[ad_1]
LOS ANGELES – – Patty Mills hit a career-high eight 3-pointer and scored 27 points off the bench, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Clippers 116-113 on Tuesday night to make a four-game skid .
Dejounte Murray added 21 points, Rudy Gay 16 points, LaMarcus Aldridge 14 points and Keldon Johnson tallied 11 rebounds, a career high for Spurs. They were leading by 24 points in the first quarter and resisted an attack from Kawhi Leonard in the third before almost losing their lead in the fourth.
The Spurs tied a franchise record with 20 3-pointers.
“It was a mentality we came out with on the defensive end. It has nothing to do with shooting the ball, ”said Mills. “Playing team defense like that fuels fire and confidence so everyone can play with the same kind of energy.”
Leonard scored 30 points, a game-high, 10 assists. He had 11 points in the third, when Patrick Beverley made three 3s, and the Clippers closed in one. Nicolas Batum had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Beverley finished with 20 points.
“He was picking up the pace of the transition, going to the paint and throwing it at the shooters,” Leonard said of Beverley. “He was very active in defense.”
The Clippers were without Paul George, who twisted his ankle in Sunday’s win over Phoenix. They sorely missed his averages of 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
The Spurs opened the fourth with a 12-2 run that restored their lead to double digits. Mills hit three 3-pointers in a row to extend San Antonio’s lead to 111-96.
But the Clippers just kept scratching. They ended the game with a 17-5 run despite Leonard scoring just two points in the fourth quarter, when his right-side shot with five seconds left wasted under defensive pressure from DeMar DeRozan.
“That’s what we wanted,” said Spurs rookie guard Devin Vassell. “We knew they couldn’t get an open 3.”
The Clippers scored 40 points in the third to shoot to 85-84. Leonard had 11 points and Beverley hit three 3-pointers to help them rally from 19 points at halftime.
The Spurs opened the second quarter with an 18-3 run that extended their lead to 54-30. Five players scored, led by Murray with five points. Leonard scored the last 11 points for the Clippers.
TIP-INS
Spurs: They have the youngest team in the franchise since Gregg Popovich became a coach in 1996, averaging 25.5 years old.
Clippers: F Marcus Morris Sr. has yet to play this season due to pain in his right knee.
Says it
“Four days in your room in LA. Shoot me. – Popovich on consecutive games in the same city.
NEXT
Spurs: Stay in Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Thursday.
Clippers: Visit Steph Curry and Golden State on Wednesday in the first of a day in a row.
——
[ad_2]
Source link