MANILA, Philippines – San Antonio Spurs big win on the road against the top seeded in the East Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime with a final score of 118-115 on January 21, 2017 (Eastern Time) at Quicken Loans Arena.
Kawhi Leonard finally reaches his points with 40+ points for the first time in his NBA career, he finished with 41pts in 50% shooting with 15 of 30 field goals.
It takes an extra 5 minutes for the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs to dispatch the defending NBA Champion in their home crowd. San Antonio Spurs played without their key starter Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. Parker who suffered Left foot pain, Gasol also had a successfull surgery to repair a fracture of his left fourth metacarpal.
Who said Kawhi doesn’t smile? look at the image below.
That injury enables Coach Popovich to change his usual starters, he started Dejounte Murray in point guard position and David Lee in Center position.
Murray and Lee filled the absence of Parker and Gasol, who both finished in double figure, Murray finished with 14pts and 6 assist with 2 rebounds and David Lee finished with double-double with 14pts and 11 rebounds with 3 assists. Lamarcus Aldridge also added a double-double with 16pts and 12 rebounds, including 6assist of San Antonio Spurs win on the road.
Lebron James, who made 10pts in the final quarter, including the long range three-pointer to tie the game with 107 apiece, went scoreless in overtime, he only finished with 29pts. Kyrie Erving the only Cavaliers player scored in over time also finished with 29pts 8 of them coming in overtime.
Cavaliers, who lead early by 11 points after the opening quarter with 33-22, that spark because of 3 combined triples of Love and Shumpert.
Spurs, who trailed by 11pts in the opening period went 17-2 run early in the second quarter, including Lamarcus Aldridge jumper under 9 minutes to have their first lead of the night with 36-35 advantage, but Cavaliers managed to end up with a 1pt (58-57) lead going into the second half.
Third period is a series of lead changes and ties, but Cavaliers escape with 5pts lead to end this period with 89-84.
Fourth quarter is a strong rally of the Spurs, who went 9-0 run in just 2 minutes span to snatch and regain the lead by 93-89 somehow Spurs had their biggest lead to 105-96 with 5 minutes left but the Cavaliers went 11-2 run to force the game in overtime.
But going into overtime, Kyrie had no help in points he was the only player made a field goal in this extra period.
Game Summary
Total Lead Changes: 15times
Total Deadlock: 13times
Biggest Lead: 9pts (Spurs) 105-96
Biggest Lead: 11pts (Cavaliers) 22-33
Quarter Scoring
First Quarter: (Spurs) 22-33
Second Quarter: 35-25
Third Quarter: 27-31
Fourth Quarter: 23-18
Overtime: 11-8 (Cavaliers)
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