Spurs outshoot Heat, win 117-105: Recap, highlights, and more

The San Antonio Spurs had to outshoot the Miami Heat to win, 117-105.

This may have been the Spurs best game of the season in terms of pure entertainment value. Obviously letting a team that shoots 36% from three-point, as the Heat had coming into this game, go 18-34 (53%) from behind the arc isn’t ideal but it was fun to watch. Both teams absolutely lit it up from behind the arc. The Spurs matched the Heat’s shooting pace as best as they could. As a team, they would end the night shooting 13-25 (52%) from three-point. LaMarcus Aldridge would end the night as the Spurs leading scorer with 18. Bryn Forbes also chipped in 17 points off the bench.

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The Heat won the tip and started shooting threes. It was pretty absurd. They managed to score 35 points in the first quarter, including knocking down six three-pointers.  As much as the Heat tried to outshoot the Spurs, they just couldn’t do it. They would eventually cool down and when that happened the Spurs took over.

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While the Heat cooled down, the Spurs stayed hot. Eight San Antonio players would end the night in double figures. As much as it was a team win, this game really felt like it belonged to Bryn Forbes. Forbes’ coming out party was over the summer in the Las Vegas Summer League. However, it has felt like this season has just been a continuation of that success.

The second-year guard was lights out from behind the arc tonight. There were points where you could tell he wanted to shoot the three even with a defender coming at him but he did the Spursian thing and kept the ball moving. Rudy Gay has called Forbes “a walking bucket,” he certainly backed that up tonight. Forbes minutes may be in question with Kawhi Leonards impending return, especially with other guards such as Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray vying for minutes. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will still see nights where they receive the “DNP-Rest” or “DNP-Old” courtesy of Gregg Popovich, and on those nights Forbes should shine. As he reaffirmed tonight, he’s simply too good to keep out of the rotation.

Bryn Forbes poured in 17 points on 6/8 shooting (5/5 from deep) tonight. ? https://t.co/KCCjQ37XGC

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 7, 2017

While the Spurs paced the Heat when it came to shooting threes they blew them away in the paint. San Antonio would end with 54 points in the paint compared to Miami’s 28. Much of that came from the trio of Gay, Pau Gasol, and Aldridge. Those three combining for 46 total points, and routinely chasing down rebounds and putting them back in for second-chance points, were major contributing factors in the win tonight. Gasol had one of the best circus shots of the season with his shot-clock beating prayer towards the end of third quarter.

HOW PAU?! pic.twitter.com/D0MAxfbLGy

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 7, 2017

This was a well played and hard fought game for Miami. Dion Waiters did Dion Waiters things and took some ill-advised and some impressive shots on his way to his fifth 20-point game of the season. The Heat were led in scoring by Tyler Johnson who would record 25 points off the bench.

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Miami next plays Brooklyn on Saturday. The Boston Celtics come to San Antonio to take on the Silver and Black on Friday night in what should be one of the best games of the season.