A game against the San Antonio Spurs is always circled on the schedule of 29 other NBA teams. Everything they do with their building, coaching and overall play makes them a franchise everyone else would love to mimic. Tonight, the Bulls had to face them and got a reminder of why this team has wrecked havoc on the league for years now. Still, they made it enough of a contest to only lose 104-96.
It's much warmer in Texas and it appeared the Spurs brought some of that hotness on the road. They opened the game by making buckets at a rate that would make NBA Jam players jealous. The defense was just as stifling and it gave San Antonio a 38-14 lead after the first quarter. It was a wire-to-wire game for them and the advantage got as big as 32 points. This was their night and they let everyone in the United Center know it.
However, not even a hot night by the defending Western champions could derail the Bulls' plans to play hard until the end. They outscored the Spurs by 20 in the second half, making the final closer than it really was. Although Tom Thibodeau blamed himself for not having his team ready, at least they didn't quit even when conventional wisdom says they should have. Sure, the game might have come off the rails early, but they weren't about to concede any signs that there was no effort given.
Manu Ginobili was the hottest Spur out there, scoring 22 points off the bench and all from the field. He shot 9-of-11, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Tony Parker trailed just behind his former fellow starter with 20, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor. Kawhi Leonard scored 16 and grabbed nine rebounds, the latter being shared by Tim Duncan. Boris Diaw stole the ball three times, showing this team is pretty good at forcing turnovers in addition to everything else.
D.J. Augustin led all scorers with 24, but saw his streak of 27 consecutive free throws made snapped. He made seven field goals, as did Jimmy Butler, who finished with 23 points. Joakim Noah didn't record another triple-double, but 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists is still a line most players will take on any given night.
There's no denying the Bulls got steamrolled on their home floor. Still, you have to admire that even in their darkest hour, they wouldn't wave the white flag. Everybody knew it was a lost cause, but it's not in this team's DNA to back off. Even when Thibodeau called off the dogs, there was still some fight left. The crowd that was left cheered on the effort, a clear sign that this fan base has gotten behind this bunch and will continue to do so as long as this makeup exists.
The homestand will continue Thursday in a nationally televised tilt against the Houston Rockets. The Bulls haven't been that great against the West recently, but a new winning trend can start at anytime. It would be preferable if it starter sooner rather than later.
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