San Antone: Seeking Nine Rings

Avery Bradley scored a stunning 41 points. After another impressive performance that earned his team a notable win over a conference rival in a back-to-back, it is hard to dispute that Avery Bradley has arrived. Just eight games ago, the once-University of Texas prospect dropped 37 points in a victory over the Denver Nuggets, and now he's toppled that career-high mark with 41 points tonight, dishing 7 assists as he swiped 4 steals and made 4 three-pointers. "I just want to win," Bradley told the press after the game. "I struggled in the first game back at home against these guys. Tonight, we had B.I. struggling and whatnot, so I just put my head down and left my heart out there on the court." Bradley will be a free agent at season's end, having been acquired in a trade with the Clippers two summers ago, now with one championship ring on his résumé to show for it. Brandon Ingram is that new Spur on the block this season, and despite his talent on def...

After going up by 1-PT in the final minute, OKC couldn't hang on. Clinging to a 98-101 lead courtesy of two-made free throws by Brandon Ingram, the Spurs were able to make it last if just barely until the buzzer echoed through the AT&T Center. A clutch lay-up miss by Russell Westbrook (20 points) was met by misfires from long range by Patty Mills and T.J. Warren. The Spurs faithful's collective heart fluttered as Dragan Bender missed both free throws next and Ingram misfired from long range. The OKC Thunder answered with a big jam by the tongan Steven Adams (5 points, 10 rebounds), outdone by a fierce throw-down by Westbrook to nearly sneak out of San Antone with a 102-101 win. Forty seconds remained on the clock as Mills whipped a risky pass to a streaking Bender, just out of the reach of Adams, whose lay-in gingerly fell through the twine, bouncing around on the rim. Iman Shumpert sealed the victory with a highlight-worthy steal on Paul George (14/31, 3 steals, 3 bl...

Trailing by 13 points, Brandon Ingram and Dejounte Murray (16 points, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block) never said die in Detroit tonight, toppling the fiery Pistons effort to hang on for the win, as San Antonio closed it out with a 10-2 run to overtake the lead. Patty Mills (20 points, 8/10, 4/5 3PT) was clutch in the pocket, hitting a big 3PTer and a baseline jumper on the fast break to give the Spurs a four-point shield. A collaborative team effort ought to be commended for this victory, as the Pistons broke the 4th Quarter open with a brief run that nearly raised the lead to double-digits again, were it not for the Spurs seizing the moment under pressure, winning the final period 32-22. The Spurs now move to 32-9 on the season, dialing back 3PT attempts in this game, going 10-30 overall. Both teams shot above 50%, with Detroit missing five big free throws, notably Andre  Hack-a-Drummond, as San Antone bricked three themselves. Detroit won the glass, 33-18. 11 turnovers by bot...

They had every conceivable chance to take over the lead, but the Spurs just couldn't get it done, suffering a third loss at home on the season. The Raptors made it tough in a close game throughout, clawing to a small lead as the clock ticked down. The Spurs nearly fell behind by too many, but kept chomping at the bit, never-say-die. The Raptors inadvertently helped, sending Avery Bradley and Patty Mills to the free throw line on 3-PT attempts, but it was there that San Antonio would miss three crucial free throws, one by Bradley and one by Mills. The last chance was when Mills could've potentially brought the Spurs to within a single point, at which point they would've intentionally fouled Toronto, giving themselves at the worst a chance to tie with a three, but the ball wouldn't go in at the charity stripe. A final blow came when OG Anunoby (20 points) swiped the ball from T.J. Warren to end the game. "It was a frustrating loss, for sure," Mills said af...