San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns Box Score on Dec 09, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 10, 2017

PHOENIX -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points and Bryn Forbes hit a 3-pointer with 21.5 seconds left as the short-handed San Antonio Spurs posted a 104-101 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.

Trailing by 19 points in the third quarter, the Suns got back into the game with a 26-9 run and took their first lead of the game at 100-99 on a Marquese Chriss runaway slam with 1:19 left. But after Josh Jackson made one of two free throws to extend the lead to two, Patty Mills found Forbes alone in front of the Spurs bench for his first made 3-pointer in six tries to give San Antonio the lead for good.

Mills added 20 points off the bench for the Spurs (19-8), who won their fourth straight and the eighth in the last nine games despite missing a host of players including the injured Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. Pau Gasol and Manu Ginobili, who played key roles in the home win against the Boston Celtics Friday, stayed in San Antonio to rest.

Mike James had 25 points off the bench and TJ Warren had 24 for the Suns (9-19) who have lost eight of the last 10 and two straight since losing star Devin Booker to an adductor strain.

The Spurs led by as many as 14 in the first quarter. Davis Bertans, who didn't play at all against the Celtics, had eight points in five-plus minutes and fed Joffery Lauvergne for a jumper with two seconds left to give San Antonio a 28-17 lead.

Phoenix missed 13 of 19 shots in the quarter and got only four points from its five starters.

The Spurs had led 52-39 at the half. Rudy Gay was the only player on either team to reach double figures by halftime with 10 points.

Down 62-43, the Suns roared back in the third quarter. Warren had 10 points during the 26-9 run and a Troy Daniels 3-pointer with 52.3 second left cut the deficit to two at 71-69.

NOTES: Suns C Tyson Chandler, who didn't play in three of the past five games, started on Saturday. ... Still without G Tony Parker (injury management) and F Kawhi Leonard (quadriceps) among others, the Spurs played without G Danny Green (groin), and left C Pau Gasol (rest) and G Manu Ginobili home to rest. "The guys have been wonderful pulling together and playing together," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his deep and productive bench. "A lot of people have stepped up you wouldn't have figured to play this many minutes." ... Suns G Devin Booker was shooting free throws Saturday has rehab from his adductor strain took its first baby steps. ... Popovich on the 40-year-old Ginobili's 3-pointer with five seconds left to beat the Boston Celtics Friday. "I didn't plan that. I didn't draw that play. Manu just drew it up in his head like he does."