DALLAS — FOURTH QUARTER: Spurs 105, Mavericks 101
The Spurs followed up the Mavs' scoring spurt with small but pivotal run of their own, with Bertans and Aldridge capturing a five-point lead for the Silver and Black with just over a minute to go.
Marco Belinelli sealed the deal by sinking two free throws, and the Spurs move to 26-20 on the season.
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Dallas isn't going quietly into the good night. The Mavericks quickly scored six straight points to tie Wednesday's game up at 96, ensuring a dramatic finish in the process.
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Even LaMarcus Aldridge, up to this night struggling on the evening with only four points and as many fouls, got in on the action, slamming a dunk to give San Antonio a 96-90 lead with 5:34 to go.
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San Antonio had all intention of cementing a win after being down by 15 points earlier in the game, and their grit was on display for all to see in Dallas.
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Davis Bertans got the final period of the night started the right way: sinking a shot from beyond the arc to bring the Spurs to within three points of Dallas on the road.
Not long after, Belinelli sunk a shot of a his own, tying up the affair at 80-80. The 5-0 run by San Antonio to start the fourth quarter quickly prompted a Dallas timeout.
THIRD QUARTER: Spurs 75, Mavericks 80
Just when it looked like the Mavs were going to halt the Spurs' third-quarter momentum, San Antonio reeled off a 12-8 point run over the final couple of minutes, setting up what should be a dramatic fourth quarter.
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Rudy Gay is feeling it in his return! A two-pointer by the small forward with 5:35 to go in the frame brought San Antonio to within five points of the Mavs in Dallas, giving him 14 so far on the night.
Oh, and that's not all he did in the quarter.
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Points have been hard to come by in the final period, though through five-plus minutes most of them were going the Spurs' way.
SECOND QUARTER: Spurs 45, Mavericks 56
The second period went San Antonio's way, but the Silver and Black still face a big halftime deficit if they hope to emerge victorious in Rudy Gay's return to the hardwood.
He's had a big role in helping his team's cause.
Gay and Patty Mills each have a team-high eight points for the Spurs after one half of play. Meanwhile, another key Spur is having a tough night.
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While San Antonio struggled for much of the second frame to close the gap with Dallas, this beautiful sequence from Patty Mills is one reason they didn't dig themselves into an even deeper hole.
FIRST QUARTER: Spurs 20, Mavericks 35
After falling behind 23-4, the Spurs needed a response. They got it from their bench.
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The good news? Rudy Gay made his first shot back after an injury sidelined him for the last five games. The bad news? The Spurs trail 20-4 midway through the first quarter. The Spurs went nearly four minutes after this shot without another point.
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Two turnovers in the first four possessions isn't a great start, but there's still a long way to go. Wesley Matthews is doing the damage early for the Mavericks, scoring five points in the first three minutes, drawing a Spurs timeout.
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The Spurs haven't been at full strength recently, and it's showing. After a remarkable 154-147 double-overtime win against the Thunder last week, the Spurs lost their following two games.
Part of the reason has been the hole in the offense left by the injuries to Rudy Gay and Marco Belinelli, but that might not be a problem for much longer. Gay has missed the last five games, but will be available Wednesday night in Dallas. Belinelli is listed as questionable with a knee injury.
As for the Mavericks, they'll be lacking depth at the point guard position, due to injuries to Dennis Smith Jr. and J.J Barea. Expect to see the ball in Luka Doncic's hands even more than usual.
Follow along with the game with our KENS Spurs team below. Tip-off is slated for just after 7:30 p.m. Central.
