Sizzling Spurs thrash Timberwolves 107-96 to complete series whitewash
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been the team to look out for the San Antonio Spurs all season long.
San Antonio has been the NBA’s best team so far this season, boasting a sizzling 32-6 record. The league leaders, who possess one of the most explosive offence have had it tough against one of the leagues’ worst sides, winning
their last three matches against them by a combined tally of 13 points.
On Tuesday night as well, the league minnows gave the Spurs a run for their money in a close encounter. The depth of the Spurs roster and the surprisingly aggressive antics by match referee Ken Mauer though, were a little too
hot to handle for the Wolves on the night as they went down fighting 107-96.
Mauer took the gloss off an otherwise exhilarating match, when he started handing out technical fouls almost faster than he could blow his whistle. The technical-fouling binge started with
8:36 remaining in the third quarter. Darko Milicic and Corey Brewer were the first to experience Mauer’s wrath, as the referee showed them technicals for pointing at him; a harsh move even by the recently introduced strict NBA disciplinary standards.
Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis was next on the list of beneficiaries. Aghast, at the treatment handed out to his players, he had a brief but animated discussion with the referee. Mauer was definitely not impressed by the nature
of the conversation. He pulled two straight technicals for the coach and ejected him.
And Mauer was not finished yet.
Ten Seconds later Kevin Love became his last victim as he threw his arms up in the air, after officials did not call a loose-ball foul on Tim Duncan. Mauer responded again – with the same result. Minnesota, who had just
started to settle into their groove before the game, never looked the same after that as the calm Spurs thundered to a 4-0 series whitewash.
"I've never seen that before," Wolves forward Kevin Love, who picked up the final technical of the spree, said after the match. "Five in a row, that had to be a first. That was crazy."
Love top-scored for his team with 20 points and 20 rebounds. His endeavours though were not enough to match the Spurs all round brilliance.
Six San Antonio Players scored more than 12 points in the match. Manu Ginobili led the way with 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Richard Jefferson roped in 17 points while Matt Bonner and Tim Duncan chipped in with
16 apiece. Tony Parker notched up a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists for the Spurs.
On the night though, it was the ice-cool defence of the Spurs that made all the difference. The Spurs were out-rebounded 14-8 on the offensive glass and committed 17 turnovers, but a hustling defence ensured the Wolves were
reduced to just 37.8 percent shooting from the field. That ensured that the Spurs kept alive the longest-ever winning streak against a team in NBA history.
The Spurs started the match, looking every inch the team that has dominated the NBA this season. They made a 9-2 initial burst, and then kept on running right through the Wolves defence at frequent intervals, to stamp their
authority on the match. Ginobili was roaring up front as he raced to 10 points within the first seven minutes of play.
Soon the rest of the star-studded Spurs’ cast followed. The San Antonio assault had no bounds. They were just as effective from inside the arc as they were from outside. The offensive surge propelled them to a 36-25 lead at
the end of the first twelve minutes.
And it was just a sign of things to come.
The Spurs kept outmanoeuvring the home team’s back-line going into the second period, and a George Hill ripper from downtown with 3:23 to go until the break made it 58-42; the Spurs’ biggest advantage of the match.
At that point, Luke Ridnour and Martell Webster started to lead the counter-attack for the Wolves. The duo combined for an 11-5 spurt to finish the half. Their exploits infused some life into the Wolves offence, as they pulled
to within six heading into the third minute of the third quarter. At that point Mauer struck, and the match was never the same.
Even though the Wolves came within seven points in the fourth, the Spurs were never threatened as they rolled on to 107-96 win.
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