Gary Neal hits game-winning three-pointer for Spurs
After playing just three games in the NBA, Gary Neal already has his game-winning shot.
The 26-year-old guard, drafted by the San Antonio Spurs this summer, hit a three-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining to give his Spurs a 100-99 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in
a pre-season game last night in Mexico City. It was the only shot he took all night.
19,000 excited fans showed up for the game at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico’s capital. It marked the
19th NBA game to be played in Mexico.
DeJuan Blair led the Spurs with 21 points while All-Star forward Tim Duncan finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman, Los Angeles’ formidable front-court duo, each had impressive double-doubles. Griffin had 13 points and 17 rebounds while Kaman finished with 14 and 12. Eric
Gordon led all Clippers in scoring with 23 points while Rasual Butler added 20.
The Mexican fans were treated to a wildly entertaining game and an impressive comeback from the Spurs. The Clippers held a 51-33 lead in the second quarter but only led by eight going
into half-time. The Spurs continued to chip away at the lead in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Clippers to pull within six points going into the final quarter.
A three-point play by Duncan tied the game up at 83 apiece while a jumper by Curtis Jerrell on the next play gave the Spurs their first lead of the game. A put-back by Kaman gave the Clippers
a 99-97 lead with just over a second remaining. This is when Neal, an unknown commodity in the NBA, made the clutch three-pointer to put his team up for good.
Griffin, the top pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, who missed all of last season with a leg injury, continued his impressive play during the pre-season. Validating his selection as the top pick,
Griffin has put together averages of 15.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in only 26.5 minutes per game. His partner in the frontcourt, Chris Kaman, has quietly averaged 16 points and seven rebounds over his pre-season.
Both Frenchman Tony Parker and Argentinian Manu Ginobli sat out the fourth quarter. But Ginobli was a hit among the Spanish-speaking media, answering questions long after the other players
made it to the dressing room. Ginobli said he felt some love from the fans for the Spurs.
"When the game got really tight ... they wanted us to win," Ginobili said.
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