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Final Score: Spurs keep winning, handle Heat 95-81

These two teams combined for 37 turnovers in this one, but the Spurs' defense and superior shooting helped them comfortably pick up another win as they close in on their 16th-straight 50-win season.

By Chris Itz
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs made 50% of their field goals and 44.4% of their threes while limiting the Heat to just 40.5% from the field and 33.3% from deep. Had the Spurs taken better care of the basketball (Manu Ginobili committed five turnovers, Tony Parker four and Boris Diaw and Danny Green three each) they would have really run away with this one.

After a slow start the Spurs played pretty solid basketball, but a four-minute field-goal drought for the Spurs saw their once 21-point lead dwindle to just 10 late in the fourth quarter so Gregg Popovich inserted Tony Parker and the Wee Frenchman quickly scored a bucket and then created for the Spurs on their next possession. A 14-point lead with two and a half minutes left to play was enough for Pop and Parker was pulled. The margin would hold as the bench finished out the win for the Spurs.

It was a good win for the good guys and your Spurs improve to 48-26 and remain in the sixth seed, but are just two games back of the two-seed in the loss column.

Quick Notes:

  • Tony Parker played his 1000th game and he became the 17th player in NBA history to do it with one team. He's also the second player in Spurs history to do it in a San Antonio uniform after Tim Duncan. David Robinson didn't quite reach that nice round number having played 987 regular season games for the Silver and Black when he called it quits in 2003. Congratulations, Tony!
  • Tim Duncan picked up his 30th double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Big Fun forever.
  • Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 22 points. He added nine boards, three assists, four steals and two blocks. That's a great line for sure, but with the level that Kawhi has been playing at it doesn't blow you away. It probably should, but coming into this game the young stud averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 boards, 2.5 assists, 2.7 steals and almost a block per game since February 28th.

GIF of the Night:

How can you not love Extraneous G?

Up Next:

The Spurs will continue to try to climb up the Western Conference standings when they complete their Florida trip against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. They'll host the Nuggets on Friday night and then the Golden State Warriors visit the River City on Sunday evening.

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