Field Level Media
Mar 10, 2020
LaMarcus Aldridge poured in 24 points, nine of them in a pivotal late-game stretch, as the San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat the visiting Dallas Mavericks 119-109 on Tuesday and snap a two-game losing streak.
The Spurs trailed by five points at the half but by just 85-83 entering the fourth quarter before rushing past Dallas with a 9-0 run and eventually taking an 11-point lead.
After Dallas pulled to within 104-101 on a putback layup by Kristaps Porzingis with 4:07 to play, Aldridge scored six straight points, and nine of the next 11, and the Mavericks never challenged again.
Marco Belinelli scored 16 points for the Spurs, with Rudy Gay hitting for 17, Trey Lyles and Derrick White adding 14 points each, DeMar DeRozan scoring 13 points and dishing out 12 assists and Patty Mills tallying 12 in the win.
Luka Doncic had another brilliant game, scoring 38 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 points, Dorian Finney-Smith hit for 15 and Maxi Kleber had 12 points for the Mavericks. Porzingis led Dallas, which suffered its second straight loss, with 12 rebounds.
Doncic led all scorers with 18 points in the first half, with Belinelli pacing the Spurs with 13 points off the bench and Aldridge hitting 10 for San Antonio. Aldridge returned to the lineup after missing six games with a shoulder sprain.
Dallas never trailed in the first half, owning as much as an 11-point lead midway through the second quarter before settling for a 59-54 advantage at halftime.
The Mavericks started the third quarter with an 8-0 run, but San Antonio responded with the ensuing 10 points and eventually tied the game at 71 on a jumper by Mills with 5:44 left in the quarter.
San Antonio scored the first nine points of the fourth period to take its first lead of the game and expanded its advantage to 96-88 after a jumper by Aldridge with 8:53 to play.
San Antonio was without guard Dejounte Murray, who injured his right calf in the Spurs' loss in Cleveland on Sunday, Jakob Poeltl (knee sprain) and Lonnie Walker IV (calf). The Mavericks were missing the services of guard Seth Curry (ankle sprain) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (illness).
--Field Level Media