El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 104, Detroit Pistons 87

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San Antonio Spurs 104 FinalRecap | Box Score 87 Detroit Pistons
Tim Duncan, PF 18 MIN | 4-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 8 PTS | +9 +/-

This is a tough matchup for Timmy; he did quite poorly against the Pistons in their last meeting. So, all in all, Duncan played quite well tonight. His impact on both sides of the ball was significant in limited minutes. Nothing crazy, but certainly effective.

Kawhi Leonard, SF 28 MIN | 2-12 FG | 4-4 FT | 6 REB | 4 AST | 4 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | +10 +/-

A bad shooting night, but he did his thing on defense, as he usually does. The high usage rates with limited productivity is a concern, but he makes up for so much on the other end. Things will even out eventually.

Aron Baynes, C 24 MIN | 6-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 12 PTS | +16 +/-

Nice night in the starting lineup. Baynes is very off and on, but give him a big front line to push around and he’ll generally play a serviceable role. I thought he played really well tonight. (Remember, grades are relative, so don’t freak!)

Tony Parker, PG 32 MIN | 6-10 FG | 5-5 FT | 3 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 5 TO | 17 PTS | +15 +/-

The 17 points is nice; the fact they came on 10 shots is better. Good signs from Parker lately.

Danny Green, SG 31 MIN | 7-13 FG | 0-0 FT | 8 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 0 TO | 19 PTS | +20 +/-

Yeah Danny busted back out tonight. Against that team, the Spurs needed it, and he answered the ball. This was one of his best all-around games of the season. He needs rest more than anyone on the roster, and this was a great way to go out.

Marco Belinelli, SF 20 MIN | 4-10 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | +1 +/-

Marco has been making an impact of late. Tonight wasn’t great, and when he’s not knocking everything down, his bad defense carries a heavy wight. But Belinelli is important to what the Spurs want to do during the regular season. He did have some periodic significant contributions in general tonight, so let’s see if that carries over.

Boris Diaw, C 15 MIN | 1-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | +8 +/-

The Detroit interior is difficult for someone like Boris to deal with, but he did play well defensively. All in all, so long as Diaw is contributing, you’re good. Games aren’t super important yet.

Tiago Splitter, C 17 MIN | 3-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 7 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | +2 +/-

The whole Tiago thing has become strange. He’s not starting anymore and he’s struggling overall (relatively speaking), but he remains very important. That won’t ever change. We’ll see how it develops.

Patty Mills, PG 16 MIN | 2-4 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 7 PTS | +2 +/-

Patty just being Patty. Eventually things will start to flow better, and his impact will resonate more. Seven points isn’t hugely impressive, but he was efficient and timely.

Cory Joseph, PG 9 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 0 PTS | -4 +/-

Meh. Pretty pedestrian night for CoJo. And on the defensive end, things didn’t seem to go well (the Spurs were -24 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor). Not a good one.

Manu Ginobili, SG 22 MIN | 6-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | +11 +/-

Efficient. Smart. Lull-smasher. Manu was good tonight, and very important to the Spurs’ attack.

Gregg Popovich
Any comments on Pop? I’m sure y’all have some.

One Thing We Saw

  1. This was a really nice way for the Spurs to head into the All-Star break.
  • Ryan McShane

    Stories From 1001 [Popovich] Nights

  • J

    And everyone was already pronouncing TP’s career dead lmao ahh the things 5X champion fans overreact about

  • DorieStreet

    Very good win. Spurs clamped down on the Pistons’ offense at the 1st qtr. 5-minute mark. Just 2 points for the home team until the buzzer, while the visitors put up 9 to go up 8. Then gradually increasing the lead through the middle quarters to 19……maintained focus to win by 17.
    But it’s back to 7th place in the conference standings (HOU lost @ LAC). However-only 3 games back of the 3rd spot.
    Does the team get four days (Thursday through Sunday) completely off?

  • Dapimp Ofdayear

    I’ve reserve judgement on that until the playoffs, but his career wasn’t dead anyway. The questions were about whether he has begun a serious decline.

  • Suave Groove

    Updated Western Conference standings:

    1. GSW 42-9 (GB 0.0) (L10: 7-3)
    2. MEM 39-14 (GB 4.0) (L10: 8-2)
    3. POR 36-17 (GB 7.0) (L10: 5-5)
    4. HOU 36-17 (GB 7.0) (L10: 7-3)
    5. DAL 36-19 (GB 8.0) (L10: 6-4)
    6. LAC 35-19 (GB 8.5) (L10: 5-5)
    7. SAS 34-19 (GB 9.0) (L10: 7-3)
    8. PHX 29-25 (GB 14.5) (L10: 3-7)

    9. OKC 28-25 (GB 15.0) (L10: 6-4)

    Evidently OKC is gonna catch-up and pass the Suns and most likely end up w/ the 6-8th seed. I’m rooting for a GSW-OKC 1st round series!

  • Suave Groove

    Western Conference records since January 1st:

    Top 10 WC playoff seeds since Jan 1st:

    1. GSW 15-4 (.789)
    2. SAS 12-4 (.750)
    3. MEM 14-5 (.737)
    4. HOU 13-6 (.684)
    5. LAC 11-7 (.611)
    6. PHX 11-7 (.611)
    7. DAL 12-8 (.600)
    8. NOP 11-8 (.579)

    9. OKC 9-8 (.529)
    10. POR 8-10 (.444)

  • brunostrange

    The pronouncements about TP may have been a little overwrought, but I don’t think the concerns were unfounded. Great to see Tony playing like Tony, now let’s hope he can do so on a consistent basis - what has worried many fans, myself included, is that he’s tended to have a TP-like game, followed by a string of timid, ineffectual ones. If he can string together a run of several solid games in a row, I imagine the concerns will disappear. Good game last night, nonetheless.

  • Tyler

    re: Belinelli’s bad defense

    I actually don’t think he’s a bad defender. He’s probably an average defender. The problem is he’s asked to guard SF’s on the second unit and he’s not a SF, he’s a SG. He’s being asked to do some things he’s really not capable of, it’s just a function of necessity.

    It’s certainly not a question of effort. Before he was with SA, he was playing playoff minutes for Thibodeaux in Chicago (guarding SG’s) and playing well on both ends. Long story short, he probably should be graded on a curve in regards to his defense given the role he’s being forced to play.

    Either way, he’s a great situational guard to bring off the bench - he doesn’t really take a lot off the table when he comes in - and having him back should help ease the minutes load for the other guards.

  • fkj74

    Good one suave

  • fkj74

    Man hope we do not draw OKC in 1st round. Looking today we have good chance to 3 and OKC to 6. Nice record since 1 Jan. thanks Suave for pointing that out. Go Spurs

  • brunostrange

    Thanks, Marco Bellinelli’s mom.

  • Tyler

    You’re welcome hun!

  • DorieStreet

    Spurs’ record on the last day of Year 2014 was 20-14, so their record so far this year is 14-5

  • Suave Groove

    Uff! I’ll edit it right now.

  • DorieStreet

    Here we go again…….worrying about the Thunder. If the Spurs face them in the opening round, so be it. Hell—-knock ’em out the box early on!

  • thedrwolff5

    Year after year we see POP experiment during the season. 19 loses and 5 of those were OT and a buzzer beater. The final 30 games we start locking into rotations and lineups. I look for games 65-80 to be the playoff pre season (as usual) where guys learn the rotation and thats the way its going to be. Yeah we get the back to back lineups with care for minutes but I recall fondly the 20 game BURIAL we put on until OKC played 4 games out of their mind, Last seasons best record and actually pulling away over the final 20 games…everyones healthy…everyones stuck together on the road trip for bonding…and Duncan is overtaking Garnet in rebounds, Garnet in points (ok that one is maybe not happening but its going to be close), Ewing in blocks and knocking on the admirals door for number 5 all time by seasons end. Life is good. Don’t be surprised if slo mo gets pulled up for the final 15 games or so and hangs for the playoffs. Jeff Ayers sighting anyone?

  • BobbyKe

    Thunder ain’t getting any better then the 8 seed. They’re 6 games back of the Spurs in the 7 seed which is way too much. Heck, they should worry more about the Pelicans & Suns who have stayed strong. I think the Pelicans can take the 8 seed & the Thunder aren’t a major concern this season