Escaping close games has been one reason why the San Antonio Spurs have held firm in their pursuit of a playoff bid this season. The combination of poised young players, confident veterans and intelligent coaching has enabled Gregg Popovich’s squad to execute down the final stretch of fourth quarters. Even without star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan in the lineup, the Spurs were able to trust a different leader to finish off the night.
It was an odd night for Rudy Gay, who finished with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting without a single three-pointer attempted.