GIF Breakdown: Spurs at Denver Nuggets

It didn't take long for San Antonio's ball movement, the Spurs racked up 37 assists in the game, to yield easy points. In this play we see Tiago Splitter set a screen for Tony Parker, but Tony moves toward the baseline and Tiago cuts to the hole while Parker hits him with a sweet behind-the-back bounce-pass. Kenneth Faried brings help along the baseline, which leaves Tiago an open lane to the hoop. Timofey Mozgov leaves Tim Duncan to challenge Tiago at the rim, and Splitter makes a great pass around Mozgov to Big Fun, who throws down a two-hand slam.

Here's something that's not seen too often. Randy Foye executes the tough, but effective alley-oops. Foye and Mozgov run a high pick-and-roll and Foye tries to connect with the rolling Mozgov for an alley-oop, but the ball finds its way through the net with no help from Mozgov. That's a great result for Denver, considering that Mozgov was having quite a bit of trouble dunking on Friday night.

Here's more of that fantastic ball-movement that the Spurs have mastered. Four players touch the ball in less than four seconds on this play. Patty Mills swings it to Manu, who enters it to Boris Diaw deep. Poor Mozgov has another pass go around him that finds Timmy for another easy two. The Spurs play beautiful ball.

Here we see Patty Mills near half-court with less than five seconds on the shot-clock. He takes a running start, looking like he's going to drive to the hoop, stops a foot short of the arc and let's it fly. The ball catches the back of the rim and the Spurs put up three more points. It's great that the Spurs have a backup point guard that has confidence and can shoot like this.

Kawhi Leonard is so spectacularly long and athletic. Randy Foye thinks he has a clean look from deep, but our man Whi closes out and gets a piece of the ball with those giant hands. Tiago snatches the loose ball out of the air and makes the outlet to Leonard who is at the opposite arc. Evan Fournier makes an attempt to poke the ball away from Kawhi, but The Cornrowed One keeps the rock out of reach and finishes with a mini finger-roll that falls gently through the basket.

Manu Ginobili went just 2-of-7 from the field in Denver. As the first half was drawing to a close, the Argentine takes two defenders baseline before contorting his body and getting a tough layup to go. That's a pretty move and finish from Gino.

This is my favorite Spurs team ever. After so many years of watching the trio of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili it's easy to develop an affection for the players. It's truly a rarity in sports to keep a core together for so long and we've been lucky to have seen so much great basketball for so long. The Big Three have a lifetime of basketball behind them, with the accolades and the rings, but somehow, they're not done yet. So it makes me more than happy to see the veterans still playing at a high level, still wowing us nightly. This team is so easy to root for.

Tim Duncan followed up his fantastic game in San Antonio against the Nuggets with another strong performance. Here we see Jan Vesely fronting Timmy, but the team solves that puzzle with ease. Manu passes from the wing to Tony in the corner, then Tony to Tiago at the free-throw line. Tim has the smaller, weaker Vesely sealed and Splitter makes a great touch-pass to Duncan who draws a foul as he gets a layup to go. It takes three seconds for the ball to zig-zag its way from Manu to Tim. Terrific stuff from the guys in silver and black.