Brooklyn Nets

For the fourth time in five quarters, the Spurs allowed their opponent to score 30 or more points and it seemed Coach Pop was finally tired of the lackluster defensive effort by the Spurs which caused them the loss against the Pistons in the previous game. The Spurs seemed hurried in the second quarter, entering the quarter down by 10. With a solid end to the first half, the Spurs were down by 6, but the team knew that was not enough.

Storming out of the gates with tight defense in the second half, it can be safely assumed that the Spurs heard many mouthfuls from Coach Pop about their horrible defense and how they were close to losing once again to a mediocre team. Allowing 35 points in a quarter is not up to Spurs’ standards and the players took note by only allowing the Brooklyn Nets (29-22) to score 29 points in the second half while they themselves scored 60 for the win.

I had previously wrote that despite great offensive turnout by their All Star Tony Parker, who scored a game-high 29 points, and the rest of the team, it would be defense that would guarantee a win, and it did just that. It seemed early on that the Spurs learned nothing from their defeat at the hands of the Pistons by allowing 35 points in the first, and despite outscoring the Nets in the second quarter, the first half was nothing to be proud of. Pop was noticeably angry at his team’s performance and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he voiced his thoughts to his team during halftime; and they listened. Stifling defense in the post and on the perimeter was reminiscent of the Spurs of old, and it seemed the Spurs had finally learned from 6 straight quarters of horrible defense.

The win was a well-rounded one both on offense and on defense. As mentioned before, Tony Parker had 29 points and 11 assists, Danny Green had 14 points and Tiago Splitter 13. The Spurs played elegant basketball in the second half and aim to continue their elegant ways when they play the Chicago Bulls (30-20) today for their fourth game of their Rodeo Road Trip.