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San Antonio Spurs roll up another undefeated week

By Layton Garrett

Oct 29, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills (8) and Tony Parker (9, right) talk on the bench during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills (8) and Tony Parker (9, right) talk on the bench during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Antonio Spurs had another great week. They won all games during the week and this time it came over the Thanksgiving Holidays.

The Spurs started off the week at home, where they have been playing sluggish. They were 3-3 at home going into their matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks came in limping without several players active.

Popovich sportingly decided to give LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker the night off. Rookie Dejounte Murray quickly showed he is not ready for the NBA at this juncture of his career. The Spurs trailed the Mavericks through much of the game, albeit not by much.

Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills hit big 3 pointers in the 2nd half, and David Lee played with a hustle and effort that was lacking by everyone not named Kawhi Leonard. Leonard finished with 24 points and nine boards to go with four assists and a steal–which resulted in a slam dunk igniting the Spurs home crowd.

Mills had 17 points, while Lee added 12 points to help pace the Spurs. Needing a stop, Danny Green covered Harrison Barnes like a cheap suit and Ginobili came down with the rebound.

Ginobili and Green soon after, both sunk their free throws to put the Mavericks away 96-91.

The Spurs game on Wednesday against the Hornets in Charlotte was a back and forth thriller!

Kemba Walker scored 26 points to lead the Hornets who saw eight players score in double figures.

It would have been a win against the majority of teams in the NBA, but the Spurs were just as hot and finished the game that much better.

Down the stretch, Green nailed a couple of 3-pointers that looked to put the Hornets away once and for all, after over 30 lead changes in the game!

Walker and the Hornets continued to strike back until Parker nailed a 3-point dagger in the corner to give the Spurs the win.

Parker scored most of his 11 points all at crunch time. Leonard’s 30, Aldridge’s 23, Davis Bertans 11, and Green’s season high 16 constituted the Spurs double-digit scorers for the game.

The entire Spurs team played very well, and the road record was run to 9-0 for the season with a 119-114 victory.

The Spurs next game came a mere day and a half later in Boston at high noon central time. The Celtics led by Isiah Thomas raced to a double-digit lead in the 1st quarter, but the Spurs erased that lead and drew to within two points by half.

It was tight the rest of the way, and similar to the Hornets game two nights prior, the Celtics played very well only to fall short.

The reason again was a Spurs team who again finished down the stretch, as great teams tend to do. It wasn’t easy though, and again, a late dagger by a Spurs guard was needed to ice the proverbial cake.

This time it was Mills who had a season high 19 points. He also hit a lead changing 3-pointer from DOWNTOWN BOSTON to end the 3rd quarter.

In addition to Mills, the Spurs got 25 and 10 from Leonard, 15 a piece from both Bertans and Lee (Lee also had 12 boards to go with his 15 points in less than 20 minutes playing time), and Green who went 3 for 4 for 11 points, to go with seven boards, and four blocked shots.

The final score was Spurs 109, Celtics 103.

The Spurs concluded their three games in four nights road trip with a trip to Washington D.C. to play the Wizards on Saturday night.

The Spurs maintained a 10 point lead throughout the majority of the game and never allowed the Wizards to threaten them.

The Spurs just as they had in the other two games above, shot the ball extremely well, had good ball movement, and got good contributions from everyone.

Aldridge led the way with 23 points,Parker pitch in a season high 20, Leonard added 19, Mills finished with 13, and Simmons 15 points-including a couple of highlight reel plays!

The Spurs after an outstanding 4-0 week, now have a record of 14-3, and a perfect road record of 10-0!

Must Read: First quarter a key factor for San Antonio

They face the Magic in San Antonio on Tuesday, travel to the Mavericks for a back to back on Wednesday, and then conclude the week on Friday hosting the Wizards.

I have to predict 3-0.

The Spurs have started to gel, and now find themselves in a 3-way race with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers for West supremacy.