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 For a team chasing the Golden State Warriors' historic run to the
best NBA regular season in history, the Spurs (52-9) simply make
plays and keep their mouths shut.
Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and forward LaMarcus
Aldridge added 26, and the pair combined for 11 of San Antonio's
final 16 points in the last 4:12 to erase an 84-78 deficit.
"We just made some shots down the stretch," San Antonio coach Gregg
Popovich said. "Often, in NBA games, you find out that happens. We
made some shots."
Down by six points, Aldridge, Leonard and Patty Mills combined to
make 7 of 8 shots down the stretch. Aldridge was 4 of 5 and had
eight points in the 16-2 run; Mills made two jumpers, including a
3-pointer from the top of the key; and Leonard capped a 6-of-10
night from long range with a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left.
"I'm just trying to find ways to make plays out there," said
Aldridge, who scored 14 points in San Antonio's 26-18 fourth quarter
that broke a 68-68 tie. "I just stayed with it and tried to get
better defensively as it went on."
"We made shots and got some defensive stops, and tried to execute
offensively, and that's what we did down the stretch," Leonard
added. "I'm just playing in the flow of the game. Fortunately, I was
able to make shots down the stretch."
The Pelicans, meanwhile, missed five of their last six shots and
turned the ball over once over the final 3:35. They had one field
goal -- a 10-foot baseline jumper by Anthony Davis -- in that span.
Eric Gordon led the Pelicans with 23 points, but those came in the
first three quarters. Gordon missed all three shots in the fourth
quarter after Popovich assigned the taller Leonard to guard him.
"I probably should have done it earlier, but (Gordon) is a heck of a
player," Popovich said. "He rises up over everybody. He's a scorer
on our small guards, so that's when we decided that Kawhi better
take him, and that pretty much took him out."
For the Pelicans (23-37), it was their third consecutive loss after
leading by at least six points in the fourth quarter. After a 100-95
setback at Houston on Wednesday, New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry,
frustrated by three Jrue Holiday turnovers in the final three
minutes, blasted his team and said it had no shot at getting back in
the playoff race.
Gentry was more understanding about blowing the lead to the Spurs.
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"They're 52-9, there's a reason they're 52-9," Gentry said. "We have
to learn, some kind of way, how to close out a game. I thought we
played and competed at a real high, high level. We've got to be able
to finish the game by making some plays and making some defensive
stops."
In addition to his two long jumpers down the stretch, Mills
outhustled Kendrick Perkins, who was standing flat-footed, for an
offensive rebound, setting up Aldridge for a short jumper.
"They got two big offensive rebounds that we have to get in moments
like that," said Davis, who scored 17 points and had 13 rebounds.
"We had some good looks down the stretch and missed them, but mainly
we just have to come up with stops, especially late in the game."
Three minutes into the third quarter, Tim Duncan inadvertently swung
his left elbow into Davis' mouth while spinning near the lane, and
the blow sent Davis to the locker room to stitch up a bloody lip.
Davis recorded the 127th double-double of his career, tying him with
David West for the franchise record.
NOTES: Adding to the Pelicans' injury woes was the fractured sternum
suffered by backup C Alexis Ajinca, who took an elbow to the chest
in a 100-95 loss at Houston on Wednesday and is out indefinitely.
New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said the freak injury is just the
latest of an inexplicable injury situation. "Not in the 27 years
I've been in the league and not in the 11 years I was in college as
a coach," Gentry said. "It's been a very frustrating year." ...
Gentry recanted his comments that his team's season was over. "I was
very frustrated and emotional," he said. "I know we're still a long
shot to make the playoffs, but we're going to play just like we're
playing for the playoffs." ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was
asked why the Spurs hired respected analytics expert Kirk
Goldsberry. "To give us analytics," he said, grinning. "He wasn't
going to play much point guard, and I don't think he's going to
rebound much."
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