Spurs vs. Warriors recap, reactions: Kevin Durant takes over in the fourth quarter

After leading through three quarters of play, the San Antonio Spurs fell 110-107 to Golden State after being outscored 32-20 in the fourth quarter. Power Forward LaMarcus Aldridge exploded for a double-double of 30 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to fend off the Warriors.

The clutch antics of Kevin Durant once again rattled San Antonio, forcing a late run by the Dubs which sealed the fate of the Spurs. Durant finished with a full stat line of 37 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks on the night.

Kevin Durant scored 15 in the final 7 minutes: "I told myself to empty the clip"

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 9, 2018

While the final score may not reflect it, there were many positive takeaways from San Antonio in this matchup. Forward Kyle Anderson matched his career-high five of steals with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.

San Antonio’s new starting point guard Dejounte Murray also had a nice showing with 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. Even so, young players are bound to make mistakes. Murray’s youth showed when he gave up a costly turnover in the fourth quarter which led to a Durant jumper to tie the game at 105 a-piece.

Slo Mo: nice D, slick passDejounte: DEAR GOD WHAT DID THAT RIM DO TO YOU??pic.twitter.com/9cwoxhMAXl

— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) March 9, 2018

Former-MVP Stephen Curry exited the game after just two minutes after tweaking his right ankle. The nine-year veteran has had a long history of ankle injuries, including an ankle injury that sidelined him for a stretch of 13 games earlier this season.

Three-point shooting has been a staple of the Spurs’ offense throughout the Popovich era, but has dropped off significantly this season. Their three-point shooting woes continued tonight when they hit just six of their 22 attempted shots from behind the arc. Despite their own struggles, San Antonio managed to limit Golden State to just 26.7 percent shooting from deep.

Meanwhile… this loss hurts #Spurs in playoff standings, but team has nothing to feel bad about… SA played a damn good game .

— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) March 9, 2018

It was the defense of the Warriors that solidified their win. Not only did they force six steals, but they blocked a whopping 12 shots in the contest. Bigman Draymond Green, who finished with a triple-double, was a major factor in their performance by roaming the paint and forcing the Spurs into unfavorable shots throughout the night.

Losses have stacked up for the Spurs, who have lost seven of their last 10 games and have dropped to the fifth seed in the Western Conference. The schedule won’t lighten up until they return home from their current three-game road trip with their next two stops in Oklahoma City and Houston. For now, they’ll brace themselves for a bumpy road to the playoffs and hope for the imminent return of Kawhi Leonard.

Next: San Antonio Spurs 2018 Draft prospects: Deep draft offers opportunity

The Spurs are headed to OKC for a Saturday evening matchup with Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. They’ll tip-off from the Chesapeake Energy Arena at 5:30 CST.