San Antonio put an end to their second-longest losing streak of the season and picked up their first win of the Rodeo Road Trip in the process. The Oklahoma City Thunder fell behind by as many as 14 points in the first half and eventually pulled even in the final frame, but the Spurs hung on to head into the All-Star break on a positive note.
With DeMar DeRozan sidelined with back spasms for a second-straight contest, DeJounte Murray carried the good guys to victory with a career-high 25 points on 75% shooting. The fourth-year pro also racked up 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and made several deflections despite recording just a single steal.
Although court vision may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the spindly floor general, Murray has excelled as a facilitator since the Silver and Black hit the road on February 3rd. He leads the NBA with an insanely efficient 14:1 assist-to-turnover ratio over that stretch and committed only his second giveaway in the last six games on Tuesday night.
Dejounte struggled with his jumper in the first three stops of the Rodeo Road Trip, going a combined 7-of-23 from the field in those outings. However, the 23-year-old guard has found his spots and looks as comfortable as ever, averaging 18.6 points per game on 59-67-92 shooting splits in his three latest appearances.
While Murray was spectacular in the Spurs’ second dub of the month, I would be remiss if I didn’t credit LaMarcus Aldridge, Derrick White, and Patty Mills for their strong performances. The trio came together for 62 of San Antonio’s 114 points, and since each player had a hand in sealing a much-needed victory, here’s a highlight apiece for their efforts.
One for LA:
One for Derrick:
And last but not least, one for Patty: