First Round: Grizzlies stun the champs, force a 7-game war. (4-3, Spurs)

The Spurs found themselves on the edge of elimination in the first round, stunned in complacency and disbelief as the bloodthirsty Memphis Grizzlies stole Game 1 on the road, pulled off a home rally in Game 4 & shocked the world in Game 5, winning again in San Antonio. An almost too-tough test for the defending champions eventually righted its course as the Spurs won a close Game 6 & Game 7 in a blowout, marking the first series since the Lakers & Jazz years ago to go the distance. The Grizzlies, being 1 of 5 teams to defeat the Spurs this season, nearly had the biggest defeat of San Antonio in over a decade, beating them 3 more times (4 total) which is just one less than the rest of the league!

"They are going to be dangerous soon, and I plan to retire before then," Coach Popovich said after San Antonio's Game 7 victory. "I want to commend them on a great season and one hell of a series. They play beautiful basketball, but so do we. I'm very proud of our team for digging down deep and remembering how to play this game, especially Murray & Fred. They made history, and we can't understate that."

Coach Pop was speaking to Dejounte Murray, who looked more like Jamal Murray in the playoffs last season. Dejounte dropped 60 points in Game 5 in a crushing defeat, a career-high mark, and then he did it again, sensationally scoring his way past the previous record set by Michael Jordan. Murray scored a phenomenal 71 points in Game 6 on a night with his team facing elimination and only him having the hot hand. For years now, both Spurs fans and league analysts have debated "who's the leader" between Murray, Ingram & Drummond. Dejounte clearly convinced the critics and silenced the skeptics with, "Oh, it's me."

Then, Game 7 happened. Fred VanVleet crushed ex-Spur Joe Harris' previous Playoffs record of 12 three-pointers, hitting 19 of his own for a career-high 62 points after another season of 50% from deep. Meanwhile, he tied Allen Iverson with 10 steals in a playoff game as the Spurs blew out Memphis, 112-141. "He was struggling early this series, so we put KCP in, and it lit a fire under him," Coach Popovich spoke as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope outplayed VanVleet in the first two games, with most critics saying KCP should've closed out Game 1 and maybe in hindsight the Spurs would've avoided this seven-game war.

The Series:

The Grizzlies won Game 1, 140-132.

The Spurs won Game 2, 118-134.

The Spurs won Game 3, 106-96.

The Grizzlies won Game 4, 112-132.

The Grizzlies won Game 5, 133-127.

The Spurs won Game 6, 140-125.

The Spurs won Game 7, 112-141.

Brandon Ingram scored 27 points in Game 7, struggling with his shot for most of the series. Jarren Jackson, Jr played phenomenally for Memphis, proving to be the difference maker in Game 4 and again in Game 5, in which Jonas Valanciunas & Ja Morant both nearly fouled out, with Game 5 being the worst collapse in the 4th Quarter of the two "had it, then lost it" outings for the Spurs. Ja Morant is on the cusp of superstardom, turning in a stellar series with several 20+ scoring performances.

P.J. Tucker played a great series for the Spurs and without his effort, they may have not gotten any farther, as Tucker shot 60% from 3PT range, scoring 18 points in Game 2 and 12 in Game 7. Andre Drummond went to war against Valanciunas, as both men tallied nearly 20 rebounds every game, with Dre averaging 14.4rpg so far with 2.6 blocks per game. His scoring will need to improve as he only had 7.9ppg in this tough series.

Spurs finish season strong on second 24-game win streak, tie own record of 77-5.

The silver and black Alamo City of champions finished the season in historic fashion, tying their own personal league record with 77 wins and just 5 defeats between two amazing win streaks. Evan Fournier had 41 points, 7 rebounds & 5 assists in a blowout win over the Rockets.

Most spectacularly, the Spurs downed the 76ers in a must-see season-ending clash of titanic proportions. Philly led for most of the game, but the Spurs had a 38-23 burst in the 4th Quarter to carry the day. Brandon Ingram had 34 points, with Evan Fournier scoring 19 and a go-ahead 3PT bomb in the final minute. Fred VanVleet notched 23 points, hitting five 3PT daggers. Andre Drummond had 15 points & 13 rebounds. Dejounte Murray dished 15 assists with 11 points & 7 rebounds.

In defeat, the 76ers had 29 points from James Harden. Julius Randle & Tobias Harris combined for 41 points, but both men missed go-ahead jumpers late. Clint Capela had 20 points, but Ben Simmons was contained nicely to just 8 assists & 5 points with 3 turnovers.

Jabari Parker had his best scoring performance since being signed by San Antonio with 30 points in another easy win past Houston, and Mike Muscala had 23 points. P.J. Tucker scored 17 points, but saddened the Spurs faithful by announcing his retirement at season's end. Tucker has surged lately this season after re-signing on a 2 year deal. The Pacers lost a close game next, with Dejounte Murray scoring 34 points. In the final game of the season, Andre Drummond had 25 points & 12 rebounds with 4 blocks.

The 76ers finished 67-15, leading the east with the Celtics at 57-25 behind them. Out west, the Lakers & Warriors both finished 62-20. In a controversial decision, Andre Drummond took MVP honors for the second time in three seasons over much-favored candidate Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo (who did win DPOY) & LeBron James.

Spurs sweep Warriors in season series, fend off 49 by Giannis.

With San Antonio’s new 15-game win streak against a 20-game win streak by Golden State, Fred VanVleet averted a colossal collapse by the Spurs, who were up by 25 points thanks to a 5-5 stellar display by Evan Fournier (31 points). Golden State was shooting 38% at halftime, spirits shook by Dejounte Murray staring down Antetokounmpo after a thunderous slam dunk. 

 

Then the Warriors went on a furious tear, led by Steph Curry’s eventual surge, who finished with 6 threes, as Antetokounmpo tied the game with the final minute underway. VanVleet had gone 0-4 from his signature territory, until the final five seconds with no timeouts left to advance the ball.

In overtime, Freddy V would hit three more perimeter daggers to put away the Warriors.

The final meeting of the regular season then shifted back to Texas, where the Warriors came in hot and kept heating up, especially the Greek Freak who had 37 points midway through the 3rd Quarter. Golden State found themselves on the edge of a blowout, as Giannis scorched the Spurs to a season-high 49 points, scoring past Andre Drummond and Brandon Ingram interchangeably. 

After a down game in San Francisco, Ingram would finally hit his upswing, burying 3-5 from distance, hitting one 3PT burner on Giannis in the final minute as the Spurs finally retook the lead. Ingram finished with 27 points & 9 rebounds. Dejounte Murray led the Spurs with his stellar court vision, feeding Drummond easy jams and then jamming it himself over Steph Curry. 

The final huge meeting of the season comes soon as the Spurs, now 71-5 with supreme home court advantage throughout the playoffs, host the likely Eastern Conference champions, Philadelphia 76ers, who lead the East at 64-13, in what should a fitting preview of this year’s most likely Finals matchup.

Near end of season RECAP: Spurs build mini-streak again.

Recuperating well after the 34-Game win streak was ended, the Spurs have won 11 straight games boasting a 64-5 record on the verge of tying their W/L record of two seasons ago (77-5). Andre Drummond had himself another triple-double performance, his second of the season, not to mention a 29-Rebound effort in a win over the Brooklyn Nets, a game that saw VanVleet drop 34 against Kevin Durant's 29. The Big Penguin has gotten cozy in the MVP race, a feat he accomplished two seasons ago.

Next up, Austin Rivers dropped 37 points on the Cavaliers, gelling with his new team nicely as is Jabari Parker. The former #2 pick has scored 20+ more than once already, grabbing double-digit rebounds to help take the load off Drummond, showing his value as a scorer.

Even Coach Pop had a smile on his face when he reactivated both Brandon Ingram & Dejounte Murray, who've both sat out several games during the win streak for load management purposes, as the Memphis Grizzlies came to visit for the final time this season. The Spurs soundly defeated them, 111-125, with 27 points by Ingram & 26 by Murray.

The Spurs are firing on all cylinders with its star trio rested and ready for the championship defense, as 13 games remain on the schedule and Rivers & Parker continue to mesh with Popovich's system.

Mavs snap streak, but Spurs get revenge, thanks to Drummond's new career-high.

Coach Rick Carlisle once dubbed Coach Pop of the Spurs, "The Greatest Coach Ever," so it only made sense for both great minds to lead their teams into two instant classic wars.

The Mavericks traveled south and arrived with a furious effort to start the game, buckling the Spurs. San Antonio tried to recover, and eventually got scoring well, but Dallas was too strong. The Mavs, led by Luka Doncic & Kristaps Porzingis (and his 8 blocks!) cracked the code to defeat the champs: to shoot well from 3PT distance and to rebound hard with solid defense, using San Antonio's reliable weapons against them.

1st Quarter: 31-27, DA

2nd Quarter: 31-29, SA

3rd Quarter: 33-26, DA

4th Quarter: 47-44, DA

The Mavericks shot 47% from 3PT territory (18/38), with the Spurs going 48% (19-40). The Mavericks won the fast break battle and had 12 steals with 9 blocks that stifled the Spurs comeback effort. Dallas led by as much as 15, with the Spurs briefly taking a 2-PT lead only once. Evan Fournier had 25 points, as did Fred VanVleet, with KCP's 18 points & 24 rebounds by Andre Drummond still not being enough.

In the impressive 140-128 road win, Porzingis had 24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals & 8 blocks. Doncic had 16 assists with 23 points. Tim Hardaway, Jr., contributed 20 points.

The Spurs would have their revenge for their 34-game win streak being snapped by the Mavericks, blitzing them 147-137. Andre Drummond pulverized Dallas for 43 points & 25 rebounds with 5 blocks, going a near-perfect 17-18 from the field. Fred VanVleet had 25 points again, hitting 5 threes. Evan Fournier had 19 points, hitting five threes also. Luka Doncic had 16 assists with 29 points, but Porzingis shot just 6-14 for a night of 13 points, 12 rebounds. The Mavericks were unable to strike as hot from deep range, hitting just eleven threes to 16 by the Spurs. Dallas only led by 1 point once, with the Spurs leading by 19 at one moment.

1st Quarter: 40-35, SA

2nd Quarter: 28-25, SA

3rd Quarter: 42-39, SA

4th Quarter: 38-37, DA

A timeless Texan rivalry that just keeps getting better...

Spurs sign Jabari Parker & Austin Rivers.

After dealing JaVale McGee, the Spurs reached the 2-week league exception limit of having less than 14 players on the roster, at a crossroads that luckily had been anticipated by R.C. Buford & Coach Popovich. While Skal Labissiere has done well in his second stint with the Spurs, there hasn't been the same level of output by Rodions Kurucs. P.J. Tucker has had to fill in behind Labissiere as a result, juggling both backup SF & PF roles for the team. Tucker has flourished this season, regardless, but this impasse set by the league gave the Spurs the opportunity to take fliers on some talents that other teams left by the wayside after the trade deadline.

The first joining San Antonio's championship run is Jabari Parker, the #2 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, who has bounced around the league after an ACL tear cut his rookie run short with the Bucks after just two months of playing time, during which Parker earned rookie of the month honors. It wasn't long until a second ACL tear further hampered his early career. Most recently, Sacramento cut ties with Parker. It's been a while since a "Parker" suited up the silver-and-black for San Antonio, so by name alone, Jabari has his work cut out for him. A career-high night with the Bucks of 36 points not too long ago, coupled with a solid philanthropic image off the court, earned Parker a spot on the team. His scoring ability and raw talent will hopefully translate into solid backup PF minutes and possibly some time at center, as Mike Muscala hasn't done his best work since McGee's departure. The signing will also allow Tucker to fully commit to the SF spot, as Kurucs will be given more playing time behind Fournier & Tucker as the third-string 3.

After languishing in New York despite a solid work ethic and well-mannered approach, Austin Rivers found himself traded to the OKC Thunder and next on the waiver wire. Coach Doc Rivers of the 76ers spoke up for his son in the past amid a rocky career, with Austin becoming a journeyman in most recent times, unable to find a home for long in the league. "He grew up wanting to play for the Spurs, so I'm hopeful," Coach Rivers noted after hearing the Spurs had signed his boy. Rivers has playoff experience in a game 7 series, possessing ball-handling capabilities and had a career-high 41 points with 7 threes. His defensive prowess has also kept him in the league, with the Spurs hoping it stays that way. Austin will be tasked with backing up Alex Caruso, who is expected to start some games as the season winds down, with additional openings at the 2 spot given Austin's perimeter defense to lighten the load for VanVleet and KCP.

"We were digging around for more help at the 1 & 2 behind our top guys, to ensure they don't get heavy legs heading toward our playoff run. We lucked out with Austin hitting the free agent market, and with [Jabari] Parker being available, so we feel good with what we got. Plus, we kind of had to," Popovich explained, ending with a playful nod to the league rule for 14-man minimum rosters. Parker will don #22, his old high-school jersey number, with Rivers rocking #25 as he's done for most of his career.

All-Star Weekend Wrap-Up: Trades, Instant Classics, Chasing History.

Outgunning two Spurs players, VanVleet & Ingram, Steph Curry took home the 3PT Shootout trophy and Kawhi Leonard's game-winner was waved-off for coming after the buzzer as Team LeBron edged out Team Harden in the All*Star Game.

Days earlier, the trade deadline splashed chaos throughout the league. Aaron Gordon, Kyle Kuzma, Nikola Vucevic, Lamarcus Aldridge and Victor Oladipo all found new homes by the 3pm countdown. The Spurs did right by JaVale McGee in facilitating a trade to the Denver Nuggets where the veteran big will get more playing opportunity behind Nikola Jokic rather than try and find a spot with Drummond & Gasol producing consistently for the Spurs.

The Spurs win streak continues, now at 34 (with the league record being 43, set by San Antonio five seasons ago) against mounting pressure from each new foe that comes to the AT&T Center or welcomes the champs for a road bout, highlighted by a double overtime instant classic victory over LeBron's Lakers. Fred VanVleet, Dejounte Murray & Brandon Ingram were sensational on the road no less, with Drummond's stellar defense and interior presence binding the effort under the highest stress. In other games, KCP, Marc Gasol, rookie Devin Vassell and P.J. Tucker have stepped up for big outings.

In the Spurs first game after the break, Evan Fournier shined in a huge 32-point victory over the OKC Thunder, now that Coach Pop is resting the star trio in winnable games, giving the bench more spotlight to gear up for the playoffs. Fournier hit all four of his 3PT daggers, finishing with a career-high 41 points. Fournier is flirting with 50% from 3PT range this season, just behind VanVleet.

Spurs survive Donovan Mitchell's Jazz in OverTime, 136-140.

The Spurs, fresh off beating the Suns twice, the Raptors again and the Bulls nearly lost their hot win streak. Why? Because Donovan Mitchell's warrior spirit caused flashbacks of a 7-Game war a few seasons ago in the playoffs, but the Spurs had a gutsy Fred VanVleet on-point tonight, along with Dejounte Murray furiously attacking the rim all game long.

 

The game still went into overtime, with Mitchell gunning away for Utah and hitting a buzzer-beater to tie the game at halftime and then again in the final minute.

 

The Spurs went up by as many as 15 points, but the Jazz had 57 points by Mitchell to keep them in the mix. Two clutch 3PT bombs by Fred VanVleet, some nice pick-and-roll dunks by Andre Drummond late and clutch free throws with composure was enough for the Spurs to finally down the Jazz.

The Rest:

 

Spurs

Murray: 40pts, 7reb, 7ast

VanVleet: 32pts, 8 3PT

Ingram: 22pts

Drummond: 13pts/9rebs

 

Jazz

Mitchell: 57pts, 8ast (21-32 FG%)

Bogdanovic: 23pts, 8rebs, 8ast

Favors: 16pts, 12reb

Holiday: 11pts (3-14) 

 

This victory at home marks a 25th straight victory as this team can see its own historic win streak from five years ago, 43 games in a row, which set a new league record, now on the horizon of possibility.

 

Spurs get revenge for past loss, fend off Hawks 117-122.

It took all four quarters to down a tenacious road effort by Atlanta, who erased an 18-PT lead by San Antonio. The Spurs were up 39-25 after quarter one, but lost the 3rd Quarter, 33-23, finding themselves in a fight. They did just enough to win the 4th, 34-32, aided by John Collins fouling out early and an off shooting display by Trae Young (2-7 3PT, 21 points, 9 assists).

Nearly snapping the 17-game win streak for the Spurs, the Hawks gave quite a push late. Bogdanovic had 17 points, with Gallinari contributing 14 points. Kevin Huerter had 13 points, with Onyeka Okongwu (the #6th pick) scoring 13 as well. De'Andre Hunter hit a would-be dagger in the final minute like his NCAA title-game winner in 2019, but Dejounte Murray answered at the basket with a tough layup over the defense.

In front of their fans, both Ingram & Murray received M-V-P chants. Ingram had 35 points & 7 rebounds. Murray scored 27 points with 8 assists & 2 steals. Fred VanVleet had 23 points. Andre Drummond powered home a 15-point, 15-rebound performance with 2 blocks & 3 steals.

Murray returns as Spurs level Heat on the road, 122-103.

The Spurs just can't lose and joyously welcomed Dejounte Murray back onto the court and into command, giving Fred VanVleet deserved reprieve for admirable relief point guard duties during Murray's absence. Dejounte came back with a fury, smashing a dunk that showed he was good to go, finishing with 25 points, 5 assists & 5 steals.

 Brandon Ingram welcomed his partner in crime back, scoring 23 points. VanVleet had 18 points, hitting six threes with primary ball-handling duties in the rear view. Andre Drummond had 17 points & 15 rebounds, swatting 3 blocks. KCP chipped in 15 points.

All this led to a 38-26 advantage early, then the Spurs blew open the 2nd Quarter: 29-17, the halftime score 67-43. Miami fought harder out the gate, but still lost the third, 34-32 to cap off the downer. In the loss, Bam Adebayo had 21 points & 10 rebounds. Jimmy Butler had 19 points with 6 assists.

Once down 28 points, the Spurs overwhelm the Raptors in thrilling comeback: 126-118.

The San Antonio Spurs had arguably its greatest comeback effort in Canada tonight, despite being absolutely pulverized by the Toronto Raptors for most of the game, then kicked back down when they tried to mount a rally. Eventually, somehow, someway, the Spurs pulled it off as Kevin Harlan exclaimed, "They've come all the way back to tie the game!" and soon thereafter, "Now, they take the lead--wow!"

The first quarter was a crushing 29-17 advantage for the Raptors. The Spurs scored better in the 2nd Quarter, but still were outplayed by 39-32. 68-49 was the halftime lead for Toronto, and it was more of the same in the 3rd Quarter, with San Antonio narrowly edging out the Raptors, 38-35, but the deficit was still 87-103. The 4th Quarter of the season came next, as San Antone trounced Toronto 39-15 to steal a road victory against all the odds, even as three Spurs players fouled out of the game (Fournier, Ingram & KCP).

Fred VanVleet was the definition of clutch, hitting both 3-PT daggers that tied the game and soon took away the lead, which seemed impossible throughout the game. He finished with 28 points & 9 assists, hitting 7 threes. Andre Drummond had 22 rebounds, 7 insane blocks (including one with the game on the line), 5 steals & 15 points. Brandon Ingram had 27 points before fouling out, with Fournier throwing in 20 points. KCP was the beacon of hope early on, scoring 19 points and hitting five 3PT salvos. Alex Caruso picked up the slack with VanVleet on the bench, scoring 10 points & dishing 7 assists.

In the hard-to-comprehend loss, Pascal Siakam received M-V-P chants as he strolled to 28 points. Ex-Spur, Derrick White scored 17 points. Chris Boucher had 17 rebounds and Kyle Lowry had 17 points. OG Anunoby chipped in 14 points. The Spurs buried 21 shots from 3PT territory, pulling off the upset despite giving the Raptors 41 free throw attempts.

Spurs defeat Grizzlies, 100-95.

The Spurs got the last win of the season series over the Memphis Grizzlies, whose Dillon Brooks poured in 27 points in what was a very close encounter. The quarter scoring went: 27-24, SA, 24-1, ME, 20-17, SA & 32-30 SA. Ja Morant had 18 points with 8 assists but had 5 turnovers. Jarren Jackson, Jr. scored 15 points.

In the narrow rivalry win, Andre Drummond had 27 points with 2 steals, 3 blocks. Brandon Ingram had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Evan Fournier scored 16 points and Skal Labissiere scored 11 points. Fred VanVleet had 14 assists.

Recap: Spurs go 2-0 without Ingram, 4-0 without Murray.

The mettle of the defending, dynastic champion Spurs!

Fred VanVleet stepped up big-time, receiving M-V-P chants in an overtime victory against the OKC Thunder, finishing with 27 points and hitting six threes. Evan Fournier balled out with 32 points & 6 assists, going 12-15 and a stellar 5-6 from 3PT range. Andre Drummond had a career-high 31 rebounds, joining 19 other players in league history to accomplish this feat in a single game, with Kevin Love being the last player to do it way back in 2010; Drummond's previous best mark was 29 rebounds.

In the narrow defeat, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 34 points & 9 assists. Thomas Bryant, the ex-Spur, had 28 points & 12 rebounds. Lugentz Dort had 15 points, 8 rebounds & 7 assists with 12 boards by Jakob Poeltl.

Next, the formerly Klay Thompson-led Bucks fell 108-95 courtesy of 21 points, 18 rebounds by Andre Drummond. Skal Labissiere broke out for 16 points & 9 rebounds. KCP had 14 points, with 31 coming from the trio of P.J. Tucker, Rodions Kurucs & Evan Fournier. Moving to Texas for game two of the mini-series, the Bucks fell 108-120 as Ingram returned big-time for 25 points, going 11-20. Andre Drummond notched his second triple-double this season with 23 points, 13 rebounds & 10 assists. Evan Fournier had 17 points, hitting five threes. Skal Labissiere dropped 15 more this time, with 14 points by P.J. Tucker.

In both games versus Milwaukee, the supporting cast contributed largely with Fred VanVleet finally showing signs of fatigue, but still chipping in some 3PT proficiency, as he still leads the league in 3PT %. In the road loss, James Wiseman had 20 points & 14 rebounds.

With another victory over Boston, the Spurs are now 4-0 without Dejounte Murray, but that's not to say they won't miss him against the Grizzlies in what promises to be a third tough outing.

Spurs top Celtics in close road encounter, 121-116.

Back from injury, Brandon Ingram came out rusty as the Spurs fell behind. B.I. would have a second half surge that culminated in hitting a clutch jumper to give San Antonio the final lead it needed to come out on top. This win came against a tough effort by the Boston Celtics, who may pose a challenge out of the eastern conference if the twice-Eastern Conference best Philly 76ers ever fall from recent dominance. Ingram finished with 22 points (8-19 FG%)

The first half was the Andre Drummond story, who had a stat line of 23 points & 14 rebounds with 2 blocks. Evan Fournier has also been a bright spot for the Spurs so far this season, stepping up with Ingram & Murray out, for 17 points. VanVleet had 15 points, with 12 coming from KCP.

Boston had a 7-PT advantage at one period, with the Spurs leading by 11 at most. Kemba Walker had 25 points, missing a clutch 3PT attempt late. Jaylen Brown had a strong 23 points with 3 steals. Jayson Tatum had a chilly night of 16 points, 6 rebounds & 8 assists on a 5-15 stroke. Tristan Thompson had a double-double of 14 points, 14 boards.

Spurs end 17-Game win streak for Warriors, win their 10th straight: 126-134.

The Spurs won a thrilling third meeting against the Clippers, where Evan Fournier hit a huge 3PTer with the Spurs down 120-121 with 1:45 on the clock. They capitalized and got a 124-127 advantage, then Ingram poked the ball free from Kawhi Leonard and made a floater at the basket to seal the game.

The champs then got revenge on the Memphis Grizzlies, highhandedly defeating them 112-97 on the road, but it was not without loss: Dejounte Murray will miss 2-3 weeks with a right elbow sprain. Against the Pistons, Fred VanVleet--given starting point guard duty in Murray's absence--shined and scored 30 points, a season-high, in a comfortable 78-101 home win for the Spurs.

Rolling into Texas next was the red-hot Golden State Warriors, who've made a fantastic turnaround winning seventeen games in a row, climbing from beneath the 8th seed all the way up to #2 in the western conference standings. The Spurs had won 9 straight heading into this home defense.

Tonight, though, he would have to deal with Steph Curry (26 points, 11 assists, 6-11 3PT) and Curry hit 3-3 from Curry-land in the 1st Quarter, as the Warriors led largely, 40-24. The Spurs fought back valiantly, trimming the halftime score to 67-59. If it weren't for Giannis Antetokounmpo (19 points, 9 rebounds) & DeAndre Jordan (9 rebounds) fouling out of the game, the Spurs would've had zero chance to come back and win.

It still was not easy, far from it as the Warriors kept regaining the lead. The scoring columns went: 39-34, SA & 36-25 in the 4th Quarter for the Spurs to pull off the stunning comeback home victory. Bradley Beal was on fire, scoring 24 points & 8 assists. Rudy Gay, the ex-Spur, scored 12 points & 8 rebounds. Kevin Knox, III, hit two clutch threes that nearly kept the Warriors on the winning path late in crunch time.

The comeback hopes stayed afloat when VanVleet hit a clutch 3PT bomb at the buzzer to end the 3rd Quarter, cutting the deficit to three, 101-98, sparking a last-minute run that stifled a huge 16-3 run by the Warriors that had regained control. San Antonio benefited highly from its shooters, owing them a tremendous credit. The late 3rd Quarter swing came after a second brush with the injury bug, as Brandon Ingram (who'd taken charge for the Spurs) went down with a shoulder ailment, unintentionally sparking a fire inside the Spurs. The Spurs had cut it to 91-87 at that point, after the Warriors had gone up 84-77 prior.

Midway through the 4th Quarter, JaVale McGee (7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) got some burn and hit an uncontested 3PTer to give the Spurs its first lead of the game, 103-106. The Greek Freak fouled out with 3:42 on the clock, as Coach Pop instructed his guys to keep attacking the paint. KCP buried a clutch 3PTer as the Spurs trailed 121-114 with 3 minutes remaining, and he was simply amazing in this game with 27 points, hitting five threes with 1 steal. On the next play, Fournier & KCP faked a double-team, which led to VanVleet sneaking the ball away from Curry, but Freddy V would miss a 3PT chance. Both teams exchanged turnovers, and the collective breath left the arena when Knox, III, hit a 3PT bomb to make it 124-117 with 1:53 to go.

The inbound play F.V.V. a layup at the rim, and Andre Drummond (26 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks) stole the ball down low after a Golden State timeout, with KCP being fouled and hitting both shots. Drummond swatted Curry at the basket too in a momentous play down the stretch, coming alive after a poor 1st half performance down low.

Down by three, VanVleet heroically got another steal on Curry and the ball rattled in on the fast-break 3PT attempt this time, knotting the game once again at 124. Curry missed his 3PT shot on the other end, and the Spurs finally took the lead and closed the game out, courtesy of VanVleet at the line: 126-134, ultimately erasing a 17-PT deficit. The Spurs were more aggressive, earning 36-40 from the free throw line, spoiling a perfect 21-21 showing by the Warriors at the charity stripe.

With the #1 seed firmly in hand after a huge moral victory, San Antonio must hunker down now for its next slew of games without its two star players available, with the onus falling to Andre Drummond, its third star and repeat MVP candiate, as VanVleet will continue to lead the offense. Freddy V. had a huge 26 points & career-high 18 assists, hitting 6 three-pointers with 4 impressive steals. Evan Fournier scored 19 points, as did Ingram before his injury. Marc Gasol was great from the mid-range in the 2nd Quarter, trimming the lead, and finishing with 9 points. This victory defined the heart of a champion.

B.I. scores 51 points, hits 7 threes in win over Cavs, 101-127.

Brandon Ingram had his time to shine tonight, notching 51 points of his own, splashing in seven threes with 3 steals.

Andre Drummond had 17 points & 18 rebounds, swatting 6 blocks one of which on Darius Garland into the stands at AT&T Center. Evan Fournier scored 18 points, going 4-5 from deep; Freddie V hit on 4-5 also, with KCP notching four of his own: the trio combined for 46 points.

Dejounte Murray had 10 assists and dunked it past Jarret Allen, recently acquired by the Cavs from the Wizards. Allen had 14 points, 14 rebounds & 4 blocks, the ex-Spur with a bright future.

The Cavaliers were in the mix until the second half, which they lost by 23 points overall. Colin Sexton had 21 points.

Spurs smash Kings, 118-140, as Murray hits new scoring mark yet again.

Dejounte Murray did it again, back in action, rallying his team after a hard loss he witnessed from the sidelines, leading the silver and black squad to a huge win at home.

Murray scored an astounding 54 points, seven more than two games ago, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing 7 assists. Murray hit a walk-off 3PTer, holding his follow-through to the roar of the crowd. Murray hit on 20-31 from the field and made 12 free throws with 3 steals.

Andre Drummond had 21 points and 12 rebounds. Brandon Ingram scored 18, going 8-11. Evan Fournier turned in 15 points, hitting three long balls. 

For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox had 25 points & 14 assists. Jabari Parker had 18 points. Marvin Bagley, III & Buddy Hield combined for 28 points. 

Spurs suffer second home loss to Rockets, 118-115.

Despite leading by 17 points, the Spurs fell to the Rockets by buzzer’s sound in a frustrating performance. Andre Drummond looked amazing in the first half, finishing the game with 30 points & 17 rebounds.

 Brandon Ingram had 28 points with 7 rebounds, missing only six out of 18 shots. P.J. Tucker chipped in 13 off the bench, continuing to be a key cog to this championship run. Freddie V had 11 points & 10 assists with Dejounte Murray taking the night off. Evan Fournier & Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for 7 threes.

The Rockets, though, won the 2nd Quarter, 34-25 after losing the first, 24-38. They did it again in the 4th, 36-27 as the Spurs lost control. Joel Embiid had 28 points and 17 rebounds, making all 10 of his free throws. Houston burned the Spurs from the free throw line, hitting 29-31 attempts. The Spurs hot hand from deep was gone tonight, leaving hope for the Rockets to strike back and overcome the odds.

John Wall managed 16 points with 11 assists, stunning the crowd with a huge dunk that sealed the victory, despite shooting 5-16 overall. Christian Wood scored 13. Shake Milton had 11, with Demarcus Cousins scoring 13 also.

Dejounte Murray hits new career-high 47 points in thrashing of Pistons, 113-82.

Dejounte Murray soared to new heights, dunking past the defense at will to finish the game with 47 points, six more than his previous best personal scoring achievement. Coach Popovich, normally known for taking out his stars once the outcome is no longer in question, said after the game, "He was hungry tonight. We talked about packing it in, but D wanted to be out there. Sometimes, you gotta let the lion hunt so I did." Murray spoke warmly of Coach Pop post-game, also: "He's unbelievable. I really look at him like a father, a great role model. He always got the right things to say."

Murray's dominance let Brandon Ingram get a night off, who finished with __ points in just __ minutes.

Meanwhile, Andre Drummond feasted on his old team with 25 rebounds.

For the Pistons, Cole Anthony had an off night shooting the ball. Derrick Rose had __ points, with Kyle Kuzma's __ not much help. The Pistons trailed by as many as __ points.

Spurs overcome early deficit, even season series with Clippers: 97-111.

The Spurs took a beating early, trailing by eleven points throughout a contentious first half of basketball. A huge 41-24 spark of a 3rd Quarter proved to be the difference. The Clippers hit on only 3-18 attempts from deep, with the Spurs hitting 12 from deep to get ahead and lead by as much as 15.

Dejounte Murray scored 27 points to lead San Antonio to a big victory tonight. Brandon Ingram had 21 points, with 18 by Fred VanVleet who made six threes. Andre Drummond has 14 rebounds with 18 points and 4 blocks.

Rodions Kurucs made Kawhi Leonard pay for lax defensive coverage, scoring 9 points with 5 rebounds. Leonard managed 21 points and Paul George notched 22. The duo shot 1-4 from 3PT range, however. Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds. 

Spurs use second quarter to control Timberwolves, 115-122 for 9th straight win.

Karl-Anthony Towns beast-moded his way to 43 points, but the Spurs went on a scoring run in the 2nd Quarter as the Timberwolves couldn't buy a bucket, winning the period 32-18 after a first quarter stalemate.

Minnesota fought back within single digits, trailing by three points at the tail end of things, but a clutch alley oop smash by Andre Drummond (16 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks) courtesy of Alex Caruso (9 points, 2-2 3PT) sealed the deal as did a 3PT dagger from Evan Fournier (8 points, 2-4 3PT).

Brandon Ingram led San Antonio with 22 points, nabbing 2 steals. Dejounte Murray played well for 20 points, dishing 6 assists with 3 steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dropped in 16 points, hitting four threes. Fred VanVleet scored 13 of his 15 points in the 1st Quarter, hitting three from deep. Rodions Kurucs continues to play well, scoring 7 off the bench with 1 block.

For the Timberwolves, KAT played with fire but got hammered at the basket by Drummond, swatting the ball at the last second that kept the lead under control in a highlight play. Towns fouled Drummond in desperation with time running out, drawing his sixth foul to spoil 16 rebounds & 2 blocks of his own. Josh Okogie scored 22 points, but missed all four of his 3PT attempts. D'Angelo Russell dished 11 assists, but also missed all four of his shots from long range, scoring 15 overall. Ricky Rubio had 9 points, 10 assists.

In the narrow defeat, Anthony Edwards had 6 points on 2-9 shooting.

Spurs best Lakers in battle of west titans, 110-120.

Every Spurs fan @AT&T Center was on pins and needless, collectively breathless by the buzzer's sound as they watched the defending champions cling to a 4-PT advantage for most of the night. Klay Thompson, being Klay Thompson, buried a corner 3PT bomb to end the 3rd Quarter, giving the Lakers a one-point lead heading into halftime, 53-52.

The Spurs recovered strongly, taking a 87-80 lead into the final period. It helped their odds tremendously to see Steven Adams foul out before the end of the 3rd Quarter, harassed ruthlessly by the driving tenacity of Dejounte Murray (25 points, 2 steals, 10-12 FTs) & Brandon Ingram (28 points, 10-10 FTs). Adams fouled out with 4 points, 2 rebounds, unable to contend with Andre Drummond's 18 rebounds (9 points, 1 block, 1 steal). Fred VanVleet had 16 points, scoring 9 of them in the 1st Quarter to give the Spurs a 29-25 early advantage. He would go 4-9 from long range, overall. KCP hit 4 threes of his own, for 14 points. San Antonio's shooters definitely came through in the clutch, a huge part of the victory.

It was Dejounte Murray's corner 3PT dagger that sealed the victory to the roar of the crowd, which segued into the classic "Beat L-A" chant. Drummond had poked the ball free from LeBron's grasp, which sparked a fast break pass by Ingram to Murray in the corner, giving the Spurs a 104-110 lead. Free throws by LA would keep them in it, though. Meanwhile, Rodion Kurucs had 10 points off the bench, hitting two threes and earning some respect from Anthony Davis, whose lax defensive coverage came back to bite L.A. The bench came through also for the Spurs, playing well enough to hold the line as the stars got some breathing room on the sidelines.

In the narrow defeat, LeBron James missed a wide-open jumper as Klay Thompson nearly got open for a 3 on the fast break. It had become just a 2-PT, one possession affair at 108-110 with 1 minute left to go in regulation as Murray heroically drew another whistle, burying two more to fend off the Lakers. Not to be outdone, LeBron found Dennis Schroder. He was on fire in his own right, nailing the layup with 49s left. Next, Murray caught a double-team but whipped the ball down to Ingram, who double-clutched his way past a trailing Anthony Davis for the rise-up dunk. After LeBron's misfire, Klay nearly got the rebound but Drummond prevailed and that was all she wrote, at last. Down by four after two free throws, Davis missed a 3PT attempt and more free throws followed to seal the strong win.

The Rest: 

Anthony Davis: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks)

Dennis Schroder: 24 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 4-6 3PT

LeBron James: 18 points, 8 assists, 5 turnovers

Wes Matthews: 11 points

Klay Thompson: 7 points, 3-11 FG (1-5 3PT)

Shabazz Napier: 6 points, 2 assists

Spurs pulverize Knicks by 51 points, 143-92 in the Garden.

Things got ugly fast in MSG tonight: the Spurs won the 1st Quarter, 42-25. The Knicks fought back, 30-23 in the second. Then the second half happened. The Spurs outscored the Knicks by 41, scoring 78 points (in the second half!) to just 37 by New York.

The fans in attendance, most notably Spike Lee, that stayed til the mercy cry of the buzzer had booed their lungs out at the young team, who'd already been yelled at all game long by Coach Thibodeau. He got ejected to make matters worse when Draymond Green got whistled for a flagrant-1 foul on Brandon Ingram, who nearly annihilated the Knicks by himself.

The Slender-Man scored 32 points with 4 steals, leading the Spurs. Andre Drummond crushed the Knicks in the 4th Quarter, finishing with 20 points & 23 rebounds with 5 thunderous blocks & 3 steals. Dejounte Murray had 19 points & 7 assists. Fred VanVleet was a flawless five-for-five from long range, scoring 19 points & 12 assists in his best game so far this season. KCP chipped in 15 points. Evan Fournier had 10 points, with 8 points by Alex Caruso.

For the Knicks, it wasn't all bad, somehow: Mitchell Robinson had 18 points. R.J. Barrett had 16 points, but shot 6-14. Nerlens Noel had 14 points in the loss. The Spurs shot an astounding 60%, to 38% by NY. They also shot 57% from 3PT territory, to just 10% by the Knicks (2-20!). They won the fast break, 39-19, dominated the paint 74-56, had 44 assists as a team which may very well be close to a team record and dominated the glass 53-38. The Knicks were forced into 18 turnovers and never led.

It's still early this season, but the Spurs may have trouble scoring 143 points a second time. For comparison, the 76ers scored 143 points against the Spurs two seasons ago, when they lost the Finals in double overtime. San Antonio also scored 145 points in the regular season that year in a huge win over the Timberwolves. The team record for points by the Spurs is 171, way back in 1982 which was a triple-overtime win over the Bucks.

Spurs control east rival 76ers on road, 119-103.

The Philadelphia 76ers (13-2) were given a third defeat by their twice Finals foe of recent memory, spoiling a 38-PT downpour by James Harden. It took The Beard thirty shots to get there, though, with Ben Simmons put on an island by the Spurs defense (9 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists). Tobias Harris scored 24 points, with 10 & 8 by Clint Capela. The rest of Philly's shooters did little to make things interesting, trailing continually by around 15 points all game long.

1st Qtr: 26-12, SA

2nd Qtr: 30-29, SA

3rd Qtr: 32-29, SA

4th Qtr: 33-31, PH

Brandon Ingram had 26 points to lead the Spurs. Fred VanVleet was on fire for 21 points, hitting 5-6 from long range. Evan Fournier had 13 points. Marc Gasol contributed 13 off the bench, behind a huge 11pt/20reb showing by Drummond. Dejounte Murray had 10 points, but fought foul trouble and lost. KCP had 9 points.

When asked post-game about possible lineup changes and Harden's usage rate, Philly's new head coach, Doc Rivers, said "We'll see, but we have a strong team. On the other hand, we only meet this team one more time and we're hoping to get a leg up next time around." The 76ers last lost to the Spurs in an insane, double overtime classic, bowing out 4-0 in a sweep, just two seasons ago. The year prior, Philly took one game from the Spurs. Last year, the Lakers knocked out the 76ers in a seven-game war, which prompted the Sixers to make a coaching change, before the Lakers were swept themselves in an unforgettable, experimental all-west Finals.

Spurs handle Wizards on the road, 116-109.

Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points, with 17 points, 7 rebounds & 8 assists (with 5 steals) by Russell Westbrook, but the pair couldn't pull off the home win. Jarrett Allen had 15 points & 8 rebounds. Rui Hachimura ahd 12 points. Brandon Ingram had 32 points, with 4 steals. Dejounte Murray was hot for 21 points & 6 assists. Marc Gasol got going for 11 points, 6 rebounds. Fred VanVleet hit for 9 points & 7 assists. Andre Drummond had 12 rebounds with 2 blocks & 8 points. San Antonio led 35-20 after the 1st Quarter, by as many as 19 points. It was a 35-21 swing in the 3rd that made things relatively interesting, but still decided.

Spurs put on defensive display against Mavericks, 94-81 on the road.

Luka Doncic managed 23 points & 6 assists, but shot just 9-22 on the night. Kristaps Porzingis shot 3-12, with 12 rebounds. In another strong night, Brandon Ingram scored 25 points on an 11-14 clip. Fred VanVleet hit a trio of three-balls for 13 points. Drummond hoisted down 16 boards. The Spurs led by as many as 25 points.

Ingram leads Spurs past Blazers, 117-129.

Ingram had 22 points, with 19 by Dejounte Murray. Andre Drummond kept up his hot streak, going for 19 points & 9 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 18 points. For Portland, C.J. McCollum scored 27 with 7 assists. Damian Lillard had 22 points with 6 assists. Robert Covington & Carmelo Anthony combined for 27 points of their own. Jusuf Nurkic banged down low for 19 rebounds & 10 points.

Drummond notches trip-dub as Spurs crush Magic, 114-86.

The Spurs kicked things off in Florida with a 34-19 first quarter thrashing.

Mo Bamba had 14 points & 9 rebounds for Orlando, with DeMarr DeRozan's 12 points to pair with 12 by Johnathan Isaac. Aaron Gordon had 10 points, 9 rebounds. Point guard plight ensued for Markelle Fultz shot just 2-7, though, with Killian Hayes also going 1-7.

Drummond, meanwhile, cruised to 23 points, 22 rebounds & 11 assists, 3 steals & 5 blocks in a virtuoso display of what he brings to this Spurs championship team. Dejounte Murray's 18 points did the rest, with 17 coming from Ingram. Evan Fournier splashed in 16 points. Devon Vassell had 13 points as a rookie swing-man for the Spurs.

Spurs recuperate with road win over Minnesota, 119-112.

The Spurs came into Minnesota a wounded warrior, but struck hard first, winning the 1st Quarter 32-26. It still took a 3rd Quarter ten-point scoring blitz to fend off the Timberwolves, whose KAT had 30 points.

D'Angelo Russell scored 19 points, with Ricky Rubio's 11 assists & 16 points helping the home team effort. Anthony Edwards scored 12 points.

The high-man on the night, Brandon Ingram scored 35 points on a stellar 15-21 showing. He also had 3 steals. Dejounte Murray scored 18 points & 6 assists. Evan Fournier had 16 points, hitting four threes. Fred VanVleet had 13 points. Andre Drummond grabbed down 11 rebounds.

Tenacious Grizzlies steal one in San Antone, 116-114.

Memphis handed the champs their first home loss in thrilling fashion. The scoring went: 32-32, 23-25 (ME), 38-26 (SA) & 35-29 (ME). Brandon Ingram had 25 points. Dejounte Murray came very close to a triple-double (19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals). Fred VanVleet had 16 points and had a look at the buzzer, but couldn't knock it down (4-5 3PT). Evan Fournier had 16 points. Andre Drummond had 14 points, 17 rebounds & 3 blocks. P.J. Tucker notched 12 points. It just wasn't enough, even with the Spurs shooting 45% from 3PT territory.

Trouble is, Memphis shot 47% from 3PT range and tore up the fast break, 26-12, narrowly won the interior 46-44, scorched the bench battle 45-24. The Grizzlies had 9 blocks as a team. The Spurs even won the rebounding war and had 11 steals, but the Grizzlies had 9 steals, leading by as much as 10 points to the Spurs eight-point spread at one moment in the game.

Dillon Brooks was the reason with 27 points, hitting 5 heart-crushing three-pointers and the fifth came late, putting the Spurs on the brink of defeat. Tyus Jones had 15 points, with Ja Morant struggling to score for just 12 points (5-12, 3 turnovers). Jarren Jackson, Jr., had 13 points. Justice Winslow had 12 points also. Jonas Valanciunas had 21 rebounds, a beast down low.

"They played one hell of a game," Coach Popovich spoke after the buzzer.

San Antonio tops Boston, 103-107.

The Spurs led by 19 at haltime after a 36-17 beatdown in the 2nd Quarter, but the Celtics stalemated the 3rd Quarter and pulled off a 38-23 point swing in the 4th to make a game of it once more, though not enough to get the upset.

Brandon Ingram had a somewhat off night, going for 15 points on 5-12 shooting. Fred VanVleet similarly struggled, going a rare 3-10 (1-6 3PT) for 7 points. Murray, Fournier, Drummond, KCP & Caruso, however, thankfully combined for 67 points to pick up the slack. 

In Boston's comeback effort, Kemba Walker had 23 points & 7 assists. Jayson Tatum scored 22 points & 7 rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge had 14 points & 7 rebounds, with 20 points between Jaylen Brown & Marcus Smart. Tristan Thompson had 8 boards.

The highlight of the night came from a furious dunk by Murray past Tatum, which knocked him to the floor to the roar of the crowd at AT&T Center.

Spurs eviscerate Thunder, 63-105 in 42-point clobbering.

The Thunder shot 30% on the night, hitting just 4/26 attempts from 3PT range and only 25/83 overall. They also had 21 turnovers, with the Spurs excelling in the same categories for the huge blowout home win. Brandon Ingram had 22 points, 7 rebounds with Evan Fournier & KCP combining for 28 points. P.J. Tucker looked sharp with 12 points, nabbing two steals. For OKC, Jakob Poetl had 22 rebounds. All the guys suiting up for OKC tonight made about 1/3 of their shots, hence the devastating defeat.

Hawks wipe out Spurs, 109-125 at home.

Brandon Ingram gave a 31-PT effort, with 21 points & 14 rebounds by Andre Drummond, but the Atlanta Hawks had too much firepower to defend their home turf against the champs.

In the loss, Fred VanVleet had 14 points, and Dejounte Murray dished 11 assists, but the Spurs couldn't muster enough ingredients for a road victory. Atlanta won the 4th Quarter, 38-26 to ultimately pull away.

Rarely do the Spurs get out-shot from the perimeter, but Atlanta did it (56% vs 41%) courtesy of Bogdan Bogdanovic going 4-4 from long range for 16 points. John Collins showcased his stretch five talent with 3-4 from deep, finishing with 23 points & 12 rebounds. Danilo Gallinari had 15 points, with Trae Young scoring 23 points & 11 assists.

After premiere week, Spurs (6-1) best 2/3 rivals to stop conference standings.

Facing off against the upstart Kings, the Spurs won a competitive contest, seizing control more as the game went on, impressing the home crowd with their updated roster on the hardwood at AT&T Center.

Next, San Antone cruised past Russell Westbrook's Wizards with growing pains in store for fellow new addition, Andrew Wiggins, seeking to fill Bradley Beal's absence.

R.J. Barrett and Obi Toppin didn't stand a chance against the dynastic silver-and-black squad, losing badly to the champs. The Clippers would take their pound of flesh in an overtime thriller that featured a mini-duel between Ingram & Leonard, with the Slender-Man ripping the ball loose and nearly being the difference maker, were it not for Leonard's clutch mid-range prowess. P.J. Tucker got a corner 3PT chance at the buzzer, but it would not fall, as the Spurs ate their first defeat, 104-105, in Los Angeles. The clutch effort by Leonard outshone a posterizing dunk by Ingram past Rudy Gobert.

Two wins would follow, the first coming in another wild affair with the Golden State Warriors, with San Antonio winning 117-112 on the road. Steph Curry's heroics swiped the ball free with 55s left to play, taking the easy layup for a 112-111 advantage, but that would be Golden State's final basket. Dejounte Murray got a sturdy screen from Drummond and made the layup past DeAndre Jordan to retake the lead. Bradley Beal would get an open look at a 3PTer in the corner on the fast break, but misfired for his new team. Ingram nailed a turnaround jumper with 12s left. The Warriors called timeout, but Beal missed a second perimeter opportunity against tight defense.

The Lakers would showcase Klay Thompson's nuclear rapidity, trailing by 15 points and then unleashing the Klay, clawing all the way back to tie the game, forcing the Spurs to bring back the stars onto the court. Fred VanVleet nailed a 3PT dagger to end the awkward turn for the worst, as Coach Pop visibly reproached the bench for losing control of the lead. Klay would get a chance from deep, but stellar defensive pressure by Dejounte Murray did enough to make the ball go awry as Murray then buried two clutch free throws to finally ice the contest.

"Title--or bust!"-Lakers, Sixers & Warriors | Blockbuster trades kick-off 20-21!

One season removed from being dealt for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the other Splash Brother has finagled his way out of Wisconsin and back into the title picture, with no offense intended to sophomore center stud, James Wiseman, who looks to get even better as the biggest ticket in town with Klay gone. 

The Giannis Years are becoming a distant memory for Bucks fans, and if the fit isn't right, it just isn't right. Coach Budenholzer will stay on at the strategic helm, but the future is still cloudy in Milwaukee. "Klay was the best player available to us during what became a very taxing time for our organization. But now we also feel that this decision will get us on the right path again, and we wish Klay well." Thompson's brief tenure with the Bucks was hampered by injuries.

En route to Milwaukee in Klay Thompson's place is Mike Conley, Jr & Blake Griffin, with a bevy of other talents, courtesy of the Dwayne Casey-led Detroit Pistons, boasting point guard sensation, Cole Anthony, in grey, red & blue for the Motor City. "It was time to move on, start a new era in the Motor City and begin making our vision of what we want this team to be, a title-caliber organization like we used to be," Coach Casey spoke of the trade.

"He's the ultimate competitor," LeBron spoke warmly of his now-teammate and once-tenacious rival during the Cavaliers/Warriors wars of a time long gone by. Pairing Thompson's deadly marksmanship alongside Anthony Davis down low with the King balancing all that talent between the trio should prove to be a potent, powerful storm to shake the Western Conference to its foundation.

VP of Basketball Ops, Rob Pelinka, had this to say: "Just three seasons ago, we were one game away--heck, one loose ball, one rebound, one free throw--away from reaching the NBA Finals and thereby ending the Spurs dynasty. We owe them a tremendous deal of respect, but that was three seasons ago. We want our turn at the mountaintop, so we feel this trade was the formula to greatness. Klay is arguably the best shooter of his generation. With Klay, AD, and LeBron, I humbly speak for all of Lakers Nation when I say how very excited we are to shoot our shot. We want to do it for Kobe, for Gigi." Ex-Laker great, Shaquille O'Neal was speechless when he heard of the mammoth acquistion: "Klay, welcome home. But most importantly, all of Laker Nation--we've got to rally the troops and stop the Spurs this year. If we don't, they become the king. So here's looking at you, LeBron. You wanna be the G.O.A.T.? It's time to prove it. Chuck, I guarantee it: Spurs ain't making the Finals."

When it rains, it pours...and the Golden State Warriors have achieved a potential coup-de-grace of their own, acquiring Bradley Beal for Andrew Wiggins in a deal with the Washington Wizards. Beal's proficient 3PT stroke will do well to heal the wound of losing Klay Thompson in the "had to do it" trade for the Greek Freak, forming a formidable trio with the potential to upset the other western titans. Also in the west, the Clippers have given Paul George an extension and added Serge Ibaka down low, with the Spurs extending Brandon Ingram's services for the next three years on a max contract. The Utah Jazz have officially given the keys of Salt Lake City to Donovan Mitchell, swapping out Conley, Jr. for Jrue Holiday with the Bucks to take the SG spot as Mitchell takes the point guard reigns, fresh off a huge rookie scale extension. Down in Sacramento, the Kings have given De'Aaron Fox the same extension.

Out east, the Philadelphia 76ers have had a long offseason to let simmer the Game 7 defeat to the Lakers that kept them from a third straight Finals appearance. James Harden seems to be on a mission for revenge, with Ben Simmons signing a huge extension this summer to solidify his intent to win the big one for Philly. Up in Boston, Jayson Tatum has latched on for the distant future as well, his talents boosted by the acquisition of Tristan Thompson & LaMarcus Aldridge. Down south, the Miami Heat have locked up the services of Bam Adebayo to pair with a pugnacious Jimmy Butler. Some would argue the east is wide open, but still close to mind is the double overtime Finals instant classic by the 76ers & Spurs. More so than other year, with this much history and pride on the line, the league will be volatile as ever. Sprinkle on the exciting promise of LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards & Zion Williamson? That's why we love this game.

Spurs augment roster into a versatile leviathan, eyeing an 18th historic title.

With a 17th championship as a basketball organization in the NBA annuls, the Spurs have meditated over the summer with renewed spirit after a 12th consecutive title run victory and shrewdly structured a Larry O'Brien trophy-worthy squad. Ingeniously, Coach Pop & GM Buford selected Devin Vassell out of Florida State. He's a defensive-savvy, hustle-driven 19 year-old 6'7" SG/SF with a good head on his shoulders, a valiant work ethic and an eye for the ball. "I think I'll fit in great in San Antonio. The vets have been so welcoming toward me. I'm thrilled and truly blessed."

"It's just my way. I try to play with as much energy as possible on the court, to hopefully inspire that effort in my teammates so we can make things happen to get a win." The selection of Vassell fills a hole, as well, with Kent Bazemore not returning to the team and the Spurs having lacked a quality two-way backup wing player in recent years after ephemeral prosperity courtesy of Joe Harris & Bazemore, with Rudy Gay being a far-gone memory.

In the middle, Andre Drummond continues to be everything the Spurs were hoping for when they signed him to a max contract two seasons ago. From Jarrett Allen to Thomas Bryant to JaVale McGee post-trade deadline last year, the Spurs haven't quite found a backup center in the same vein of The Big Penguin. Until now, with Marc Gasol finally joining the Spurs after free agency and trade interest over the years by San Antonio. Gasol, albeit 35 years old, now becomes part of the Alamo City, just like his brother, Pau, long ago.

Next, the Spurs agreed to swap Euro prospects with the Brooklyn Nets. In exchange for a more developed Luka Samanic, coming to San Antonio is Rodions Kurucs, a 6'9 Latvian always-fire sharpshooter.

His three-ball is more proficient than that of Samanic, with the Nets receiving a better rebounder in Samanic who'll likely get more minutes than he would with the Spurs by backing up The Slim Reaper, Kevin Durant.

Both players have defensive deficiencies, but it seemed that Samanic had plateaued to a degree, trying to fill that SF/PF conundrum that the Spurs have solved by nabbing Kurucs & Vassell, as mentioned above. It also frees up the defensive stalwart, P.J. Tucker, to strictly play the wing position behind Evan Fournier at the 3.

Kurucs has a smooth deadeye from 3PT territory and athletic prowess around the rim, set to likely benefit from Dejounte Murray's stellar playmaking. For the Nets during the injury-plagued period after acquiring Kyrie Irving & Kevin Durant, Kurucs even saw time at the five spot, giving a fun task to the earnest Latvian.

Returning to the defending dynasty is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was once acquired then traded away by the Spurs in years past, but dazzled in his return last season, quickly becoming a keeper in the front office's wise eye on a 2 year, 20 million deal using the full mid-level exception. KCP's defensive nature is what allured San Antonio originally and he makes a fine duo with Fred VanVleet, never allowing the other team to get comfortable.

Mike Muscala, the reserve stretch five, is also returning to the Spurs, whose shooting ability off the bench earned him favor with the fanbase, proving his worth when tasked with taller opposition that can be burdensome for VanVleet due to his occasional height disadvantage.

Lastly, the Spurs have decided to make a second reunion with Skal Labissiere. The tall, versatile mid-range threat, acquired from the Sacramento Kings years ago, saw plenty of promise in his first tenure with the Spurs. He got a nicer contract, deservedly so, but injuries cost him a role over the years since leaving Texas.

"I still love the kid. His heart is tremendous. We worked with him very well the first time around, but this league has a cyclical nature to it at times. We're happy to have him back and work with him some more. Hopefully the injury bug lost his return address, but that's part of this game we love," Coach Pop spoke highly of Labissiere, who is still just 24 years old with ample chance to excel under Popovich's tutelage.

His effort was never in doubt during the first run, on both ends. The 6'11" Haitian talent, and proud of it, can get you a block in a close game, hit a 3PTer on the fast break and smash down a dunk. He always had a smooth floater and hook shot in the paint, as well, with a reliable mid-range jumper that will stretch out the defense.

With the 76ers, Lakers (last season's runner-up) and Warriors gunning more fiercely than ever for San Antonio's crown, this will be a season to remember, with history on the line as the Spurs stand the chance to topple the Lakers and Celtics, respectively three-way tied with 17 championships as the most successful titans of basketball. Heroes of the hardwood, the Spurs are aiming to make the utmost history come June.