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BROOKLYN - The San Antonio Spurs were without four of the team's leading scorers, including Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, as they lined up against the Brooklyn Nets Thursday night. The Nets, on the other hand, were essentially at full strength, with Joe Johnson, Andray Blatche and Andrei Kirilenko returning to the lineup. Cakewalk, right? No, not really.
Coach Popovich had his team ready to play, as expected, and the Nets never really got comfortable against a shorthanded Spurs team. Brooklyn, however, was able to pull through and beat the Spurs, on a special night for NetsDaily -- our 10th anniversary! -- by the final score of 103-89. Game ball goes to Alan Anderson who scored 22 points for the Nets.
The Spurs got out to a quick start, stretching the Nets defense with their outside shooting. By the first timeout, the Nets had found themselves down 15-6. Deron Williams got off to a brutal start. He was being out-played by the likes of Nando de Colo and Cory Joseph. He missed his first four shot attempts and after just five minutes, Jason Kidd sent him to the bench.
After one, the Nets trailed the Spurs 24-17, with Brooklyn shooting just 33.3 percent from the floor in the quarter.
In the second, there was a bit of a scare as Deron Williams banged knees with Patty Mills and limped off the court, badly. He was immediately taken out of the game.
Brooklyn's bench went on a little run to start the second and cut the lead to two points at the midway mark. Again, they had to do so without Williams who had injured his knee. Williams eventually returned to the lineup, later in the second quarter, but the team found itself back down by seven points.
Williams, however, along with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett helped to spark a run and cut the deficit to one. It took about 22 minutes worth of basketball, but finally the Nets were showing something.
The first half wasn't pretty, but the Nets were somehow able to grab the lead, 40-39.
Brooklyn found its groove in the third quarter, finally. They started off on a 16-9 run and begin to build a little cushion. Williams led the way, taking a more aggressive approach and seemingly finally realizing he was playing against Cory Joseph and not Tony Parker.
San Antonio put in work, though, and held close, trailing by a score of 75-68 after three quarters. This game was far from over, which is amazing considering the spread in talent between the two teams.
Alan Anderson played well, especially in the fourth quarter, scoring five quick points three minutes into the quarter, just when the Nets needed some distance.
In the end, it was Williams, Anderson, Kirilenko and Blatche who helped carry the Nets to a 103-89 victory over the Spurs. It wasn't pretty, but, heck a win is a win.
Next up for the Nets, Friday night in Detroit against the Pistons.
For more on the Spurs, see: Pounding The Rock
- Spurs at Nets - February 6, 2014 - Box score - NBA.com
- Game Thread: Brooklyn Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:00 PM - NetsDaily
- 2nd Half Game Thread: Nets vs. Spurs - NetsDaily
- Spurs vs. Nets: First half (Video) - NBA.com
- Nando De Colo Injury (Video) - NBA.com
- Watch Your Back (Video) - NBA.com
- Pesky Defense (Video) - NBA.com
- Post Game Plus: Nets defeat Spurs (Video) - Chris Shearn - YES Network
- Kirilenko on Brooklyn's win (Video) - Sarah Kustok - YES Network
- Kidd on victory vs. Spurs (Video) - YES Network
- Garnett on win vs. Spurs (Video) - YES Network
- HIGHLIGHT: Point Blatche? Point Blatche. (Video) - The Brooklyn Game
- Nets Pull Away to Beat Short-Handed Spurs, 103-89 - AP
- Rapid Reaction: Nets 103, Spurs 89 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- D-Will pushes through pain to help lift Nets - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Notebook: KG unlikely to play vs. Pistons - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Brook in Brooklyn for first game since injury - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Joe Johnson in 3-point contest - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Nets Notebook: Spurs rest stars Duncan, Parker, Ginobili - Larry Fleisher - Metro
- Anderson leads Nets over undermanned Spurs - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Charles Barkley: ‘The Nets stink, man’ - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Joe Johnson added to three-point shootout - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Nets beat short-handed Spurs, 103-89 - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Nets pull away from undermanned Spurs in fourth quarter - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Joe Johnson named to three-point contest - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Nets topple shorthanded Spurs as Alan Anderson adds game-high 22 points - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Charles Barkley slams the Nets: "They're just beating up on a bunch of ugly chicks." - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Nets Keep Noses in Front Despite Fight From Depleted Spurs - Andrew Keh - New York Times
- Nets Smack Shorthanded Spurs: Nets 103, Spurs 89 (GAME GRADES) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- The Morning After: Nets Stomp Depleted Spurs - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Joe Johnson will compete in 2014 Foot Locker Three-Point Contest - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
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San Antonio Spurs News, Scores, Stats & Analysis matched - Dan McCarney - San Antonio Express-News