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Last night’s victory over the Thunder felt like a return home after a long stay away. The Spurs won their 50th game of the season for the 10th consecutive season. And the Spurs beat a fearsome opponent by playing great defense for the final 3 quarters. It was without Manu Ginobili, but it felt like home. The Spurs returned to defense.

The highlight of the night was Bruce Bowen’s effort against Kevin Durant, who has looked every bit the superstar against the the Spurs this season. Durant still looked like a future MVP, but Bowen made KD work for his points, “holding” him to 7-16 for 24. Durant finished with a +/- of -10. The Spurs and Thunder have squared off 3 times in recent weeks, and this is the first game in which Kevin Durant appeared even remotely bottled up. In every contest against San Antonio, the Thunder have simply located Michael Finley and ran plays at him. In the last two contests, this gave rise to a Kevin Durant highlight reel. But not last night.

Bruce Bowen is not what he used to be, granted. But you know what the blues singer says, “he’ll’ forget more about defense than others will ever know.” Bowen’s work on Durant set a tone for the entire evening. The game was won because in nearly every instance, the Spurs preferred defense to offense, a reversal of trend from the recent rotation carnival. Bruce Bowen’s future with the Spurs is uncertain. I’d love to treat the sentimentalist in me to a few encores before the curtain closes.

Beyond appreciation for Bowen, here are a few scattered bullets to muse on:

• Tim Duncan had a very quiet 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Never the uber-athlete, his ailing knees have further restricted his lift around the rim. He scored by imposing his big fundamentals, not by overpowering his man. He shot selection was smartly attuned to his condition-he put shoulders into his defender to create space for hook shots, he played the glass, he dropped stepped around lousy positioning. In some ways, this is vintage Tim Duncan. But it seemed like more. Tim Duncan performance seemed like a tangible response to the Manu Ginobili injury, to his own legs, and to the 6 point stinker he put up against Cleveland. It’ll be interesting to see if Popovich plays Tim Duncan against Portland this evening. Graydon Gordian takes this on in a post from earlier this morning.
• Drew Gooden played a great game. He had 20 points in 29 minutes, including an important 6-6 from the line. But it’s his 2 blocks that speak to his defensive intensity. Or, put differently, if this season’s final chapters are about defense, Drew Gooden showed he wants a role. His defense was far from flawless, but it was also more than adequate. Welcome to Spurs basketball, Drew. We’re glad to have you.
• When we right our histories of the Spurs Dynasty, this season will be remembered by a handful of talking points. Tony Parker’s emergence as an All-League player is certainly part of that conversation. Tony Parker should finish 5th or 6th in MVP voting. I suspect he’s Second Team All-NBA, as well. Only Bryant, Wade, and Paul are better backcourters. Last night’s 21 points, 10 assists, and 5 steals is an increasingly common statline.
• Matt Bonner played 18 minutes, but his stats are almost invisible. Kurt Thomas, on the other hand, registered 6 points and 7 boards in 16 minutes. Thomas was something of a one man scrum. If defense is this season’s final movement, Bonner should fall and Thomas lift. Matt Bonner is good situational play, but he fits the offensive model. That model died in Cleveland.
• If Ime Udoka was 2 inches taller, he’d lead the league in rebounding. His rebound rate is remarkable. He played a deserving 27 minutes, and his final numbers are exactly what the Spurs need from him: 9 rebounds, a steal, a block, and good, tough-nosed man defense. If he scores, that’s gravy. But they really need him to board.
• Pop is one decision away from being back on my Christmas Card list. He needs to find minutes for George Hill. Roger Mason Jr. returned to form last night, and that is in large part because of a return to the starting shooting guard slot, where he has been most comfortable this season. Pop is still relying on him as a back point, however, when Parker is on the bench. My contention is that Pop should look to Mace’s scoring when Parker gets rest, but should allow George Hill to advance the ball and impose his defense on the opposing point. But it’s hard to complain. In yesterday’s pregame post, I hoped that this game would function as a reset button, returning the Spurs to a more familiar defense-first brand of basketball. And that’s what happened. Hooray, Pop!

Going forward, I expect the Spurs to continue along the path of ugly it up, slow it down, grind it out. And I’m pleased. It’s good to be home.