34/26, 36/35 & 39/37. Kevin Durant had 37 points, with Steph Curry's 31 points to boot, but the fourth quarter became a formality in folly as the Spurs calmly awaited the final buzzer, heading back home to try and end this series. Patty Mills contributed 16 points, whilst Avery Bradley nearly earned a triple-double of 15 points, 7 reboun