Hot-shooting Spurs blow out the Grizzlies.
Big man nets 40 as team shoots 67.4 percent
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Almost from the get-go, LaMarcus Aldridge knew a big night might be in the offing for him.
“Warming up, my shot felt good,” he said. “Once the game started, my rhythm felt good, so I just took shots.”
And he made most of them, which was also true of his teammates.
Aldridge scored 22 of his season-high 40 points in the first quarter, DeMar DeRozan posted a 26-point, 10-assist double-double, and the Spurs enjoyed their best shooting night in 23 years under Gregg Popovich as they slammed the Grizzlies 145-115 Monday night.
In posting their biggest win of the season, the Spurs shot 67.4 percent (60 of 89) for the thirdbest shooting game in franchise history and the best shooting percentage in an NBA game this season. Posting a season-best 36 assists, they also scored the third-most points in the Popovich era, which began in 1996.
It was also the club’s 14th-highest scoring game in regulation in 3,507 NBA games.
“This was just one of those nights,” Aldridge said. “We’ve had nights where we couldn’t throw it into the lake. It was nice to see guys play confident and make shots.”
Aldridge hit 17 of 25 shots, including a career-best 3 of 4 from 3-point range, for the eighth ca
reer 40-point game in 977 career games. As a team, the Spurs shot a season-best 62.5 percent from 3point range (15 of 24).
“I worked on it all summer,” Aldridge said of his stroke from downtown. “I have the confidence from Pop and the staff to take it, so I look for it more but also keep being myself.”
DeRozan, who hit 10 of 11 shots, recorded just the 15th game in NBA history with 25-plus points and 10plus assists while shooting better than 90 percent. No other Spur has enjoyed such a night.
“(Aldridge) and DeMar led the way tonight and it was great to see the whole team jump in,” Popovich said. “They had a bad game last game (the 134-109 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday), and this is the way you should react to something like that, so I was really proud and happy for them.”
DeRozan said it was a point of pride for the Spurs (12-17) to rebound from the embarrassing loss to Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers.
“We have to play like this every night and not wait until we lose to a team and then respond,” he said. “We have to go out there and be consistent. Tonight, we just went out there and played hard. That’s how we got to play. Not think too much, not worry about mistakes, just move on to the next play.”
The Spurs also received a big all-around performance from Trey Lyles, who finished with a season-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists and one block.
“He was very aggressive tonight, he attacked the rim, he played with a ferocity, that was great,” Popovich said.
Said Lyles, who is in his first season with the Spurs: “It took me awhile to get acclimated and see what I could do and what coach wanted me to do. A game like this helps my confidence and shows what I might be able to do in the future.”
The Spurs led by as many as 23 points early in the fourth quarter before the Grizzlies (11-20) rallied to pull within 11. But that was as close as Memphis got after the Spurs answered with back-toback scores on a driving finger roll layup by Dejounte Murray and a 3-pointer by Marco Belinelli.
Murray finished with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Belinelli scored 10 points off the bench on 4-of-7 shooting.
Propelled by the highest scoring quarter of Aldridge’s career, the Spurs led 46-31 heading into the second quarter after leading by as many as 19 in the first.
The Spurs’ 46 points matched the most they scored in a quarter since Popovich became coach in 1996. The Spurs also had 46 in the third period against Boston on Dec. 31, 2018.
After seeing their 19-point lead cut to four, the Spurs led 72-61 at halftime having matched their season high for points in a half. They also had 72 against Houston on Dec. 16.
After a 12-2 run in the final 3:12 of the third quarter, the Spurs led 108-89 going into the fourth.
The Spurs’ 145 points marked the most points ever scored against the Grizzlies, whose previous worst night defensively came on Dec. 30, 2017, when Golden State scored 141.
Six Grizzlies scored in double figures, including Jaren Jackson Jr., who finished with a team-high 22.
The Spurs, who don’t play again until Thursday in Dallas, enter their Christmas with renewed confidence.
“This season has been a rollercoaster ride, but as long as we stick with it, it is going to turn in our favor,” DeRozan said. “We just have to have nights like this more consistently.”