Post Up: Vintage Spurs

Spurs 114, Rockets 75 (Spurs win series 4-2)

Wasn’t ever a question. The Spurs scored 62 points in the paint. They held the Rockets to 28% shooting. They had SIXTY rebounds. They held the Rockets to 14 assists. They had a 42-point lead. And James Harden’s magical season ended with 10 points (2-11 shooting), 7 assists, 6 turnovers and 6 personal fouls.

Harden wasn’t the only Rocket to struggle. Ryan Anderson didn’t score and Eric Gordon shot 2-9 for 6 points.

The first few minutes of the first quarter went back-and-forth. The Rockets grabbed a quick one-point advantage early in the first. They were down seven after 12 minutes, but the Spurs punched them in the mouth in the second quarter, outscoring them 30-18.

The Rockets got really bad in the fourth quarter. They shot 15% in the final frame and scored only 11 points.

The Spurs didn’t struggle at all. LaMarcus Aldridge went off for 34 points and 12 rebounds. Starting in place of the injured Kawhi Leonard, Jonathon Simmons scored a playoff career-high 18 points. Four other Spurs scored in double-figures, too. The only Spur not to score at least one point was Joel Anthony.

The Spurs advance to the Western Conference Finals for the tenth time under Gregg Popovich. The last time Kawhi made it to the WCFs, he led the Spurs to the title against LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Game 1 of the Spurs/Warriors’ Conference Finals is Sunday at 3:30 EST.