Home » Archive » El Conclusión: Los Angeles Clippers 111, San Antonio Spurs 109

El Conclusión: Los Angeles Clippers 111, San Antonio Spurs 109

by Caleb Saenz

San Antonio Spurs

109

Final
Recap | Box Score

111

Los Angeles Clippers

	Tim Duncan, PF 37 MIN \| 11-16 FG \| 5-8 FT \| 11 REB \| 1 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 27 PTS \| -7 +/- If this was Duncan’s last game, he went out on his own terms, hitting tough baskets and playing great defense – all the things that have made him great for nearly two decades. But as much as I try, I can’t imagine that this is the end of his career. Game 7 ends in disappointment, but Duncan was the team’s most consistent player throughout the series. There’s still plenty left in the tank, and getting help down low in the offseason will extend his career even more.
	Kawhi Leonard, SF 33 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 10 REB \| 1 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 1 TO \| 13 PTS \| -6 +/- Kawhi Leonard spent the first five games of this series proclaiming his stardom to the rest of the league, so it’s a pity that he followed that stretch with two of his worst games in the last three months. His performance in Game 7 was a disappointment, thought not quite as bad as his in Game 6. He provided some steady defense, but he looked mortal on a night where the Spurs needed him to take the reins for stretches. I’m excited to see where his game goes next season, and if we know anything about Kawhi, we can expect he’ll spend the summer putting this game behind him.
	Tiago Splitter, C 22 MIN \| 2-3 FG \| 1-3 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 2 STL \| 1 BLK \| 0 TO \| 5 PTS \| +10 +/- He was quiet, but he was decently effective in his twenty-two minutes. Splitter was never really healthy this series, and though that’s not the reason the Spurs lost, they could definitely have used his defensive acumen for more than a couple quarters a game. Lost in all the Duncan/Ginobili retirement talk is the very real possibility that this was Splitter’s last game with the Spurs. If it was, at least he got one more “shyhook” in for old time’s sake.
	Tony Parker, PG 34 MIN \| 10-21 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 5 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 3 TO \| 20 PTS \| -8 +/- Tony Parker finally showed up. And the Spurs lost. Parker was aggressive all night and looked mobile and limber, twisting and coiling in midair for tough layups and bankers. Parker was definitely dealing with injuries this series, so if you’re looking for a silver lining, perhaps it’s this: On a night where the Spurs desperately needed him, he showed up. He’ll look better next year. And as well as they played, so will the Spurs.
	Danny Green, SG 35 MIN \| 6-12 FG \| 1-1 FT \| 8 REB \| 3 AST \| 2 STL \| 5 BLK \| 0 TO \| 16 PTS \| +4 +/- Another guy who had his best game of the series, Danny Green also had arguably the best defensive game of his career, posting a line you’d expect from a starting power forward. Tonight was a good reminder of how important he is to the team when it’s playing its best basketball. There’s a chance the Spurs lose him in the offseason, and Game 7 serves as a big reminder of how much they’d be losing if he walked.
	Marco Belinelli, SF 18 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 4 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 1 TO \| 2 PTS \| +5 +/- The meatballs were cold tonight. If this was Marco’s last game with the team, it was a quiet one, as he struggled from the floor. He’ll always have Game 6, though. And we’ll always have those two seasons where he and Manu played Wayne/Birdman.
	Matt Bonner, C 0 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 0 PTS \| 0 +/- Matt Bonner didn’t play tonight, so I can’t give him a grade. (Okay, I can. And it’s an A+.) Tonight was very likely Bonner’s last game in San Antonio, and if that is indeed the case, the team that suits up next year will be a little less fun. I’d say pour some out for your ginger homie, but I think the more appropriate response would be to let some mustard drip from your hoagie.
	Boris Diaw, C 27 MIN \| 5-11 FG \| 0-1 FT \| 4 REB \| 3 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 3 TO \| 12 PTS \| -9 +/- Boris Diaw started terribly but made up for it quick with some much needed offense to keep the game tight. Diaw is set to return next season, and he’ll continue to be an important part of the team, even as his role will probably shrink a bit.
	Patty Mills, PG 16 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 6 PTS \| +3 +/- Another guy who will be returning next season, Patty Mills had a decent game from distance but didn’t play particularly well down the stretch. The Spurs not necessarily needing him to was a good thing, but they could have used one of his periodic three-point outbursts.
	Manu Ginobili, SG 18 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 2 REB \| 7 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 2 TO \| 8 PTS \| -2 +/- I really, really don’t want to spend time processing what was probably Manu Ginobili’s last game. But here goes: In Game 7, Manu offered a little of everything that made him who he was. He contorted himself and convinced a referee to call a foul in a moment where fouls are almost never called. He hit some big threes when the Spurs needed them most. And he guided the offense with the second unit to the tune of seven assists. There will never be another player like Manu, and San Antonio might never love a Spur they way the do him. If this is the end, what an incredible career it’s been. We’ll have more on that when the time comes.
	Gregg Popovich Popovich coached a great game, and though there were questionable moments, his small ball lineup down the stretch gave the Spurs an edge. The team just couldn’t close it out, mainly because Chris Paul refused to let them. The team struggled to take advantage of Paul’s extended injury break in the first half, but that’s not on Popovich. I’ve heard murmurs about him retiring, but seeing him punish Kawhi with some bench time (a bold, upsetting, but not ultimately damning strategy) convinced me that he’s absolutely returning. That was a long term move. He’s coaching Kawhi for the seasons to come. He’s always a step ahead.

Riotsmoke

I agree with a lot of this, but I’m gonna take it a step further. Parker, Kawhi, Manu… None of that really matters as much as you think when you look at the grand scheme of things. If you wanna blame something then blame New York, blame Utah, blame the Rodeo trip, and blame the beginning of the season. In a hyper-competitive West, everything matters.. Every shot, every rebound, and more importantly every game. If SA woulda taken care of business on just one of those games, then the playoff landscape would be completely different and we never would’ve had to face these guys. Not to say we couldn’t beat them or anything along those lines, but simply that you can’t take games off anymore… You can’t rest guys just because it’s fun or you’re “saving them for the playoffs”. 5 (almost 6) teams were impacted this year before at the final game of the season. Win in NY, win at Utah, win one for damn game and all of a sudden the NO game doesn’t mean squat. Rest people then… The lesson out of this season should be one thing and one thing only.. Every. Game. Matters.
GFoyle33

If you’re into indie music, these aging greats have the perfect sentiment that reflects my feelings about the Spurs at the moment: (Yo La Tengo, Ohm) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py2KOyrtq6o
“Sometimes the bad guys come out on top, sometimes the good guys lose. . .Resisting the flow.”
Dapimp Ofdayear

Here’s the deal with that call: When you blow chances to close out your opponent at home because you come out “flat” “soft” and “unfocused” (the Spurs words after Game 6, not mine) you leave yourself susceptible to crap like the refs ending your season on a bad call in Game 7 in the opponent’s gym. Or not taking out the Pels in Game 82.

Look I’m disappointed that the Spurs season is over, but I have no sympathy for them except the injured guys. They didn’t have home court this series, yet won TWO games in LA — and still lost the series. You can’t ask for more than two road wins in a series. They won just a single game in their own arena out of three. They deserved to lose, as much as I hate to say it.
Charlotte Mackey

Be cool Spurs fans, in our hearts, we all knew our team was not quite ready for prime time this season. What matters, as Riley says, is injuries. Look at Mavericks, OKC, Indiana, Miami. I’m simply proud and glad they still have a long-standing record of making the playoffs. I put this season down to Spurs not being fully rested after a terrific, unforgettable playoff last year — a playoff that set an unbelievably incredible standard of play for youth and players around the world! I’m extremely grateful I witnessed the 2014 season final games. We see our schooling results in other teams like the Warriors (Oh yes, Kerr studied the Spurs like a madman!) So I’m grateful for that. Thanks Spurs, ALL of you - even those who should retire and pass on the baton. Now, let’s rebuild before the great one, PoP, retires; let’s get the ball rolling replacing, training, and moving toward another run to the top!
Charlotte Mackey

Hey, if the Spurs had played well, we would not have needed to hack-a-Jordan. That move should not be needed when your game and players are tight, especially when going forward playing even better teams that anyone can see don’t need to use it
TD BestEVER

Thing is we won 3 games and should have won 4 w/o an offensive spark from Parker. POP just doesn’t like to make adjustments. Or stick with one’s that have already worked.
Charlotte Mackey

I agree! It was excruciating watching the Spurs get undone by the refs! It appeared like they had an agenda to fulfill with all that double-standard foul calling which I believe affected Kawhi, Tiago, and Baines (incredibly gifted player who should definitely have a future with a younger Spurs team) the most. The refs made it impossible for us to fight over screens. We were given traditional screen calls, Clips were not — Blake constantly moved his screen in front of refs! The refs should adhere to THEIR own rules; go back to — YOU STAND STILL WITH ARMS CROSSED AND DOWN, not bumping butts, moving, and grabbing arms of other players like Paul and Griffin. Will be interesting to see Houston/Clips game tonight as they both do this a LOT! Also, I too hope we can retain the great Danny Green, whom I’m sure will be sought after by a lot of teams, and rightly so, because his defense and shooting totally earned his look-see by other teams. Despite our loss, I hope Danny comes back- as a Spur!
Charlotte Mackey

I also want to add that when the Spurs play like a machine, the refs don’t matter. Despite beating the Warriors, Spurs were not a machine this season! Go fishing and rest up Spurs! Take a tablespoon of Apple Cidar Vinegar every night (Manu, for your aches, Diaw too lose weight) and get healthy!
Tyler

Get rid of Splitter?? Whaaaa….that’s ridiculous. Starting caliber centers don’t exactly grow on trees…..
Tyler

I just love the overreactions from Spurs fans! Just absolutely classic….
Tyler

Yeah, rule still applies - shots and the ball.
Tyler

Yes, they have bird rights on Green (and Kawhi), which means they can go over the cap to sign him. However, they can only sign Aldridge (or any other team’s FA) if they have cap room. If memory serves me, I think SA has bird rights on all it’s own FA’s.

A lot of the offseason and cap space depends on the order in which FA’s are signed. In order to sign Aldridge, they’d have to sign Aldridge first before Green or Kawhi. Once they sign Green or Kawhi, that player’s cap hold is replaced with the actual dollar figure (which will be much larger than the cap hold). In other words, if you want to sign a max player, you need to sign him first before Green or Kawhi.

And yes, resign Green. He’s worth every penny of $11-13M, especially with the cap going up dramatically in the future. Green/Kawhi is probably the best two-way wing combo in the league.
PatrickChewing

How do you know his injury didn’t impact his shooting. He was favoring one leg the entire time. Just because his shots go in, doesn’t mean he wasn’t adversely effected. Even more impressive that he was making those shots despite the injury. To be fair…the guy had a strained hamstring, which would leave most players on the bench, not to mention taking and making the biggest shot of his career. Nothing you can say to take away from CP’s performance.
PatrickChewing

The rule still applies to dead ball situations, but it’s very likely Pop told him to foul when DJ comes up to screen for Paul. If you intentionally foul someone who’s setting an on ball screen, they are involved int he play, and therefore the foul is not occurring away from the play. So it would have been a normal two shot foul, still cowardly, but yea…
lvmainman

What’s weird is I’m convinced more than ever, that the Spurs would NEVER have won game 6 in OKC, if Parker hadn’t been hurt. Parker was shooting 32% going into game 7 and Mills was shooting 55% vs the Clippers. Before game 7, I was secretly hoping that Parker would be hurt and wouldn’t play. That way Mills and Joseph would’ve played more minutes than Parker.
Dapimp Ofdayear

Other than his passing and lateral quickness (relative to his size), he’s a stiff - even when healthy. Trust me, the Spurs are already thinking about how to dump him.
DorieStreet

They are no different from fans of other NBA teams. Some people praise and cherish the players/team like they are Little Leaguers…..while others lambast them just like they do politicians.
Tyler

So he has good lateral quickness for his size, but he’s a stiff??? That doesn’t even make sense.

Who are you replacing him with that’s better and/or cheaper?? What’s the alternative?? Even in a best case scenario where the Spurs sign LA, Gasol, etc, why get rid of him? The cap is going to hit $100M in a few years and TD is going to need more nights off if he comes back. The fact is, when healthy:

1.) great value for a starting caliber center - big men who can play aren’t cheap. If he was healthy and an UFA, he’d get $12M+ per this summer
2.) great PnR big - great at making himself available and a great passer
3.) very good rim protector - look at opponent FG% in 2013/14 when he was healthy. E.L.I.T.E.

Unless you think he’ll never be healthy again or you’re trading him for a surefire upgrade, it doesn’t make sense.

The recency bias is nauseating.
Tyler

You’re probably right. The internets continue to amaze me.
TD BestEVER

I think he gets no more than 4-6 million right now in the open Market. He simply put is not around in season to justify his contract. Keep in mind the Spurs are and have been one of the deepest teams in the NBA for a while. Most teams don’t have the luxury of having your starting center out 25% of your games every year, especially at his price range and limited offensive game.

So yeah the FO should try to move him if possible because we can simply put do better and need to with Parker/Manu on the decline.
ben from austin

Thanks Tyler, that explains a lot!

Since a lot of guys on espn.com and elsewhere are speculating that Green could leave, that must mean they think that if the Spurs sign a max guy like Aldridge, then give the max to Kawhi (a no-brainer), Holt will balk at going into the luxury tax for Green.

I don’t know exactly how the numbers would fall out, but the more I think about it I’m coming down on the side of keeping Green over signing a max free agent, if that’s the choice. Kawhi-Aldridge-Duncan-Splitter-Diaw is an absurdly great frontcourt, but who plays the 2 if Manu retires and Green leaves? They’d have to go bargain-hunting, and their system depends on a 2 who’s both an excellent defender and at least a competent shoooter from distance.
Dapimp Ofdayear

You should be his PR guy. He’s an interesting, almost humorous case as he has pretty good side-to-side athleticism, but almost no horizontal lift, i.e. he’s nearly 7 foot tall and can barely dunk. And my disdain for him is hardly recent. He’s been a scrub for years in my eyes. His shining achievements were in the 2013 playoffs playing defense against Dirk, then Aldridge, then Z-Bo and Gasol. Other than, against the likes of OKC and Miami, he was borderline unplayable. I don’t see the front office bringing him back, even if healthy.
spurs10

Yeah the “flat” and “soft play of Game 6 was where the race was won. Played hard in 7, but it was too little too late. Even Pop has been skeptical with how far they could have gone if they won.
Dapimp Ofdayear

Agreed.
Dapimp Ofdayear

The argument for signing DG is he’s still getting better. If he had plateau-ed last year or the year before, then okay, he’s not worth the “green” (pun intended). But he’s still getting better, even as he enters his late 20’s. I think we get one to two more years of improvement out of him, which makes signing him to low 8 figures okay.
Dapimp Ofdayear

It’s part of being a fan. Some are homers, apologists, fanboys, and optimists, and some are pessimists who think the sky is falling with every loss. Most fall between the two extremes. But hey, let us gripe and grieve. It’s cathartic and part of the moving on process.
PatrickChewing

Seems like the Clippers just wanted it more. I mean the whole team getting wasted after they lose at an LA nightclub? Guaranteed CP3 would have been too depressed and upset to go party after losing in the first round.
Tyler

“He’s been a scrub for years in my eyes.”

Just about every metric available says you should get those eyes checked out.
Tyler

$4-6M is well below average for a starting center, especially considering the salary cap is going to jump from $63M this year to about $90M in 16/17, and then $108 in 17/18. If you think he’s going to be healthy going forward, he’s worth eight figures to a contending team.
thedrwolff

final words

This is BASKETBALL. A game based on the premise that you can (spoiler alert) SHOOT THE BASKETBALL (yes please suspend disbelief till I’m finished) into a basket 10 ft high. Just so I’m clear I need to TRULY understand all the people who have climbed on the “evict hack a” from the league. Let me recap what I see as your position just to be sure I understand.

ONLY 5 players in the league shoot free throws at the horrendously appalling <55% and average 1.5 FT per game. Outside of Mason Plumlee you can guess the other 4. 3 of those 4 have been in the league for at least FIVE years. All of them make at least 12 million a year from basketball. Now I just want to be sure…..Your band wagon stance/media slanted opinion is NOT

1. What is this GENIUS coach doing when putting in someone who can't shoot free throws. He does realize it's BASKETBALL….correct?

2. This organization has NOT hired an expert FT shooting consultant to work with this person everyday for the last 5 years to improve their shooting? What a bunch of idiots.

3. Genetically some big men are simply incapable? Really….I mean REALLY, you want to hang your hat on that one? Helen Keller just rolled over in her grave, not to mention every single mentally handicapped employee I see working a job daily (and generally doing a better job then those without…and you KNOW what I'm talking about) and your going to tell me that someone THAT athletic can't shoot free throws? really? Anyone using this excuse to stand on….good luck with your hypochondria/appearance on Dr Phil/living in parents basement.

4. You DO wish to attack the people who EXPOSE something you personally are embarrassed about. "Hey, that's just uncomfortable to watch someone I think is superhuman getting emotionally embarrassed by their handicap"…..earning $150,000 for 35 min of work…82 out of 365 days a year…oops strike that…too hard…lets make it $250,000 for 65 games….yeah, cause it's HAAARD (apply whining here)

The blame is on the organization that drafted, coach that played them, and player that hasn't PERSONALLY hired a coach/built a FT court in their mansion to shoot 200 a day, EVERYDAY. It's not like it's their job or anything right. IT's not like winning the title is IMPORTANT…I mean shees, let's get real here.

What's next…special travelling rules for WWE stars who can't dribble? Yeah, it's all good as long as their "OTHER" skills are so entertaining.

Remember, you want this change for exactly FOUR players in our league. Expecting them to actually be good at their craft….NAHHHH….thats why you draft em out of kindergarden.
Tyler

Yeah, I don’t necessarily think it’s an either/or proposition. Like I said, the cap is slated to go from $63M this year to about $90M in 16/17, and then $108 in 17/18 (tax line is even higher in each season). So while you might be over the tax next season with a max FA + Green + Kawhi, it’ll look better when the cap jumps.

Having said that, this is all speculation. A lot of it depends on whether Manu and TD return and for how much.

Also, in my opinion, I don’t think SA even considers letting Green walk (I’m not even worried about Kawhi - he’s getting the max from SA, or at worst, SA is matching any offer sheet he signs). But even Green is too valuable. Wes Matthews is a decent comp to Green, and before his injury, he was probably due something in the range of $9-12M per. When you consider the task of having to go out and find someone else, the cost in acclimating them to SA’s system and all the unknowns that go into that, I’m fine with Green making something in that neighborhood.
Dapimp Ofdayear

He’s barely an NBA level player. Wanna know how I know this? Because I’ve watched many a highlight video of him DOMINATING overseas, doing stuff that he almost NEVER does here in the NBA. Anyway, I came across several articles today suggesting that the Spurs are looking to send him packing, so I must not be that far off in my assessment. Good riddance.
Tyler

Lol. Ok, you know he’s barely an NBA player because you watched highlight videos. That’s all I needed to know. If only every scouting report was based on highlight videos…..

And if they trade Splitter as some sort of sign and trade for LA or Gasol or something similar, heck yes you do it. But you don’t trade him just to get rid of him.
PatrickChewing

haha you’re a dumbass, what a waste of time writing all that garbage. Your stats are wrong..there’s a lot more than 5…here’s more that average greater than 1.5 and under 55%.

Clint Capella - 1.9 - 17.4%
Ian Mahinmi - 1.7 - 30.4%
Lou Amundson - 1.6 - 47.1%
Ed Davis - 2.4 - 48.7%
Hassan Whiteside - 3.3 - 50%
Steven Adams - 2.9 - 50.2%
Thomas Robinson - 2.0 - 52.8%
Jarnell Stokes - 1.5 - 53.6%

The point is, it’s completely terrible for basketball. If they are fouled during an actual basketball play, great, shoot your free throws. But just grabbing a guys jersey because you don’t think you can beat them by playing straight up real basketball is cowardly. It slows down the game, makes it painful to watch. You know what’s fun to watch? Running up and down the court, fast breaks, flowing offense. You know what’s not? Watching DJ and Dwight trade off clanking from the line.

You’re acting like people want to have those “Four” players never be made to shoot free throws. That’s not the case. If they get fouled during the flow of the game, great…go to the line. But slowing down the whole game, using a loophole to gain an advantage of potentially a point here or there…it just sucks for the game and for the fans. Remember that one time we all watched that awesome free throw shooting contest? Said no one…ever…

Even Pop said it’s “horseplay”, but he’ll do it as long as the rule is there as is.

Lastly, being good at your craft has nothing to do with FT shooting. No one expects every player to be good at every facet of a game.

In baseball, why doesn’t everyone take turns pitching? It’s part of the craft of baseball?
Shouldn’t we hand the ball off to that lineman? Football is his craft right?
Let’s have that goalie take a shot in a shootout…he plays hockey right? Scoring goals is part of his craft.
That short forward, give him some gloves and put him in the goal, playing keeper is part of the craft of soccer, his height or genetic makeup shouldn’t matter, it’s his “craft”.

When you play team sports, you have a group of players with varying levels of skills and abilities….not everyone’s good at everything. There are some really bad free throw shooters, and if they get fouled when shooting, make them earn them from the free throw line, like every other player. But stop this ridiculousness that slows down the game, and makes me want to stab myself in the eyes.
Dapimp Ofdayear

I guess I forgot to mention that I’ve also watched most of his Spurs (NBA) games for the last four years. Like I said, his shining achievements were the first three rounds of the ’14 playoffs playing defense against the opposing power forwards. Other than that, he’s just too soft, awkward, and unathletic. He’s strictly a system player who has plateaued and is increasing injury-prone.
RawJa777

So, other than his crucial defense against the best bigs in the west, he’s a scrub. You are an idiot.
Dapimp Ofdayear

Your mother’s an idiot. Sure he was solid against Aldridge and Dirk, but he was borderline unplayable against OKC and Miami. If the Spurs don’t go to Diaw, no championship biatch.
Anwar Winston

I am from New York City and I know for a fact that Duncan hit his first 3 of the season against the Clippers (ironically) on February 19th at STAPLES CENTER. I am so certain because I flew to LA to attend the game. Lol. But I share in your season highlight. It was my only game i went to this year and TIM DUNCAN WAS A MONSTER. What made it even sweeter was last year game that I went to at BARCLAY’S was one of Timmy’s rest games. So seeing him go off AND hit a trey helped ease the blow, even though we loss. Lol

	Tim Duncan, PF 37 MIN \| 11-16 FG \| 5-8 FT \| 11 REB \| 1 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 27 PTS \| -7 +/- If this was Duncan’s last game, he went out on his own terms, hitting tough baskets and playing great defense – all the things that have made him great for nearly two decades. But as much as I try, I can’t imagine that this is the end of his career. Game 7 ends in disappointment, but Duncan was the team’s most consistent player throughout the series. There’s still plenty left in the tank, and getting help down low in the offseason will extend his career even more.
	Kawhi Leonard, SF 33 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 10 REB \| 1 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 1 TO \| 13 PTS \| -6 +/- Kawhi Leonard spent the first five games of this series proclaiming his stardom to the rest of the league, so it’s a pity that he followed that stretch with two of his worst games in the last three months. His performance in Game 7 was a disappointment, thought not quite as bad as his in Game 6. He provided some steady defense, but he looked mortal on a night where the Spurs needed him to take the reins for stretches. I’m excited to see where his game goes next season, and if we know anything about Kawhi, we can expect he’ll spend the summer putting this game behind him.
	Tiago Splitter, C 22 MIN \| 2-3 FG \| 1-3 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 2 STL \| 1 BLK \| 0 TO \| 5 PTS \| +10 +/- He was quiet, but he was decently effective in his twenty-two minutes. Splitter was never really healthy this series, and though that’s not the reason the Spurs lost, they could definitely have used his defensive acumen for more than a couple quarters a game. Lost in all the Duncan/Ginobili retirement talk is the very real possibility that this was Splitter’s last game with the Spurs. If it was, at least he got one more “shyhook” in for old time’s sake.
	Tony Parker, PG 34 MIN \| 10-21 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 5 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 3 TO \| 20 PTS \| -8 +/- Tony Parker finally showed up. And the Spurs lost. Parker was aggressive all night and looked mobile and limber, twisting and coiling in midair for tough layups and bankers. Parker was definitely dealing with injuries this series, so if you’re looking for a silver lining, perhaps it’s this: On a night where the Spurs desperately needed him, he showed up. He’ll look better next year. And as well as they played, so will the Spurs.
	Danny Green, SG 35 MIN \| 6-12 FG \| 1-1 FT \| 8 REB \| 3 AST \| 2 STL \| 5 BLK \| 0 TO \| 16 PTS \| +4 +/- Another guy who had his best game of the series, Danny Green also had arguably the best defensive game of his career, posting a line you’d expect from a starting power forward. Tonight was a good reminder of how important he is to the team when it’s playing its best basketball. There’s a chance the Spurs lose him in the offseason, and Game 7 serves as a big reminder of how much they’d be losing if he walked.
	Marco Belinelli, SF 18 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 4 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 1 TO \| 2 PTS \| +5 +/- The meatballs were cold tonight. If this was Marco’s last game with the team, it was a quiet one, as he struggled from the floor. He’ll always have Game 6, though. And we’ll always have those two seasons where he and Manu played Wayne/Birdman.
	Matt Bonner, C 0 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 0 PTS \| 0 +/- Matt Bonner didn’t play tonight, so I can’t give him a grade. (Okay, I can. And it’s an A+.) Tonight was very likely Bonner’s last game in San Antonio, and if that is indeed the case, the team that suits up next year will be a little less fun. I’d say pour some out for your ginger homie, but I think the more appropriate response would be to let some mustard drip from your hoagie.
	Boris Diaw, C 27 MIN \| 5-11 FG \| 0-1 FT \| 4 REB \| 3 AST \| 0 STL \| 0 BLK \| 3 TO \| 12 PTS \| -9 +/- Boris Diaw started terribly but made up for it quick with some much needed offense to keep the game tight. Diaw is set to return next season, and he’ll continue to be an important part of the team, even as his role will probably shrink a bit.
	Patty Mills, PG 16 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 0 TO \| 6 PTS \| +3 +/- Another guy who will be returning next season, Patty Mills had a decent game from distance but didn’t play particularly well down the stretch. The Spurs not necessarily needing him to was a good thing, but they could have used one of his periodic three-point outbursts.
	Manu Ginobili, SG 18 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 2 REB \| 7 AST \| 1 STL \| 0 BLK \| 2 TO \| 8 PTS \| -2 +/- I really, really don’t want to spend time processing what was probably Manu Ginobili’s last game. But here goes: In Game 7, Manu offered a little of everything that made him who he was. He contorted himself and convinced a referee to call a foul in a moment where fouls are almost never called. He hit some big threes when the Spurs needed them most. And he guided the offense with the second unit to the tune of seven assists. There will never be another player like Manu, and San Antonio might never love a Spur they way the do him. If this is the end, what an incredible career it’s been. We’ll have more on that when the time comes.
	Gregg Popovich Popovich coached a great game, and though there were questionable moments, his small ball lineup down the stretch gave the Spurs an edge. The team just couldn’t close it out, mainly because Chris Paul refused to let them. The team struggled to take advantage of Paul’s extended injury break in the first half, but that’s not on Popovich. I’ve heard murmurs about him retiring, but seeing him punish Kawhi with some bench time (a bold, upsetting, but not ultimately damning strategy) convinced me that he’s absolutely returning. That was a long term move. He’s coaching Kawhi for the seasons to come. He’s always a step ahead.

El Conclusión: Los Angeles Clippers 111, San Antonio Spurs 109

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