Spurs slip past Pacers
Spurs slip past Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS -- The San Antonio Spurs continue to be the model of NBA consistency, clinching a 20th consecutive winning season Monday night in coach Gregg Popovich's home state.
Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points, and the Spurs rallied to defeat the Indiana Pacers 110-106 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, improving to 42-13.
"San Antonio played San Antonio ball," Pacers All-Star Paul George said. "They screen so well."
During what is now a 20-season run of excellence, San Antonio has won 60 percent of its games.
LaMarcus Aldridge's three-point play with 52.2 seconds left gave the Spurs a 105-100 lead, and Tony Parker made two free throws with 23.4 seconds remaining that pushed the advantage to 107-101.
Two Aldridge free throws at the 3:55 mark and Leonard's baseline jumper with 3:34 to play gave San Antonio a 98-97 lead. Another Leonard basket extended the advantage to 100-97 with 2:52 left.
"I am just trying to win and do the best I can at both ends of the floor to try and win a game," Leonard said. "I thought we did a good job in the second quarter of picking up our energy to stay in the game. They are a tough team that is going through a tough stretch, so we knew we had to be ready."
Aldridge finished with 19 points, and Danny Green, David Lee and Tony Parker each scored 12 for the Spurs.
"It was a great game, either team's game," said Popovich, who is from Merrillville in northwest Indiana. "We made a few shots down the stretch, and it usually comes down to putting the ball in the hole as long as you play some decent defense along the way.
"I am obviously thrilled with the win on the road. I thought we had a lot of people contribute. Obviously, Kawhi and Paul George are unbelievable players. At times, you had to slap yourself watching those two guard each other."
George led the Pacers (29-26) with 27, Myles Turner had 22, Jeff Teague scored 15 and Rodney Stuckey added 13 in Indiana's fourth consecutive loss.
San Antonio outrebounded Indiana 49-37.
"We rushed shots and missed free throws down the stretch," Indiana coach Nate McMillan said. "You have to execute and make plays late in the game against this team. In the first half, we completely played at their tempo. Paul made some plays, but there were several times late that we needed to have the ball in his hands and it didn't happen."
Indiana opened the fourth quarter with a 6-1 run to lead 85-84 with 9:19 remaining, prompting a San Antonio timeout.
Leonard and Mills sank 3-pointers in the third quarter's final 2:24, and the Spurs led 83-79 through 36 minutes. George had 12 third-quarter points to help the Pacers remain within striking distance.
"We had opportunities to win this game," George said. "It was one we really had to have, and we didn't get it."
San Antonio outscored Indiana 21-12 to close the second quarter and pull into a 49-49 halftime tie. Leonard scored 13 first-half points for the Spurs, and Aldridge, Dewayne Dedmon and Jonathon Simmons each added six.
Turner had 12 first-half points for the Pacers, and George and Stuckey each scored nine.
Indiana shot 50 percent in the half (19 of 38) but was outrebounded 26-19. San Antonio shot only 40.8 percent (20 of 49) through 24 minutes.
For the game, the Pacers hit 48.7 percent from the floor while limiting the Spurs to 46 percent shooting.
NOTES: Indiana was without starting F Thaddeus Young (sprained left wrist). ... The Pacers started G Glenn Robinson III in place of CJ Miles and F Kevin Seraphin in place of Lavoy Allen, who had been starting in place of Young. Seraphin contributed 12 points, while Robinson was scoreless. ... The Southwest Division-leading Spurs were coming off a Sunday loss at New York, 94-90, a game in which F Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points. ... The Pacers came in having lost consecutive games to Cleveland, Washington and Milwaukee. ... San Antonio came in ranked first in 3-point shooting (40.3 percent), second in opponents' points per game (98.6) and second in opponents' 3-point shooting (34.1 percent). ... Indiana ranked second in free-throw percentage (81.4) and third in opponents' turnovers (15.4). ... Beginning with the 1996-97 season, San Antonio is 30-8 against Indiana. ... The teams will meet again on March 1 in San Antonio.