By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The final result in San Antonio was negative, but CSKA Moscow played once again an overtime with the Spurs finally prevailing by two points (95-93) in the second game of the Russians for their US Tour. Coach Gregg Popovich shared the minutes on the court to all 15 of his players and in the end Australian guard Patty Mills and Manu Ginobili with 14 points each were the top scorers of San Antonio. The Spurs played at full speed only in the third quarter and the partial score was 27-14 in favor of them, but could not finish the game during regulation as the guests reacted and had a 23-8 run in the fourth quarter.
For CSKA, Jeremy Pargo had 20 points and Sonny Weems added 16 but they were not enough. As coach Ettore Messina said: “I think coach Pop saw what he wanted to see from his team in the third quarter. They gave us some true NBA basketball in those minutes, very intense physically. At the moment we really struggled. When we found the big lineup useful and we found some intensity in ourselves, moved the ball well and we came close to winning. If we won the game it would be something very nice even though coach Popovic after seeing what he wanted to see decided to use his bench. But anyway… We go back home with a lot of information and experience. I think the Spurs tested our toughness because the game was tight for two quarters and a half and then they decided – that’s it”.