Patty’s almost perfect night lifts San Antonio Spurs over Raptors
By Ethan Farina
The San Antonio Spurs squeaked out a narrow win over the Toronto Raptors
After an impressive opening night road win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the San Antonio Spurs looked to preserve their perfect record as they hosted the Toronto Raptors in San Antonio tonight. The game came down to the wire but the Spurs would end up escaping with a 119-114 win.
Slow starts have plagued the Spurs in both of their games so far. They came out flat against Memphis and did so again tonight. The Raptors got out to an early 14-7 lead but once the Spurs found their groove they were able to claw back into it.
The story for the Spurs so far has been how balanced their attack has been. They had seven players finish in double figures in their first win and had six tally more than 10 points tonight. They’re moving the ball well, getting everyone involved, and the results are speaking for themselves.
Patty Mills is almost perfect from behind the arc for San Antonio Spurs
It’s hard to settle on a Player of the Game for this contest. DeMar DeRozan had another incredibly impressive showing, totaling 27 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. He also stepped out behind the arc and hit three of his four three-point attempts. In just one game he already has one-third of his total three-point makes from last year.
Not to be outdone, Dejounte Murray went out and got himself a triple-double. His 11 point, 10 rebound, 10 assist night marks the first triple-double of his career but it almost certainly won’t be his last.
As impressive as the play of those two was, the Player of the Game has to be Patty Mills. Mills came off the bench and was scorching hot from behind the arc. He would finish the night five of six from deep but he was perfect almost until the very end.
It’s hard to overstate how important Mills was to the Spurs in this one. His three’s kept them in it when it felt like the game was slipping away and the energy he brought in his 29 minutes on the floor was one of the driving forces behind the Spurs victory.
A 72-0 season is still in play for the San Antonio Spurs. They’ll look to keep their perfect record intact when they play the New Orleans Pelicans tomorrow night.