SAN ANTONIO —
Game Story
First Quarter
Keldon Johnson hit a pair of threes out of the gate as San Antonio jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead.
Keldon got a steal and also passed to Doug McDermott for a layup, and Jakob Poeltl found McDermott on another back cut for another finish.
Cleveland cut their deficit to two, but Dejounte Murray attacked for his first bucket and the Cavs called time down 16-10.
Cleveland responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead, and Murray settled things down with a couple of stop-and-pop basket. After grabbing a board, Keldon Johnson drove through Kevin Love for an and-1.
Zach Collins came in the game and ran effective pick-and-pop, passing to Murray on a back cut for a power dunk and then getting to the line on a roll. It worked with Josh Primo too, who fed Collins down low for a layup and then got it back from his big man and took advantage of the space with a layup.
Collins missed his timing on a block attempt and fouled, but got it right the next time against Kevin Love.
Cleveland closed the quarter on an 8-2 run, leaving the Spurs with a 30-29 advantage after one.
Second Quarter
Lonnie Walker IV dished to White for a layup, and the Spurs played great team defense before Rajon Rondo swished a deep three.
Rookie Josh Primo cut through the paint and floated it up and in over the long and tall Cavs. Poeltl blocked Rondo at the rim and LeVert in about a minute, but the Spurs couldn't buy a bucket. They scored just four points in the first five minutes of the quarter despite playing their butts off.
Cleveland made it a 10-0 run before Collins hit a baseline jumper. The Cavs pushed their lead to 10 before Collins found Vassell for a power dunk over the defense. Vassell drove inside again and laid it off the glass, but the Spurs continued to struggle and went down 13.
Keldon Johnson dunked in transition then made an acrobatic layup driving in from the arc. Cleveland pushed it back to 13, but Keldon ripped a three.
Devin Vassell stole it in the closing seconds and Jakob Poeltl went to the line. San Antonio trailed 57-48 after scoring just 18 points in the second quarter.
Third Quarter
San Antonio continued to struggle at the start of the second half, as the Cavs started on a 22-9 run in the first eight minutes.
Devin Vassell scored a few times at the rim, but San Antonio fell behind by 23 amid a scoring drought. Vassell hit from mid-range and then from three, cutting it to 15.
Derrick White knocked down a triple before heading to the bench for Dejounte Murray. Murray ran pick and roll with Vassell who drove for a difficult leaning layup.
Murray drove in and got called for a charge, but Pop challenged and DJ went to the line for two free throws instead. Murray drove, hesitated and finished, and the Spurs trailed 84-73 heading to the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Cleveland opened with a 4-0 run to push their advantage back to 15. Murray set up three open three-point looks for teammates, but only the last one went.
Murray grabbed an offensive board and passed to Poeltl underneath for a layup. San Antonio stole it away and Murray scored in transition, then Murray zipped it to White for three to make it a seven-point game.
White and McDermott worked for another open three that missed, but the Spurs got it back. Poeltl pumped and banked in a jump hook at the buzzer, then he blocked Jarrett Allen, but Allen got it back and scored to put the Cavs up 11.
San Antonio forced the Cavs into a shot clock violation, but couldn't convert. They got another stop and Keldon got a corner three, but missed it.
Cleveland scored, and Keldon attacked with a physical drive to answer. Allen got an and-1 to put the Cavs up 16 with 2:15 left, all but icing the game. San Antonio fell to 20-35 on the season.
Pregame
The San Antonio Spurs (20-34) will begin their 2022 Rodeo Road Trip tonight as they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21). The Spurs are 0-1 against the Cavs this season.
Before the game, Gregg Popovich spoke about the joy of telling Dejounte Murray that he made the All-Star Game, and what he's done to grow to this point.
In their previous game, the Spurs trounced the Rockets, 131-106, at home.
Keldon Johnson led the team with 28 points. Jakob Poeltl had 21 points and 10 rebounds while Dejounte Murray ended the night with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Spurs' Zach Collins made his Spurs debut and returned to the NBA court finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes.
"We were a little sloppy in the first half, but I thought we were much more solid moving the basketball, taking care of the basketball, got us some better shots, and we obviously shot better in the second half. Houston never gives in. They’re aggressive, physical, athletic, they just keep on coming. I think we had a good night shooting," Coach Pop said.
Here are five things to watch for in tonight's game:
1. The Cavs are 22-8 this season when they out-rebound their opponent.
2. The Cavs have won six-straight home games and are averaging 106.5 points per game at home this season.
3. The Cavs are 13-2 at home when leading after the third period.
4. The Spurs have out-rebounded their opponents in their last two games.
5. The Spurs are 7-23 against teams with an above .500 record and are averaging 108.0 points per game in those contests.
Stay here at KENS 5 throughout the season for complete Spurs coverage.
Twitter: @KENS5, @JeffGSpursKENS5