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AP source: LaMarcus Aldridge to sign with Brooklyn Nets
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (5) is blocked by San Antonio Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge (12) as he tries to score during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)NEW YORK – The Nets aren't finished bringing big names to Brooklyn. LaMarcus Aldridge is next after deciding Saturday to sign with the Nets for the remainder of the season, a person with knowledge of the details said. After reaching a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, the veteran forward quickly became a coveted free agent for contending teams. AdAn All-Star in three of his seasons in San Antonio, Aldridge fills one of the few holes for the potent Nets.
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Trade deadline passes, and Kyle Lowry remains with Raptors
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. The trade deadline has come and gone. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. But Lowry — a free-agent-to-be and considered perhaps the biggest prize on this year's trade market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Questions swirled around Lowry all the way to the 3 p.m. EST deadline, and there were signs that the Raptors were positioning themselves to make the move.
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Popovich announces Aldridge will be moving on from Spurs
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (5) is blocked by San Antonio Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge (12) as he tries to score during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)DALLAS – LaMarcus Aldridge has played his final game for the San Antonio Spurs, with coach Gregg Popovich announcing Wednesday night that the team and the seven-time All-Star have mutually agreed to seek opportunities for him elsewhere. The Spurs will try to trade Aldridge before the March 25 deadline. “LaMarcus is not with the team," Popovich said before the Spurs played the Dallas Mavericks. The 35-year-old Aldridge was in his sixth season with the Spurs after playing his first nine NBA seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Spurs, short-handed and reeling, get back on practice floor
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, right, talks to San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)The San Antonio Spurs are still dealing with a coronavirus outbreak, their state is reeling from the aftereffects of a deadly icy blast that has affected millions of Texans, and one of their best players is mourning the death of a parent. Given all that, basketball seems secondary to the Spurs right now. They will be without at least six players when they return to the court Wednesday at Oklahoma City. The NBA initially said last week that four Spurs players had tested positive for COVID-19, without identifying any by name.
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DeRozan has 30 as Spurs hold on for 111-106 win over Rockets
San Antonio Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan (10) drives to the basket in front of Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)(AP) – DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points and the San Antonio Spurs held off a late charge from the Houston Rockets for a 111-106 victory Saturday night. John Wall made a layup for Houston with less than 30 seconds left, but Patty Mills hit two free throws for San Antonio to extend it to 109-104. Tucker made two free throws for Houston after that, but Rudy Gay made two for San Antonio to secure the victory. A 3-pointer by David Nwaba got Houston within eight in the third, but the Spurs scored the next five points to push it to 82-69.
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Spurs end 4-game home skid, top short-handed Rockets 103-91
Jae'Sean Tate #8 of the Houston Rockets is tied up by Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs #3 and LaMarcus Aldridge #12 at AT&T Center on January 16, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio couldn’t match the intensity of the short-handed Houston Rockets for three quarters, yet a strong finish by the Spurs was enough to snap a four-game home losing streak. “We played our best defense in the fourth quarter,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. He had 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes during Houston’s 109-103 victory on Thursday. Spurs: Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon remains out, along with reserve center Drew Eubanks, due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
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Rockets rally past Spurs 109-105 in 1st game without Harden
Kenyon Martin Jr. #6 of the Houston Rockets drives for two over Jakob Poeltl #25 of the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on January 14, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)SAN ANTONIO – Christian Wood had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109-105 on Thursday night in their first game since trading away franchise cornerstone James Harden. Spurs veteran DeMar DeRozan missed a 15-footer with 0.4 seconds left, and San Antonio fouled P.J. The teams meet again Saturday at the AT&T Center in the finale of a two-game set in San Antonio. Spurs: San Antonio is 6-3 with LaMarcus Aldridge in the lineup.
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They love LA: Spurs snap Lakers 4-game winning streak
San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge, left, defends against Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES – A trip to Los Angeles proved to be just what the San Antonio Spurs needed to snap out of an early-season slump. Two nights after beating the Clippers to snap a four-game losing streak, the Spurs picked up another win at Staples Center on Thursday, this time defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-109. ... Los Angeles was 43 of 86 from the floor, marking the first time in 36 games it has lost when shooting at least 50%. The Lakers scored 66 points in the paint, marking the second time this season they have scored at least 60 points inside.
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Davis, James lead Lakers' late rally over Spurs, 109-103
Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis, right, keeps the ball from San Antonio Spurs' Rudy Gay, left rear, and Drew Eubanks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)SAN ANTONIO – Anthony Davis had 35 points and 11 rebounds and LeBron James added 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109-103 on Friday night. The Lakers closed the game with a 9-0 run for their second win against the Spurs in three days. Keldon Johnson had a career-high 26 points and added 10 rebounds and DeMar DeRozan had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for San Antonio. Johnson blocked James’ layup attempt, but Kyle Kuzma tipped in the follow to give the Lakers a 105-103 lead with 53.9 seconds remaining.
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REPORT: At least 3 Rockets players in 7-day quarantine for contact tracing
(AP Photo/Michael Wyke)HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets may be without three of their top players for a week, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The report stated John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Gordon could be put in 7-day quarantine for contact tracing. Charania also reports a Rockets staff member had a positive test, with Gordon put into contact tracing connected to that. Wall and Cousins were in a contact tracing situation Thursday after being around Kenyon Martin, Jr., who reportedly tested positive. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 25, 2020The Rockets have several players — including John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and possibly more — currently facing seven-day quarantine per NBA contact tracing protocol, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
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Spurs help playoff chances, top Pelicans, Zion 122-113
A win by the Trail Blazers over Philadelphia would eliminate New Orleans from postseason consideration. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry called it a Game 7-type game beforehand but stayed with the plan of playing Williamson in short bursts. In the fourth, Gentry took Williamson out with 6:53 left, putting him back in for the last-ditch try about two minutes later. Williamson scored the next eight points by himself, kick-starting what became a 28-12 run by the Pelicans to end the quarter. DeRozan scored inside on the next San Antonio possession, and a late 8-0 spurt by the Spurs sealed the deal.
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Masked man: Spurs' Popovich wears face covering for game
Popovich was not serving as head coach for the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. It is unclear if Popovich will wear a mask for the entirety of the Spurs time at Disney. Popovich was the coach who spoke in the teams pregame news conference and followed NBA rules by wearing a mask in that availability. GIANNIS' FOULSBucks star and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had five first-half fouls in his team's scrimmage opener against San Antonio. The last time a player had five first-half fouls in an NBA game that counted was Dec. 7, 2013, when Utah's Mike Harris did it against Sacramento.
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Spurs' Aldridge out for season after shoulder surgery
FILE - In this March 10, 2020, file photo, San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) celebrates as he scores against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio. Aldridge will miss the remainder of San Antonios season while he recovers from surgery on his right shoulder. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)Seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge will miss the remainder of San Antonios season while he recovers from surgery on his right shoulder, a major blow to the Spurs' postseason chances, assuming the season continues as planned. The Spurs announced Monday that Aldridge had the surgery on April 24, stemming from an injury he suffered in a game at Utah on Feb. 21. The Spurs say Aldridge is expected to be fully cleared for all basketball activities in time for training camp ahead of next season.