From “poor me” to “screw you.” That’s how San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich described the attitude change in his Spurs as they first dug, then climbed from a huge hole against the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday.
Guard Danny Green got a sizable portion of the basketball credit, though, for another exemplary performance on defense. Green has been carrying quite the load on that end in teammate Kawhi Leonard’s injury absence, and that was especially true against the “OK3” stars.
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News wrote about it and its aftermath:
Danny Green hobbled around the Spurs locker room late Friday night, a little stiff and a little bowlegged, like a cowboy ambling toward the saloon in an old Western.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points, and Pau Gasol included a pair of game-sealing free throws among his 14, but it was Green who largely powered the Spurs’ comeback from a 23-point first-half deficit.
Not only did Green pump in 17 points of his own, including five 3-pointers, but his defense was a key reason the Thunder could not fire on all cylinders.
“The guys really dug deep, pounded the rock,” said coach Gregg Popovich, whose team matched the largest comeback in the NBA this season. “They kept a great attitude and just kept their minds on playing basic basketball and things turned their way.”
Spurs forward Kyle Anderson put it this way: “I think we got a little nastier.”
