San Antonio Spurs vs Detroit Pistons: Takeaways and Star Performer

The San Antonio Spurs (34-6) beat the Detroit Pistons 109-99. Tony Parker led the team to their ninth straight win scoring 31 points.

The Pistons (21-17) were holding their own against the Spurs in the first quarter as they led 25-24. As they learned back in the 2005 finals, letting up on a team with weapons as the Spurs can come back to hurt you, and it did.

San Antonio outscored the Pistons in the second and third quarter 57-41. Detroit did pull together a run in the final quarter but the Spurs defense buckled down till the end.

The Spurs started off slow as they were completing a back-to-back, Gregg Popovich saw the poor start and thought the team played with great competitiveness as he mentioned post game.

“We had a really poor start, but I thought we got better as the game went along,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “I thought the competitiveness was great, considering it was a back-to-back and we got to bed about 4 a.m.”

Jan 12, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) looks to pass the ball during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Spurs won 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Parker scored a season-high 31 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 13 rebounds in the Spurs’ ninth straight win. Manu Ginobili added 15 points while Tim Duncan put up 14 points and nine rebounds.

You have to tip your hat to the Pistons for battling the way they did all night agains the Spurs. They saw themselves at one point being down by 19 and in the fourth quarter battled all the way back to six.

Detroit though did not have the answer against a lineup of Duncan, Parker, Aldridge, Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons with 25 points, while Andre Drummond added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson had 10 points and 11 assists, but went 3 for 13 from the field and struggled to guard Parker.

Parker was phenomenal in the third quarter, scoring 14 points in the first five minutes. His quick start after halftime gave the Spurs a 71-54 lead.

Spurs complete their road trip as they now return home to prepare for battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

Key Takeaways

-Hello Tony Parker

Parker was magnificent against the Pistons on Tuesday to help complete a back-to-back for the Spurs. He really energized the team coming out of halftime scoring 14 points in the first five minutes. He also had three assists and four rebounds to go along with his strong offensive performance.

-Tim Duncan’s 20th Game at The Palace

Duncan was playing his 20th career game at the Palace, including three in the 2005 finals. The Spurs have won four of the last five visits, bringing him to 10-10 in Auburn Hills for his career.

-Kentavious Caldwell-Pop provides spark for Pistons

Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons with 25 points in 43 minutes of play. He was 9-of-14 from the floor. To go along with his scoring output, he grabbed three rebounds and two assists.

Star Performer

Parker led with a game-high 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the floor. Reggie Jackson had a hard time staying with Parker. Third-quarter dominance by Parker helped propel the Spurs to a big lead.

Notes:

–LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 13 rebounds

–Manu Ginobili moved into the top 200 in scoring with 15 points

–Boris Diaw wound up with 12 points and 3 rebounds

-San Antonio is now 34-6 on the season and have a winning streak of nine games.