Spurs vs. Rockets: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2016 Regular Season
Not even the red-hot Houston Rockets with a double-digit lead late in the fourth quarter could stop the San Antonio Spurs on the road.
San Antonio turned a 96-83 deficit with less than five minutes remaining into a 102-100 victory Tuesday at the Toyota Center thanks to a 19-4 run to end the game. The Spurs improved to 23-5 overall and 15-1 on the road and snapped Houston's 10-game winning streak.
Danny Green drilled a three-pointer with less than a minute left, and Patty Mills hit what proved to be the game-winner from deep with 12.9 seconds to play. Eric Gordon and James Harden each had a chance to win it on the other end, but they misfired from long range, and the Rockets dropped to 21-8.
The Spurs received a balanced offensive effort, with six players scoring in double figures. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 21 points and four assists to go with five steals and five rebounds, while LaMarcus Aldridge (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (10 points, 10 rebounds) each notched a double-double.
San Antonio overcame 19 turnovers, seven of which were Leonard's, thanks largely to its 12-of-23 shooting (52.2 percent) from three-point range.
Harden finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. He scored just four points in the final quarter, however, and shot 1-of-11 from three-point range. Houston was a dismal 6-of-38 (15.8 percent) from downtown.
ESPN Stats & Info and Elias Sports noted Harden at least ended a formidable defensive streak by the Spurs:
Harden was a one-man show in the opening 12 minutes with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists, while the Spurs received nine points and four rebounds from Aldridge and five points from Leonard.
The Rockets were playing without Clint Capela, who missed his first game because of a broken fibula, per Sam Amick of USA Today, and Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle noted that caused issues down low:
San Antonio locked down on defense in the second quarter and went on a 14-6 run to build a 44-34 advantage following a technical free throw by Leonard.
But the Rockets drilled three consecutive threes after they had missed their first 14 attempts from deep to climb within a single point. Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports noted Houston's ability to heat up from three at a moment's notice:
Green did the same on the other side, connecting on two threes as San Antonio finished the half with an 8-2 burst to take a 52-45 lead.
The Houston offense found its touch on the inside in the third quarter and took a 71-69 lead after Harden made three free throws and scored in the lane to cap an 8-0 run.
"Harden is constantly moving at full speed while seeing everything in slow motion," Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation said as the Rockets playmaker found ways to score even against Leonard's defense.
He also turned in impressive assists, as NBA TV shared:
Houston continued rolling in the third and extended its lead to 78-71 by the end of the period. Harden appeared to be on his way to a triple-double with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Rockets had forced 13 Spurs turnovers heading into the fourth.
Mills and Manu Ginobili combined to drain three three-pointers in the first two-plus minutes of the fourth as the Spurs grabbed an 80-79 lead.
The Rockets then turned to their defense, notching four straight stops to spearhead an 8-0 stretch. Feigen praised Patrick Beverley's effort on that end of the floor:
Beverley did some work on offense as well, assisting Trevor Ariza's three, which opened a 92-82 advantage.
The Rockets pushed the lead to 96-83, but the Spurs showed their championship mettle with an 11-0 spurt that trimmed the deficit to two points with less than three minutes remaining. Ginobili and Green each hit a three-pointer to cap the run, but Harden drove the lane to net a critical layup.
Ariza then made it 100-94, but Leonard hit two free throws and Green drained another three to make it a one-point game again. Leonard missed a shot to give the Spurs the lead, but Ariza threw it right back to San Antonio.
That's when Mills hit his game-winning three. Gordon missed on the other end with 4.9 seconds left, and Ginobili could have ended it with two free throws but missed them both. Houston called timeout and inbounded the ball with 2.7 seconds to go, but the Spurs defended Harden's three well and clinched the win.
Postgame Reaction
"I was really happy with our stick-to-it-ness," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Said Ginobili, per Orsborn: "We didn't play that well. We got a little lucky."
Harden said, "We gotta close the game out," via Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. "Give them credit; they made shots."
Said Ariza, per Watkins: "We're gonna have games where we don't shoot well, so we gotta find ways to win when that's not working."
What's Next?
The Rockets play Western Conference foes in their next five games: the Phoenix Suns (twice), Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies and Clippers figure to be playoff contenders all season, so Houston will have chances to prove its hot start is no fluke.
The Spurs have a similar opportunity against playoff contenders in their next two games, which are on the road against the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. They will then play three straight home games against the Chicago Bulls, Suns and Trail Blazers.
