Spurs spoil strong early dominance by Cavaliers, 117-127.

Spurs top Cavs again as longtime rivalry wanes.

The Cavaliers went up by 10 points early and kept the lead for a good while, due to 55% shooting from the field, nearly breaking into blowout territory on the road no less, but the Spurs eventually cracked down on defense and finished the 1st quarter only down 24-26. It would take a huge 3rd quarter (38-25) advantage to finally overtake the lead and edge out the final period 35-31, as the 3PT swing took effect--despite proficiency from long range by Cleveland for three quarters.

Kawhi Leonard won the duel again, posting 30 points and nabbing a new career-high 10 steals. Patty Mills made four 3PT bombs for 14 points with 5 assists, but Iman Shumpert was a source of delight here with 17 points off a handful of long shots. He also sneaked a steal on George Hill (12 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) that kept the run going, with San Antonio closing this one out on a 15-7 run. Mario Hezonja hit two nice three-pointers also for 8 points. Pau Gasol had 11 points with 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Rudy Gay had a strong 16 points, hitting a clutch shot from deep in isolation and another on the fast break after making a play on the ball. Davis Bertans had 11 points. Bismack Biyombo blocked Tristan Thompson (12 points, 11 rebounds) twice in the final seconds, totaling 5 for the game.

For Cleveland, Kevin Love was the high man for 23 points and 13 rebounds, making a trio of 3PTers. LeBron James had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists but shot just 7/16. Rodney Hood contributed 15 points with 5 assists. Danny Green chipped in 10 points on his old team. The Cavaliers missed six free throws, but dominated the boards and assists columns, but ultimately had 21 turnovers. With a power struggle manifesting in the eastern conference, this rivalry no longer seems as potent as in the past and it may be a signal that the Cavaliers are no longer the favorite to make the Finals, whereas the Spurs now move to 12 wins on their fiery streak of dominance.

Spurs overcome Pacers, 102-115.

Bryn Forbes saved the Spurs in this close game.

On an 11-game win streak, a dominant first quarter had the Spurs getting cozy at home, only for the Pacers to strike back and wind up taking a small lead, as both teams contested the victory of the night.

Patty Mills (11 points, 2/11 3PT) had a nice game early, but had a brutal cold spell that put the score in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard was weary trying to stop the surge of Indiana's offensive recovery. Who did Coach Pop turn to? Bryn Forbes, and did he ever show up big for San Antonio.

The sharpshooter wound up hitting 7 (of 9) three-pointers, scorching the Pacers in the final three minutes. Tony Parker found him time and time again, and some luck on loose balls and a strong defensive front (4 blocks by Bismack Biyombo) combined to give the Spurs the win. Leonard would chip in a 3PTer of his own, and Kyle O'Quinn (7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks) would get a nice put-back dunk to further secure the lead. Davis Bertans, Rudy Gay & Jeremy Lamb combined for 24 points.

Pau Gasol was solid all game long with 16 points and 9 rebounds, especially when the Pacers were coming hard at the Spurs, with Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanović's shooting proficiency pairing nicely with Victor Oladipo (10 points) & Darren Collison's daring strategy toward the rim. Myles Turner also drew some fouls late, but couldn't quite capitalize from the charity stripe. Darren Collison was the high man with 30 points on 75% shooting; Bogdanović' had 17 points. TJ Leaf had 12 points; Cory Joseph had 12 points; Myles Turner finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds with 1 block.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 19 points with 6 steals, but Forbes was clearly the hero, coming up with a steal of his own and making a layup in transition aside from his reputable long-ball stroke. As the Pacers attempted to steal the victory late after San Antonio went up by five points with .45s left, a steal led to another 3PT dagger by Forbes.

"He just erupted from long range. It was astounding," Coach Popovich said of Forbes, who'd been struggling as of late. He definitely came through tonight, and that is why he was re-signed and continues to show promise and a spark of something more. Kudos to Tony Parker as well for stepping in for Mills' rough night and finding Forbes for good shot opportunities, yet not to take away from Bryn's off-the-dribble prowess. The Spurs had 28 assists in the win with 17 steals and dominated the final quarter, 38-22 despite a 25-16 burst by Indy in the 3rd.

Spurs top Raptors up north, 113-95.

Kawhi Leonard outplayed DeMar DeRozan tonight.

Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills and Mario Hezonja were deadly from deep, squashing any comeback chance for the Raptors in a game that was somewhere between a blowout and a showdown, with the Spurs holding control.

San Antonio won the shooting war, knocking in 15 three-point daggers (with Mills, 6, and Hezonja, 5, combining for 11 of them). Pau Gasol was busy down low duking it out with Jonas Valanciunas (21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks), with the Raptor pulling ahead one-on-one. Gasol finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

For the bench, Davis Bertans had 11 points and 7 rebounds; Kyle O'Quinn had 7 points with 8 rebounds. Rudy Gay chipped in 6 points, nabbing a steal for an open 3PTer. Jeremy Lamb had an off night, but Bismack Biyombo managed 3 blocks, sending Norman Powell (11 points) to the hardwood to end the third quarter. Meanwhile, Leonard finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals (mostly on DeRozan).

Mills had 18 points, but Hezonja was on fire with 23 points on 72% shooting, including 62% from long range--the opposite effect Kyle Lowry had on the game (15 points, 8 assists yet 4/18 shooting, 2/7 3PT). DeRozan had just 12 points, with Kawhi chasing him down all game long. Serge Ibaka had 10 points/10 rebounds in the loss. Toronto made just 5/21 shots from long range.

Spurs Spotlight: Davis Bertans

Davis Bertans has stepped up as of late for San Antonio.

As he is is known for, Coach Popovich has experimented with the starting lineup and attempted to give prospects more playing time. One in particular, Latvian marskman Davis Bertans, earned the starting role over the past few games due to an uptick in production and efficiency. Patty Mills has found him in the fast break, ala Kevin Love, and he is also becoming a more consistent threat from deep waters.

Bertans erupted against the Kings in Sacramento for 25 points in just 17 minutes, showcasing his marksmanship. His strong play continued against the Hawks, with early production becoming a staple of his value. Bertans had 17 points against Atlanta.

"He's definitely more confident, going after the ball, trying to be a factor in the flow of the game. Patty is giving him good looks and Bertans is also finding opportunities out there, so Patty just shoots the ball his way, especially racing down the court. His off-the-dribble play has improved, too," Coach Popovich told reporters after the Spurs big win in Atlanta. "I'm obviously impressed," Pop joked.

With Bertans' rise into the starting lineup, Pau Gasol has taken a seat next to Rudy Gay on the bench. That may change for marquee matchups against San Antonio's worst foes, but only time will tell and finding the best weapons on the court and in what order has always been vital to the team's success.