Field Level Media
Dec 17, 2018
Rudy Gay scored 21 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and 10 rebounds as the host San Antonio Spurs routed the Philadelphia 76ers 123-96 on Monday to win for the fifth time in six games.
The Spurs led by 11 at halftime but broke open the game in the middle of the third quarter via a 15-0 run that expanded their advantage to 79-53. Gay had 11 points in a period that allowed San Antonio to build as much as a 29-point lead and take a 93-71 cushion into the final 12 minutes.
The fourth quarter was all but academic, with the 76ers showing fatigue while playing the second game of a road back-to-back that started Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.
The Spurs, meanwhile, were effective all around, recovering from a Saturday loss to Chicago in which they led by 21 points midway through the third quarter.
DeMar DeRozan poured in 20 points and Davis Bertans added 16 for the Spurs. San Antonio outshot the 76ers 56.3 percent to 40.8 percent and made 16 of its 17 free throws. Philadelphia was just 5 of 7 at the line.
JJ Redick and Ben Simmons led Philadelphia with 16 points each, while Joel Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Muscala scored 11 points, and Wilson Chandler and Shake Milton scored 10 for the 76ers, who have lost three of their past four games.
Philadelphia led throughout the first quarter by as many as nine points and still held a 36-32 advantage after a Jimmy Butler dunk with 10:40 to play in the second period. But that's when the Spurs found their groove, rattling off an 9-0 run over the ensuing three minutes to pull ahead at 41-36. Bertans' 3-pointer with 28.5 seconds to play in the quarter gave San Antonio a 60-49 lead entering the break.
DeRozan led all scorers with 16 points at the half.
--Field Level Media