NBA Recap: Spurs 108 - Hawks 92, as Spurs maintain NBA's Best Record
The San Antonio Spurs are 19-3 and kept the fastest start in franchise history going with an impressive home victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks at the AT&T Center,
with a 108-92.
Stick Out a Mile
Richard Jefferson and Manu Ginobili posted a team-high of 18 points for the Spurs. Tony Parker (17 points), Grant Hill (16 points), DeJuan Blair (16 points), and Tim Duncan
(12 points), joined them in the double figure. For their third straight game, the Spurs had at least six players score in double figures.
Jamal Crawford led the Hawks with a game-high of 23 points. Al Horford had 19 points and Josh Smith scored 15 for the Hawks in the defeat.
Long and Short
The expectations were high. The teams were equipped with high-flying stars. The passion to win the game was kicking in with the nerves settling. It did not take long for
the Spurs to turn into a haughty host and draw blood from the guest team just for the sake of maintaining the best National Basketball Association record!
The Hawk’s dreams of defeating Spurs at their home ground did not came true this time. The Hawks have not won in San Antonio in 13 years.
With 18 wins during the season, the Spurs entered the home court with a high level of spirit and came to rock the scoreboard, bringing 17,576 basketball foes to their
feet several times.
The Spurs hit 57 percent in their first-quarter field goals, led by eight points from Tony Parker, and leading the Hawks at 26-21.
The first aspect that jumps out in the second quarter is the pace. The Spurs and Hawks began at a crisp pace, using 27 possessions apiece in the second. The Spurs led
by 53-48, at the intermission.
The Spurs struggled offensively in the first half when they were been outscored 18-2. In the third, the Hawks tried their level best to bring the score to a respectable
level, but ended up eventually capping out at 21 points. However, the Spurs slowly began to sustain their lead, taking a 71-69 lead into the fourth quarter.
Richard Jefferson hit three of his five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
"In the fourth quarter we found so many open 3’s," "It's something so basic, and so important on every team, because it makes everyone happy and feel involved in the
offense," Ginobili said.
The Spurs went on an 18-6 run in the first six minutes of the final quarter to build their lead to double figures. Atlanta committed nearly half of their 15 turnovers
in the fourth, when they turned the ball over seven times.
Despite the up’s and down’s in the score, the Spurs controlled every aspect of the game in the final crucial moments and stamped the 19th victory of the season
with a 16 pint lead at 108-92.
Quote of the Game
"Even though we had shot a good percentage in the first half (57 percent) the turnovers hurt our offensive rhythm. Our goal is to get rotations, and Tony (Parker)
did a great job of penetrating and finding the open man. Tony is finding me and we are all swinging the ball. That's from a year of playing together." -- Richard Jefferson.
Shining Star
DeJuan Blair played one of his most fantastic games in the Spurs’ uniform and scored 16 points, grabbed 3 assists and 12 rebounds.
"[Blair] is a guy who plays with a lot of energy, and if he didn't play with that activity, I would be surprised. That's what helps make him who he is." -- Spurs coach
Gregg Popovich.
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