The San Antonio Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets 120-103 and forced Game 7 in their first-round series of the NBA playoffs.
LaMarcus Aldridge, with 26 points and 10 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan, with 25 points, and Rudy Gay, with 19 coming off the bench, led the Spurs’ victory at home, neutralizing the stellar performance of Serbian center Nikola Jokic.
The visiting post signed the historical record for scoring in the playoffs in the Colorado franchise with 43 points, which he accompanied with 12 rebounds and 9 assists, but succumbed to the local rush in the fourth quarter.
The final match will be played on Saturday in Denver.
“We had to be aggressive and we succeeded. At half time we discussed how they had beaten us on the rebound and tried to reduce it. We did a better job in the second half, “DeRozan said after the match.
«We have had many of our players who have played a good game. The Nuggets have that regularly, “said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
– Last crucial quarter –
The Nuggets had finished in their last game in San Antonio with a streak of 14 consecutive losses in Texan territory but, this Thursday, they were surpassed by the choral game and the fierce defense of the locals, who only allowed their opponents to score with comfort in painting.
Popovich shortened his rotation to just eight players and the bet paid off.
Thus, the Spurs started better, with an initial set of 15-8 and 34-24 after the first 12 minutes thanks to the 13 units of an unstoppable Aldridge.
However, the Nuggets came back on the scoreboard in the second quarter, even getting ahead for a few minutes. Despite this, San Antonio went to the locker room with a slight income of four goals (64-60).
After an absolutely even third period (26-25), the Spurs certified a 6-0 starting partial in the fourth quarter thanks to a triple by Gay and another by Italian Marco Belinelli that broke the game and forced a time-out. to the visiting coach.
But nothing changed. The seventh seed in the Western Conference continued to nurture Aldridge and DeRozan and the lead shot above twenty points, taking the battle to the seventh and final match.
The Golden State Warriors will play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Friday for the sixth game of their tie, which they lead 3-2, in the only other series still alive in the competition. AFP