Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs - 1st Half Highlights | Game 5 | April 25 2017 | NBA Playoffs
A spurs superfan shows off his "Spurs Man Cave."
Alicia Neaves, KENS 8:40 PM. CDT April 25, 2017
SAN ANTONIO - What if we told you one of the biggest Spurs fans in the world isn"t from San Antonio? Tyrone Henderson"s man cave is like a Spurs museum. It even has a replica of the AT&T Center scoreboard.
KENS5 got a tour.
"The way basketball is supposed to be played is the way the spurs play it, and that"s the thing that I love most about the Spurs," superfan Tyrone Henderson said.
A walk through Henderson"s basement shows that every inch of space is covered with Spurs memorabilia.
"I wanted my man cave to actually look like the AT&T Center with the video boards, the retirednumbersand the championship banners," Henderson noted.
He"s asdie-hardas Spurs fans get. The collection started in 2012.
"I started with a little poster on the wall and, as it grew, I just started buying more and more stuff," he said. "It became really addictive."
He has replica trophies,bobbleheads, jerseys, and a tabletop mirroring the AT&T Center basketball court.
"If there was something that I couldn"t buy, I decided I was just going to make it myself; like the scoreboard," said Henderson of his replica of the AT&T Centerjumbotronhanging from the ceiling of his basement.
He put it together using poster board, glue, tape, and digital picture frames.
"Anything I can find that"s Spurs, I have to have it. At all costs. Money is not an issue when it comes to the Spurs, he bragged.
The man cave is pretty impressive, especially since Henderson, 45, has never been to a Spurs game.
In fact, he"s never even been to San Antonio.
"I actually live in St. Louis Missouri," he said over aFaceTimeinterview from his basement in St. Louis.
"This is a baseball town. This is all Cardinals. There aren"t really any Spurs fans in St. Louis. My daughter probably is the only other Spurs fan I know of," said Henderson, who fell in love with the Spurs when they drafted David Robinson.
Hes tried planning trips to the Alamo City, but work always got in the way.
"Since I can"t go to the AT&T Center, I decided I"mgonnabring it to me!"
So even though St. Louis is a bit short on Spurs swag, online shopping does the trick for a dedicated fan in love with a team nearly a thousand miles away.
"When we won in 2014, I"m pretty sure the whole neighborhood heard me because I was screaming and hollering," Henderson recalled. "I was in tears!"
Henderson says that he also tries tokeepup with the AT&T Center renovations.
He"s a bit behind, but he plans to redo the jumbotron to match the current model.
"Once we won the championship in "99, that was the greatest moment ever there. I"ve probably had one sad moment back in 2013. Game 6 against Miami, Henderson lamented.
To take a full tour of Hendersons man cave, hes posted a detailed video on Facebook, which you can watch here: (For mobile users, click here.)
Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs - Full Highlights | Game 5 | April 25, 2017 | NBA Playoffs
Backed against a wall in front of reporters jammed into a tight hallway at Portland"s Moda Center, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich waited for questions following an April 10 loss to the Trail Blazers.
"Let"s go," he barked five seconds in. "I"m ready to go get dinner."
Anybody who spends significant amount of time around Popovich knows he"s prone to bouts of impatience. Especially when good food and wine are on the line. But anyone who has witnessed Pop build a perennial contender in the NBA over the past 20 years -- alongside general manager R.C. Buford and the Spurs ownership -- also knows he likes to plan ahead.
The result? Sixty-one more wins this season for San Antonio on the heels of losing franchise cornerstone Tim Duncan.
Think about it: The Spurs win so regularly, their future Hall of Famer has become an afterthought.
We"ve got you covered all the way to the Finals with the latest news, schedules, analysis and more. 2017 NBA Playoffs
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But let"s not lose sight of the significance here: This year marked the first time in NBA history a team has won 60-plus games the season after losing a former MVP who spent his entire career with the same team. And it"s just the second time in league annals a team captured 50-plus wins in the same scenario. The other time? You guessed it: The spurs did it the season after david robinson"s departure.
"We realize this is not something common," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili told ESPN. "The truth is that we as a team, and me personally, we"re lucky enough and good enough to be able to sign a guy like Kawhi [Leonard] at No. 15 in the draft. Then because of our history, whatever, we were able to sign a guy like LaMarcus [Aldridge] too, and convince him this is a place where he should play, and to play with T.D. and see what this is about. So I guess there"s a lure in coming to play for this team.
"Adding those two guys makes you instantaneously a contender. Then, you always know that the front office is going to be good enough to add key pieces in different areas. It was a combination of things."
Luck has obviously served as a contributing factor in San Antonio"s current run of 20 straight postseason appearances. Not a soul in the organization denies it.
"Certainly, the 1997 lottery ... it"s not only the opportunity in the lottery, but also having a generational star like Tim," Buford told ESPN. "That changed the course of our organization for almost 20 years. So our best skill has been being really lucky. Again, pretty damned lucky. Then, hopefully, we"re not s******g it up."
Popovich offered his take to ESPN.
"We"re not full of ourselves thinking we invented the wheel or did some amazing thing," Popovich said.
Duncan was the ace in the hole for San Antonio shortly after his arrival in 1997.Anacleto Rapping/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The arrival of Duncan bought Popovich and Buford more time from ownership to build the team"s culture. In that time, they unearthed stars such as Tony Parker and Ginobili, who fit their program, and later brought in Leonard, Aldridge and Pau Gasol.
Remember, back during San Antonio"s first championship season in 1998-99, Popovich came under fire when the Spurs started off with a 6-8 record. On Feb. 28 of that lockout-shortened season, the Spurs were blown out at the Alamodome by the Utah Jazz, and Popovich was tossed after receiving a pair of technical fouls in the third quarter.
Fans booed. There was talk Popovich would be fired. But ownership stayed the course.
"Well, we know full well how fortunate we are to have the ownership we"ve had that allows us to do long-term planning," Popovich said. "It"s pretty dependent on the vision of ownership -- how much patience they have, how much trust they have in you and how willing they are to look ahead. You never go in knowing what you"re going to have, and I guess if you have success initially, it helps that trust build and grow."
"I feel like they"re always thinking about the next step here. They"ve been grooming Kawhi to be in the light and kind of take over. I think that"s what has made them so good."
Spurs F LaMarcus Aldridge
Buford calls Popovich"s vision "one of the great gifts" the coach has bestowed upon the organization.
"I think we"ve always tried to be thoughtful in planning for the future," Buford said. "But I think the other thing that has been helpful is the way that Pop has managed people"s careers -- allowed Tim to play longer than maybe we would have expected, allowed Manu to play longer. As those generational players play longer, that helps you to sustain it.
"Pop has never focused our organization solely on, "We"ve got to come up with the perfect team tonight." He"s always allowed us to plan. He"s always been like, "This is what"s best for our team now. But let"s not compromise what"s best for the organization in the future." So we live in that state all the time."
That"s one of the first qualities Aldridge noticed after his first season with the Spurs last year.
"I feel like they"re always thinking about the next step here," Aldridge told ESPN. "They"ve been grooming Kawhi to be in the light and kind of take over. I think that"s what has made them so good. They"ve had guys that have been here for a long time, and I think that gives them time to groom the next guys up. And I think guys understand that playing here and playing for this organization is just about winning. I think that"s why they always are able to keep it going."
Kawhi Leonard has given coach Gregg Popovich an MVP-worthy performer like the Spurs once had in Tim Duncan.Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
For most teams, a 61-win season a year after losing a franchise icon wouldn"t trigger trepidation about the future. But it"s there. You can hear it in Buford"s voice when he ponders what"s next.
In addition to losing Duncan, the Spurs are in the midst of a succession in ownership. Julianna Hawn Holt replaced her husband, Peter Holt, as chairman and CEO of the franchise last March in what was considered somewhat of a bombshell of an announcement. Several within the organization say the new chairman and CEO has operated similarly to her predecessor in that she has given Buford and Popovich the same basketball autonomy granted by her now-retired husband.
Still, it"s significant change.
Let"s also not forget that Ginobili and Parker are in the twilight of their careers. Popovich won"t be around forever, either.
That"s a subject Buford won"t even broach at this point.
"Yeah, there"s a great deal of unknowns," Buford said. "We"re not done with this transition just because Tim stepped away. It would be presumptuous to say that things are going to go the same way they have this year [in the future]. That would not be wise.
"But to have the influence of Tim for that long, for Manu, and their leadership, their mentorship, all that, has paid dividends for the development of younger players."
"I think our culture has been important to this group," Buford continued, "and my belief is that the next generation isn"t going to adapt the past generation"s culture just because. I think they"re going to have to take ownership of their own culture. Whoever that next generation is -- Kawhi, LaMarcus -- I don"t know how all that shakes out. But hopefully with good people, they"ll take ownership of our culture; and with the leadership of our coaches, hopefully it"ll resemble the culture of the past."
LaMarcus Aldridge is one big reason the Spurs have kept up their winning ways after Duncan"s departure.AP
Parker -- who has played through San Antonio"s various manifestations, having spent two seasons with Robinson, his entire career with Duncan and now the past six years with Leonard -- hopes so too.
"It"s all about the team, the franchise," Parker said. "It started with George Gervin and 5-0 [Robinson"s jersey number]. I played two years with 5-0. So I had a great example to follow. Then we got Timmy, then Manu. Now we"re trying to show some of those same things to all the young guys coming up. With Kawhi and LaMarcus coming in, it"s my job with Manu to show them all about how the Spurs" mentality is."
Duncan, meanwhile, continues to be a presence within the organization. He has attended Spurs workouts periodically since retiring, plays pickup with former teammates and is often seen working one-on-one against Gasol or talking to one of the club"s younger players, such as Dejounte Murray. During San Antonio"s opening-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Duncan showed up at the team"s shootaround just before Game 2 and then after Game 4 -- when the team got back to San Antonio -- to work with Aldridge. The Big Fundamental even has a locker inside the coaches" room at the Spurs facility, right next to the stall of Monty Williams, executive vice president of operations.
Danny Green, from left, Pau Gasol, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are looking for a first post-Duncan title.Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
The truth of the matter is that many of the Spurs" former stars remain firmly entrenched in the San Antonio community, and that plays a role in the franchise"s continuity.
"I think you build your franchise not around just one player, no matter how exceptional that player is," Gasol told ESPN. "That"s what gives you the continuity. You build a culture that other great players want to be a part of, understanding that they"re probably going to have to give up a part of themselves in their success and recognition. But the ultimate recognition, I think, is to win championships. That"s what speaks over any individual accomplishment, especially in sports. So as long as you have that perspective, you can come here and be a part of this team."
Zach Lowe breaks down and looks ahead for the three series in action on Tuesday: Spurs-Grizzlies, Clippers-Jazz and Rockets-Thunder.
What do our experts expect from San Antonio-Memphis? The 5-on-5 crew breaks down the series and predicts the winner.
1 Related
Buford certainly hopes that continues to be the case, but he understands the future is still uncertain. So for now, Buford and everyone else in the organization will lean on the foundation they"ve built in San Antonio.
"Hopefully, we"ve planned for all this," Buford said. "We"ll try to execute as well as we can, then we"ll see. Tim carried us for a long time. Now, we"re going to find out whether we can do it for real or not."
Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs - Full Highlights | March 29, 2017 | 2016-17 NBA Season
SAN ANTONIO -- The "L" word reverberated throughout the locker room Wednesday after a fast start morphed into slow death for the San Antonio Spurs, which saw a 22-point first quarter lead disintegrate into a 110-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Nearly every Spur interviewed said they"d "learn" from this, or characterized the game"s outcome as a "learning experience."
"I think it"s a great learning experience," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "Reality check? We knew who we were playing. One of the best teams of the last few years ... . It was not going to be easy. We knew it was going to be tough."
The Spurs also now understand their road through the postseason probably will track a little more adversely as most likely the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio probably knocked itself out of a shot at securing the top seed, as it fell 3 games back of Golden State with eight games left in the regular season.
The Spurs admit their offense became stagnant as the game progressed.Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
It"s a fate the veteran Spurs can accept, but not without critical self-evaluation to prevent a another meltdown should the teams meet again in the Western Conference finals. Surrendering a 22-point lead to a Golden State team playing without an injured Kevin Durant even led Spurs guard Danny Green to consider what they"re missing given the retirement of franchise icon Tim Duncan.
"It"s the NBA. You can"t dwell on any of them," Green said. "You learn from it and move forward, be more professional, and try to get better. In the past that"s where Timmy was good for us, or teams in the past just collectively. We wouldn"t let things like that happen. It might happen, but rarely. But I think it"s happened more often than it should here at this time and this year.
"I wouldn"t say it was a wake-up call. We knew what was at stake. We knew what we had to do. We did it. We just didn"t do it for 48 minutes."
Having posted a 34-1 record over the Warriors at home over the past 20 years, San Antonio appeared to be well on the way to gobbling up win No. 35 after storming to a 15-0 lead on the strength of Green"s third 3-pointer just a little more than four minutes into the game.
With 5:01 left in the opening quarter, the Spurs extended the lead to 20 points (23-3) on a LaMarcus Aldridge fadeaway jumper. A minute and 32 seconds later, Aldridge knocked down a 3 on an assist from Kawhi Leonard to put the Spurs up by 22 points.
"we made shots," spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought they were a little sloppy defensively. But they got it back, certainly."
The Warriors started off hitting 1-of-4 from 3-point range uncontested in the opening quarter, but by the 11:02 mark of the fourth quarter, the team had drained 7-of-10 on such shots for 19 points. The Warriors connected on 27 percent (3-of-11) when shooting off of a teammate"s pass in the first quarter, before draining 72 percent for the rest of the game on those shots (28-of-39).
San Antonio compounded Golden State"s hot shooting late by missing assignments and not communicating on defense.
"Yeah, [if] you don"t communicate defensively, they"re going to get a bucket, and a lot of times it"s going to be a 3, which hurts," Green said. "We"ve got to do a better job of scrambling, talking, communicating. As veterans, we"ve got to do a better job of leading, and learn how to finish teams off, learn how to continue to stay professional and play 48 minutes, and not let teams back in it and not let them get any light. We"ve gotten some leads and blown them a couple of times just by sloppy play."
Golden State fell behind 29-7 with 3:29 remaining in the opening quarter. From there, the Warriors outscored the Spurs 103-69, while shooting 56.9 percent, including 12-of-22 from deep with 30 assists and only nine turnovers. San Antonio, on the flip side, scored just 69 points, shot 38.1 percent, recorded 15 assists and turned it over 13 times.
Check out the team site for more game coverage
Check out the team site for more game coverage
In all, Golden State scored 23 points off Spurs turnovers, and in the process locked down Leonard, who shot 7-of-20 for 19 points with five turnovers.
The last time the Spurs led by at least 15 points after the first quarter, and then lost by double-digits was April 8, 2009 when they took a 33-16 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers only to fall 95-83.
"Just the same that I"ve been seeing for probably about the past few weeks," Leonard said when asked how the Warriors defended him. "Just double screening the ball, pick and roll, coming help side on my isolations. They did a great job showing hands and crowding."
The Warriors disrupted the Spurs with all their switching. In those instances, San Antonio "settled" according to Aldridge, and played one-on-one ball too often, as opposed to continuing to move the ball to find better shots.
"They just took us out of a lot of things," Aldridge told ESPN.com. "I thought we got passive, and kind of settled a little bit. The Game 1 versus them was so long ago, but I felt like we didn"t settle as much. I thought we still attacked and tried to make things happen. I thought tonight we kind of settled a little bit.
"Defensively, we just made too many mistakes. I think the hot start kind of got us going. But then they picked it up, and we should have made [fewer] mistakes. This team is good. They"re going to make shots. They"re not going to give up. I thought we made too many mistakes to let them back in the game. In the first quarter, the ball was moving, and guys were getting shots. I think as the game went on, we kind of went stagnant. When they switched stuff, we just kind of just gave into it. We didn"t move the ball and make them keep guarding."
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder - Game 3 - 1st Half Highlights | 2016 NBA Playoffs
San Antonio is succeeding in a different way, even while hanging onto everything that made them great.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two people represented the Spurs at the podium on Friday after Game 3"s 100-96 victory -- Gregg Popovich, as always, and Tony Parker, whose throwback 19-point performance was essential to San Antonio"s victory.
Absent were Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, who each spoke quickly to smaller audiences and fewer television cameras in the Chesapeake Energy Arena"s visiting locker room. It was a classic Spurs approach, celebrating the unexpected performance of the little guy (a role the 33-year-old Parker has filled this year) rather than sending their two stars to the podium together. And as San Antonio look less and less like the Spurs, it"s nice to know some things never change.
The classic Spurs offense is something everyone can envision: ball movement whipping around the perimeter, a dozen different touches of the ball before a weakness is discovered, a feeling like the Spurs have seven players (or 700) on the court and the referees just haven"t caught them. That"s still a great strategy against some teams, Manu Ginobili said, but not the Thunder. Against them, you have to rely on the individual greatness of Leonard and Aldridge.
"It wouldn"t be smart to not use those two," Manu Ginobili said. "They are both maybe top-10, top-12 in the league, and they are having a remarkable season, an incredible playoff series."
San Antonio did that. After 38- and 41-point games to open the series, Aldridge was slowed slightly, scoring 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting with eight rebounds. Leonard came through with his series-high, dropping 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting with 11 rebounds and three assists. The ball constantly rotated through their hands: Aldridge touched the ball 78 times, Leonard 68, per the NBA"s player tracking data. Besides Parker, the point guard who begins every play, no other Spur recorded more than 50 touches.
"Moving the ball is great and we all have fun, but you gotta go to where it gives you the best chance of scoring," Ginobili said. "Today, giving (Leonard and Aldridge) the ball, especially down the stretch, gave us opportunity. In this situation, with their physicality, their length and strength, it"s almost a no-brainer that we gotta go to them."
It"s the changing of the guard in San Antonio, and with it comes a new style, one only heightened by the Spurs" arrival to the postseason. In seven playoff games, Aldridge has scored 161 points and Leonard, 156. The Big 3 -- Parker, Ginobili and Tim Duncan -- have only combined for 152 points. Those Spurs won the classic way we remembered. These Spurs are finding their own way, even while those legends from the old days stick around at least a little while longer.
Still, a few more post-ups and isolations than in the past doesn"t mean the Spurs have abandoned their core tenets that caused them ascend dynastically last decade.
"That doesn"t change anything,"Patty Mills told SB Nation. "The values and the groundwork and the base of what this organization is always going to be is what we hang our hat on. Everyone understands that. As we transition, it"s just about blending both together to get the most out of everyone. They"re the type of players who can do that."
Oklahoma City"s version of the two-star system wouldn"t work in San Antonio. The bold, brash superstardom that occupies the public spotlight is something Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook enjoy. The Thunder have consistently lacked the structure around those two to do anything but rely on them outright, too, so it"s no wonder when they combine for 49 shots like Game 3, and when they always take the podium together, win or lose.
Leonard is a superstar in exactly the opposite way. He"s the player that fits every cliche that San Antonio embodies: the hard worker, the quiet learner, the player who leads by example, the star who just wants to be a regular dude. As his climb towards becoming an All-Star began, there was never any doubt he would fit into the culture of the Spurs.
Aldridge was a different case, coming from Portland, where he was the main man for several years. That he chose San Antonio over other destinations said a lot, but he still had to prove the team-first mantra that the Spurs require, even while frequently being responsible for so much more. And by deflecting a question asked about exactly that, there"s no doubt Aldridge has passed his tests.
"I just do what we need," Aldridge answered. "It"s not about me, it"s about the team. If it ends up being like that, it"s fine."
With two dominant stars that are treated as such, these Spurs have clearly turned into a different iteration of themselves. But in another way, they"re exactly the same. All the Spurs have ever wanted was to win, no matter what shape or form it took, no matter which players helped them do it.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs - Full Game Highlights | Game 1 | 2016 NBA Playoffs 11:57 AM ET
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Who will advance to the conference finals of the NBA playoffs? Our writers start by predicting Spurs-Thunder, which tipped off the second round on April 30.
LeBron James With Wrong Shorts | Spurs vs Cavaliers | January 30, 2016 | NBA 2015-16 Season
Photo: Edward A. Ornelas /San Antonio Express-News
Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge looks for room around Brooklyn Nets Thaddeus Young during first half action on Oct. 30, 2015 at the AT&T Center.
Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge looks for room around Brooklyn Nets Thaddeus Young during first half action on Oct. 30, 2015 at the AT&T Center.
Photo: Edward A. Ornelas /San Antonio Express-News
Spurs Tim Duncan (21) gets defended by the Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) at the AT&T Center on Dec. 2, 2015.
Spurs Tim Duncan (21) gets defended by the Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) at the AT&T Center on Dec. 2, 2015.
Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News
Spurs Boban Marjanovic (center) reacts with Ray McCallum as Philadelphia 76ers Nerlens Noel heads back to the bench during the second half on Dec. 7, 2015, in Philadelphia.
Spurs Boban Marjanovic (center) reacts with Ray McCallum as Philadelphia 76ers Nerlens Noel heads back to the bench during the second half on Dec. 7, 2015, in Philadelphia.
Photo: Chris Szagola /Associated Press
Hawks center Tiago Splitter talks to Spurs center Tim Duncan in the second half on Dec. 12, 2015, in Atlanta.
Hawks center Tiago Splitter talks to Spurs center Tim Duncan in the second half on Dec. 12, 2015, in Atlanta.
Photo: Brett Davis /Associated Press
Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard hangs in the air after he scores over Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood during the first half on Dec. 14, 2015, in San Antonio.
Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard hangs in the air after he scores over Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood during the first half on Dec. 14, 2015, in San Antonio.
Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press
Spurs Tony Parker keeps an eye on Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Tyus Jones in the second half on Dec. 23, 2015, in Minneapolis.
Spurs Tony Parker keeps an eye on Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Tyus Jones in the second half on Dec. 23, 2015, in Minneapolis.
Photo: Jim Mone /Associated Press
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge drives around Phoenix Suns center Alex Len during the first half on Dec. 30, 2015, in San Antonio.
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge drives around Phoenix Suns center Alex Len during the first half on Dec. 30, 2015, in San Antonio.
Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press
Spurs Kawhi Leonard drives past Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jan. 4, 2016, in Milwaukee.
Spurs Kawhi Leonard drives past Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jan. 4, 2016, in Milwaukee.
Photo: Aaron Gash /Associated Press
Spurs Tim Duncan shoots over Utah Jazzs Tibor Pleiss during the second half at the AT&T Center on Jan. 6, 2016.
Spurs Tim Duncan shoots over Utah Jazzs Tibor Pleiss during the second half at the AT&T Center on Jan. 6, 2016.
Photo: Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News
Brooklyn Nets forward Thomas Robinson defends Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the second half on Jan. 11, 2016, in New York.
Brooklyn Nets forward Thomas Robinson defends Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the second half on Jan. 11, 2016, in New York.
Photo: Kathy Willens /Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan shoots around Dallas Mavericks" Dirk Nowitzki during first half action Sunday Jan. 17, 2016 at the AT&T Center.
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan shoots around Dallas Mavericks" Dirk Nowitzki during first half action Sunday Jan. 17, 2016 at the AT&T Center.
Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
Spurs center Boban Marjanovic tries to score inside in the third quarter against the Suns on Jan. 21, 2016, in Phoenix.
Spurs center Boban Marjanovic tries to score inside in the third quarter against the Suns on Jan. 21, 2016, in Phoenix.
Photo: Rick Scuteri /Associated Press
Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge dunks on the Houston Rockets Dwight Howard at the AT&T Center on Jan. 27, 2016.
Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge dunks on the Houston Rockets Dwight Howard at the AT&T Center on Jan. 27, 2016.
Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News
Theres been no doubt about Spurs routs
The Spurs are the undisputed blowout kings of the NBA. With 13 wins by at least 25 points, the Spurs have left the rest of the league in the dust. Heres a recap of the teams who have been on the receiving end of a major dose of garbage time when they were routed by San Antonio:
1. Oct. 30: Spurs 102, Nets 75
Brooklyn actually led by 10 in the second quarter. But the Spurs defense stiffened and allowed just 28 second-half points. San Antonios first win of the season was also its first rout.
2. Dec. 2: Spurs 95, Bucks 70
After a blowout-free November well, the Spurs did win twice by 20 and had eight other double-digit victories official rout No. 2 came early in December, fueled by a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds) from Tim Duncan. A 15-1 run in the third quarter broke this one open.
3. Dec. 7: Spurs 114, 76ers 68
This one was over early as the Spurs jumped out to 33-17 lead and stretched it to 65-39 at the half. The potent Spurs bench, fueled by 18 points from crowd favorite Boban Marjanovic, made this a rout of epic proportions as the Philadelphia fans even cheered for the S.A. big man.
4. Dec. 12: Spurs 103, Hawks 78
Limiting the Hawks to an NBA-low 25 points in the first half, the Spurs built a 22-point lead by intermission and coasted the rest of the way. Only one Atlanta player Paul Millsap with 22 points reached double figures.
5. Dec. 14: Spurs 118, Jazz 81
Garbage time started in the third quarter of this one as the Spurs opened up a lead that eventually reached 46. A tired Utah team arrived in San Antonio having played five games in seven nights, including an overtime loss at Oklahoma City the previous night. Kawhi Leonard (22 points) shut down Utahs Gordon Hayward, who was 1 of 5 from the field for four points.
6. Dec. 23: Spurs 108, Timberwolves 83
Destroying Minnesota 47-31 on the boards and out-scoring the hosts 54-24 in the paint, the Spurs jumped out to a 28-16 lead In the first quarter, grew it to a 14-point advantage by halftime and were never threatened as Minnesotas starters combined to score just 33 points.
7. Dec. 30: Spurs 112, Suns 79
The calendar year concluded with another laugher that was over early as the Spurs led 32-12 after only 12 minutes. It got worse for Phoenix in the second quarter before the half ended with the Suns in a 61-32 hole. LaMarcus Aldridge (21 points, 12 rebounds) led the way.
Ten more blowout possibilities
February
1: Orlando
6: L.A Lakers
10: at Orlando
19: at L.A. Lakers
21: at Phoenix
24: at Sacramento
25: at Utah
March
5: Sacramento
21: at Charlotte
April
5: Utah
8. Jan. 4: Spurs 123, Bucks 98
The host Bucks were glad to be done with the Spurs after suffering their second straight lopsided loss to S.A., again by a 25-point margin. The Spurs set a season high for points with six players in double figures, led by Leonard with 24 and Jonathon Simmons contributing 18 off the bench.
9. Jan. 6: Spurs 123, Jazz 98
Different opponent, same one-sided final score. Duncans season-high 18 points led eight Spurs in double figures as the team shot 60.5 percent from the field. At plus-526 points, the Spurs have outscored their opponents by more than any other team in NBA history at this point of the season.
10. Jan. 11: Spurs 106, Nets 79
One day after the Nets coach and GM were reassigned, the Spurs used a 25-point, 11-rebound game from Aldridge to clobber struggling Brooklyn for the second time this season. A 32-18 advantage in the third quarter turned this one into a laugher. Again it was Marjanovic (13 points) drawing applause from a supposedly hostile road crowd.
11. Jan. 17: Spurs 112, Mavericks 83
The Mavs all but quit playing in the middle two quarters as the Spurs went on a 64-40 run. Dirk Nowitzki was ineffective, going 2 for 10 for 4 points and Dallas coach Rick Carlisle intentionally got ejected to avoid watching his team go through the motions.
12. Jan. 21: Spurs 117, Suns 89
Phoenix was able to hang around through three quarters, but down to just eight healthy players by that point, they couldnt prevent the Spurs from a fourth-quarter eruption. The Spurs outscored the Suns 38-20 in the final 11 minutes.
13. Jan. 27: Spurs 130, Rockets 99
Avenging an embarrassing 30-point loss at Golden State two nights earlier, the Spurs went one better and prevailed by 31. Aldridge scored 25 points in under 30 minutes and Danny Green hit six 3-pointers to lead the way.
San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns - Full Game Highlights | January 21, 2016 | NBA 2015-16 Season
CHI-RAQ - Spike Lee"s typically hotwire and controversial comedy-drama sells itself by channeling Saul Bass-style cut-outs and revolutionary imagery.
CHI-RAQ - Spike Lee"s typically hotwire and controversial comedy-drama sells itself by channeling Saul Bass-style cut-outs and revolutionary imagery.
This courtesy photo shows Teyonah Parris as Lysistrata in Spike Lees film, Chi-Raq. The film fails in being either wholly thought-provoking or entertaining. The female protagonists are overly sexualized, and the bad guys are stereotypically cool as ice.
This courtesy photo shows Teyonah Parris as Lysistrata in Spike Lees film, Chi-Raq. The film fails in being either wholly thought-provoking or entertaining. The female protagonists are overly sexualized, ... more Photo: Parrish Lewis /Associated Press
U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos, right, give the black pride salute during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner after Smith received the gold medal and Carlos the bronze medal for the 200-meter run at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City in this Oct. 16, 1968, file photo.
U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos, right, give the black pride salute during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner after Smith received the gold medal and Carlos the bronze medal for ... more Photo: /AP
See how Spurs Coach Popovich has changed through the years.
See how Spurs Coach Popovich has changed through the years.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich , third from left, sits on the bench with the Merrillville High School baseball team in this yearbook photo. Popovich was born in East Chicago but grew up in Merrillville, Indiana. To the left with guitar is his best friend Arlie Pierce. They were both best man at their weddings.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich , third from left, sits on the bench with the Merrillville High School baseball team in this yearbook photo. Popovich was born in East Chicago but grew up in ... more Photo: San Antonio Express-News
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from his Air Force Academy yearbook
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from his Air Force Academy yearbook
Photo: Air Force Athletics, Courtesy Air Force Athletics
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from his Air Force Academy yearbook
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from his Air Force Academy yearbook
Photo: Courtesy Air Force Athletics
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich"s first head coaching job was at Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, California. He coached there from 1979-86 and in 1987-88 after taking a leave of absence to be on Larry Brown"s staff at Kansas for a season. Popovich was 76-127 in those eight seasons guiding the Sagehens to their first SCIAC title in 68 years after the 1985-86 season.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich"s first head coaching job was at Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, California. He coached there from 1979-86 and in 1987-88 after taking a leave of absence to be on Larry Brown"s staff at ... more Photo: Pomona-Pitzer Athletics
Gregg Popovich was the head coach of the Pomona-Pitzer College men"s basketball team from 1979-1987. Image scanned from student handbook.
Gregg Popovich was the head coach of the Pomona-Pitzer College men"s basketball team from 1979-1987. Image scanned from student handbook.
Photo: Courtesy Photo
Assistant coach Gregg Popovich, head coach Larry Brown and assistant coach R.C. Buford in a 1990 contest.
Assistant coach Gregg Popovich, head coach Larry Brown and assistant coach R.C. Buford in a 1990 contest.
Photo: Express-News-file Photo
1988-89 San Antonio Spurs coaching staff, including Gregg Popovich.
1988-89 San Antonio Spurs coaching staff, including Gregg Popovich.
Gregg Popovich, 1990. Original caption reads: "Spurs practice short players so this guy is practicing."
Gregg Popovich, 1990. Original caption reads: "Spurs practice short players so this guy is practicing."
Photo: Express-News File Photo
Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs leads his team against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on December 18, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs leads his team against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on December 18, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees ... more Photo: Getty Images
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sits with the Red Auerbach trophy during a news conference after he was named NBA basketball coach of the year, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, in San Antonio. Popovich has won the award three times. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sits with the Red Auerbach trophy during a news conference after he was named NBA basketball coach of the year, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, in San Antonio. Popovich has won ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich smiles as a question is asked during a news conference for the NBA basketball finals on Saturday, June 14, 2014, in San Antonio. The Spurs play Game 5 against the Miami Heat on Sunday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich smiles as a question is asked during a news conference for the NBA basketball finals on Saturday, June 14, 2014, in San Antonio. The Spurs play Game 5 against the ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks with Marco Belinelli during practice Wednesday June 11, 2014 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks with Marco Belinelli during practice Wednesday June 11, 2014 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla.
Photo: San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shouts at a referee during the first half of the Spurs" NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shouts at a referee during the first half of the Spurs" NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) and head coach Gregg Popovich in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) and head coach Gregg Popovich in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, puts his head on the shoulder of assistant coach Ettore Messina during the second half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Tuesday, April 28, 2015, in Los Angeles. The Spurs won 111-107. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, puts his head on the shoulder of assistant coach Ettore Messina during the second half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los ... more Photo: Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 28: Head coach Gregg Popovich and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs confer as they play the Los Angeles Clippers during Game Five of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on April 28, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The Spurs won 111-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 28: Head coach Gregg Popovich and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs confer as they play the Los Angeles Clippers during Game Five of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the ... more Photo: Getty Images
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (right) speaks with the media Monday May 4, 2015 at the Spurs" practice facility about last season and the upcoming offseason.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (right) speaks with the media Monday May 4, 2015 at the Spurs" practice facility about last season and the upcoming offseason.
Photo: San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (center) speaks with the media Monday May 4, 2015 at the Spurs" practice facility about last season and the upcoming offseason.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (center) speaks with the media Monday May 4, 2015 at the Spurs" practice facility about last season and the upcoming offseason.
