San Antonio Spurs beat Charlotte Bobcats 109-98
The sizzling San Antonio Spurs entered the game with the best record in the NBA at 55-13, and even though they were playing back-to-back games, there was no question they were going to provide the Charlotte Bobcats with a stern test.
With five players finishing in double figures, the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Bobcats 109-98 at AT&T Centre on Saturday night. The Spurs attempted a season-high 34 three-pointers but were only able to make 17 of them; tying a franchise-record.
The 33-year-old San Antonio forward Tim Duncan missed his first game of the 2010-11 season as he is being rested by the team.
Steve Novak had an impressive game off the bench as he scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds in the victory. Gary Neal added 15 points in 24 minutes while guard George Hill finished with 12 points and nine assists for the Spurs.
Manu Ginobili was the only Spurs starter to reach double figures as he contributed 11 points, six assists and nine rebounds. Gerald Henderson had 19 points while guard Boris Diaw added 16 points in the defeat.
Forward DJ White chipped in with 13 points while Tyrus Thomas and Shaun Livingston came off the bench with 10 points apiece in the losing effort. The Bobcats were playing without leading scorer Stephen Jackson, who is under day-to-day observation with a
strained hamstring.
Match Analysis
The Spurs played offensively throughout the game and looked good as a team, as they grabbed 31 assists in the victory.
The 23-year-old Bobcats guard Henderson appreciated the combined team effort and attacking play of the opposition. He said, "It all comes with how they share the ball. They all seem like they make the right pass every time. They are just so unselfish. If
you can keep a defence off balance, you are going to have open shots and if you have the weapons that they have, you are going to have a 17-made-attempts kind of night."
Gary Neal paced San Antonio with seven points in the first quarter as the Spurs held a 24-13 lead going into the second.
San Antonio extended their lead to as much as 43-24 midway through the second quarter, taking a 58-41 advantage into the locker room. The Bobcats tried their level best throughout the third quarter to make the score a respectable one but the Spurs extended
their lead to as many as 26 points late in the quarter. San Antonio carried a 90-68 advantage into the final stanza.
Charlotte outscored the Spurs 30-19 in the fourth quarter but San Antonio’s lead over the previous three quarters was too much to overcome.
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