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GAME BLOG: Spurs handle Suns, 111-86, for third straight win

Bryn Forbes set new career highs in points (24) and rebounds (11) for the Spurs.
Credit: Joe Camporeale
Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Take a bow, Bryn Forbes. The third-year guard led the Spurs with 24 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs. He shot a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range and posted a +22 in the +/- column.

LaMarcus Aldridge (18), Rudy Gay (13), Jakob Poeltl (14) and Marco Belinelli (11) were the Spurs other double-digit scorers. DeMar DeRozan only scored 5 points on 2-of-6 shooting, but his 9 assists were the best of all players Tuesday night.

The Spurs' starters got to rest the fourth quarter in preparation for their next game, a Thursday night contest against the Clippers at the AT&T Center.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Spurs win, 111-86.

With the game in hand late, some players that usually don't get extended playing time got the opportunity Tuesday night. Rookie Chimezie Metu took advantage.

Never say never, but it looks like this is going to be a Spurs win. Even with a 14-7 Phoenix run to start the fourth quarter, the Spurs are in command.

THIRD QUARTER:

After 3, the Spurs hold a commanding 86-64 lead.

Bryn Forbes has 21, LaMarcus Aldridge has 18, Rudy Gay has 13 and this Dante Cunningham shot gave him 11 points. The Suns are shooting just 40 percent and have turned the ball over 16 times. The Spurs have also gathered 6 more rebounds than the visitors.

We're on pace for the kind of game where the starters can rest in the last few minutes of the game. LaMarcus Aldridge is up to 18 points and has been feasting on the young Suns front line.

A good chunk of the Spurs' points in the third quarter came at the free-throw line, but Bryn Forbes got his outside shot working again after a quiet second quarter from deep. He added two more three-pointers, making him 4-for-4 from behind the arc. His 19 points led the Spurs as of the midway mark of the third quarter.

SECOND QUARTER:

At halftime, the Spurs lead 59-46.

The last few minutes of the quarter belonged to DeMar DeRozan, who finished the first half with 7 points and 8 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge and Bryn Forbes each have 14 points, but the game's high scorer after 24 minutes is the Suns' T.J. Warren.

The Suns cut the lead down to 6 with about 4 minutes left in the quarter, but the Spurs went on a 13-4 run in the next 3 minutes.

Neither team is lighting the world on fire with offense tonight. Midway through the second quarter, Bryn Forbes remains the game's top scorer with 11 points. He missed his next 3 shots after starting 3-for-3. T.J Warren is leading the Suns with 9, but Phoenix is shooting under 40 percent from the floor.

LaMarcus Aldridge has take the most shots of any Spur, and he's taking advantage.

The Spurs bench continues to be a strong point. While the whole Suns bench has 5 points after 14 minutes of play, a pair of Spurs reserves - Dante Cunningham and Marco Belinelli - have 5 points each.

FIRST QUARTER:

After 1, the Spurs lead 29-20.

Rudy Gay put in an early bid for play of the night, with this block-rebound-layup sequence.

The Spurs took command early, racing out to a 10-3 lead after 3 minutes. Bryn Forbes started out hot, making his first three shots, including two from beyond the arc. Take away his production, though, and the rest of the Spurs made just 3 of their first 8 shots. The middle of the quarter was marked by the Spurs' lead ranging from 2 to 6 points.

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There's no place like home for the Silver & Black. Tuesday night's game is the third of a six-game home stand, and it comes against one of the NBA's weakest teams.

The Phoenix Suns are the league's only team with fewer than 5 wins. Their 4-23 mark does, however, include a 1-1 split in the season series so far with the Spurs. The Silver & Black won 120-90 in Phoenix o November 1, but the Suns downed the Spurs 116-96 on November 14.

The final game of the season series between the two teams will be January 29 in San Antonio.

RELATED: SPURS GAMEDAY: String of victories possibility for surging Silver and Black

The Suns are just 1-9 in their last 10 games and will be without leading scorer Devin Booker, who is out with a hamstring injury. The Spurs are 2-0 so far on the home stand.

Follow along here for live analysis of the game, beginning at 7:30 Central Time.

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