Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs Box Score on Dec 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 16, 2017

SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili hit a running left-handed layup with 3.1 seconds to play for the deciding basket as the San Antonio Spurs scored the game's final 13 points to roar from behind and beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-96 on Saturday at the AT&T Center.

Dallas led just 96-92 after the Spurs' Bryn Forbes poured in 3-pointer from the corner with 2:13 to play.

After a pair of empty possessions from both teams, LaMarcus Aldridge brought the Spurs to within 96-94 on short jumper with 58.6 seconds to play. Aldridge then hit a contested turnaround jumper in the lane with 23.4 seconds remaining to tie the game.

Dallas' Wesley Matthews was given the inbounds duty for a final shot but couldn't find an open teammate while under duress defensively from Ginobili, opting to throw the ball off of the defender. The ball bounced back and hit Matthews, giving San Antonio a chance to win.

Ginobili made good on the opportunity, working outside the arc while the clock wound down before taking the play right at the basket while leaving Matthews in his wake.

The Mavericks had a final chance but did not have a timeout and never got the ball past midcourt against San Antonio's defense, forcing Matthews into a wild shot that was nowhere close to going in.

The Spurs got 22 points and 14 rebounds from Aldridge, the 25th time in 30 games that he led San Antonio in scoring. He registered his 12th double-double of the season.

Dejounte Murray scored 14 points for San Antonio (20-10) while Davis Bertans hit for 13, Ginobili had 12 points and Forbes added 11 for the Spurs, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Maxi Kleber led Dallas (8-22) with 21 points. Dirk Nowitzki tied a season-high with 19 points, Yogi Ferrell scored 17 and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes tallied 10 for the Mavericks.

Dallas led by as many as 14 points in the first half before settling for a 53-43 advantage at halftime. Ferrell scored 13 points in the half of 5-of-7 shooting to lead the Mavericks while Kleber added 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 showing from the floor.

Aldridge paced the Spurs with 10 points and six rebounds before intermission.

San Antonio pulled to within 72-68 on a 3-pointer by Bertans with 2:29 to play in the third quarter. The Mavericks responded by scoring eight of the final 11 points in the quarter and took an 80-71 lead into the final period.

NOTES: Four San Antonio players who have started this season missed the Saturday game because of injury or rehab: G Danny Green (tightness, left groin), F Kyle Anderson (left MCL sprain), F Kawhi Leonard (injury management) and PG Tony Parker (injury management). ... Dallas played without rookie PG Dennis Smith Jr. (hip). ... The Saturday contest was the final game of the season series between the Lone Star State rivals. All four of the games have been contested since Nov. 14, with San Antonio going 3-1.