El Conclusion: Spurs finish first leg of Rodeo Road Trip

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San Antonio Spurs 104 Final

Recap | Box Score

 92 Boston Celtics
Tim Duncan, PF 35 MIN | 9-15 FG | 7-8 FT | 9 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 25 PTS | +18Theodore. Started slow, but was the spark the Spurs needed to start the second half. The Spurs outplayed the Celtics in the first half, but they hung around long enough just to make you nervous. Duncan has really put this team on his back while Parker’s been banged up and everyone else has been hurt.

Boris Diaw, PF 32 MIN | 8-12 FG | 1-1 FT | 3 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 18 PTS | +18Another great all around, efficient game from Diaw. It was pointed out on Twitter during the game that the Celtic frontline is the exact opposite of the Pistons frontline and that was a really thing for the Spurs.

Cory Joseph, PG 37 MIN | 4-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 5 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 11 PTS | +15No one has improved more in the last six weeks than Joseph and it’s started with him being confident enough to make plays. It’ll be difficult to find the minutes, but Joseph’s definitely earned a spot in the rotation.

Marco Belinelli, SG 36 MIN | 6-12 FG | 2-2 FT | 11 REB | 8 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | +17Easily his best all around game as a Spur. I couldn’t quite tell if he was gunning for the triple double at the end of the game. He might’ve been, but Pop wouldn’t lit him up after the game if it would’ve been a blatant attempt.

Danny Green, SG 31 MIN | 3-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 7 PTS | +16Did a little bit of everything this game. Shot wasn’t totally there but he moved the ball well. His highlight play was definitely catching a Belinelli airball and mid-air and tossing it in just as the shot clock expired.

Matt Bonner, PF 19 MIN | 3-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 7 PTS | -5A fine return to New England. We got a Bonner 3 and a Bonner dribble drive floater. What more can you ask for?

Jeff Ayres, C 11 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -7Nothing to see here. Move along.

Patty Mills, PG 20 MIN | 6-13 FG | 1-1 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | -1He was like the miniature Australian version of Duncan. Wasn’t great in the second half, but more than made up for in the second half, hitting timely shot after timely shot.

Nando de Colo, PG 9 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -15A very subdued end to the Nando non-garbage time portion of the season.

Shannon Brown, PG 12 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | +4This is based solely on the dunk he got and the second 10 day contract he just earned. Well done, Shannon.

Tiago Splitter, C DNP RIGHT SHIN CONTUSION MIN | FG | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS | Just get healthy, buddy.

Tony Parker, PG DNP REST MIN | FG | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS | That goes double for you.

Gregg Popovich
This is for both this game and the work he’s done dealing with all the injuries since the start of January. San Antonio is currently three back of Oklahoma City in the loss column and things could’ve been a lot worse considering the tear they’ve been on coupled with the Spurs injuries.

  • coli

    is there any chatter on trades at all?

  • Graham

    I hope not. Nothing out there sounds very meaningful/worth the cost it would take to make happen.

  • Pedro

    Evan Turner from the Sixers, both the Spurs and Bobcats are rumored to be after him. He is having a great 4th season and as a SG is avg. 17.8 pts, 6 rebounds and almost 4 assits per game. Two things make this trade complicated: his high salary (6.7 million a year) and the fact that the Sixers are gonna expect something big in return.

  • Tim in Surrey

    I doubt the Sixers would demand much more than a first-round draft pick and a decent young player to make the salaries balance (Patty Mills?). The question is whether you’d want to do that. Turner’s numbers are nice until you look at a) pace and b) efficiency. He’s a ball-stopper who doesn’t shoot well but does a lot of little, useful things. If Chip can teach him to shoot and the fear of Pop’s wrath turns him into an eager passer, then he could be a good pick up. But he wouldn’t be cheap and our front office might be able to do just as well without giving up Patty.

  • Pedro

    Agreed, he is shooting about 46% which is not as good as it sounds when you see how many shots he takes a game. Also, he would likely be the 5th or 6th option in shot selection, not sure if he is ready to be that.

  • Pedro

    Latest according to the NY Post is the Spurs (and Wizards) are after Beno Udrih.

  • Graham

    Would he really be THAT much of an upgrade on Manu/Marco/Green? (Which lest we forget, are our natural 2s) He brings something to the table, sure, but what would we have to give up to get him? He falls into the ‘not worth the cost’ camp for me.

  • Graham

    Reasonable. He’s been in the system before, but again, do we really NEED another guard?

  • Joseph Dooley

    There was some chatter a few days back of Kawhi Leonard being shopped around. Seeing as how he’s the Spurs’ Future, I don’t see it happening.

  • Joseph Dooley

    After getting off to a slow start, Duncan has been on fire lately. Statistically he is having an identical season to the one he had 2 years ago, with slightly better assist and block numbers. He is first on the team in PER, 18th in the NBA (above Dwight Howard).
    I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but regardless of what happens in the playoffs, do you think the odds are good he exercises the 1-year option in his contract?

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