SAN ANTONIO – The unprecedented success of the Golden State Warriors over the first six weeks of the season has allowed the San Antonio Spurs to stay in the shadows, but recent performances may bring the team back into the spotlight.
The Spurs will try to follow up a 51-point win when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
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San Antonio’s 18-4 record is the second-best in the NBA, and the Spurs ran their latest winning streak to four straight when they put a 119-68 beating on the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. San Antonio shot 61.8 percent from the floor despite Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili sitting out to rest, and held the 76ers to 34.7 percent shooting.
The Raptors had a little bit more trouble with their own lowly opponent on Monday but managed to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers 102-93 to snap a three-game home slide. Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry had 27 points in the win after a 41-point outburst in a loss to the Warriors on Saturday and is 11-of-21 from 3-point range in the last two games.
TV: 6:30 p.m. CT, FSN Southwest
ABOUT THE SPURS (18-4): San Antonio reached deep into its bench on Monday and found rookie center Boban Marjanovic, who got extended minutes in the blowout and tripled his previous season high with 18 points. The 7-3 center went 8-10 from the field and became a favorite of the visiting fans, drawing cheers each time he shot the ball down the stretch. Kyle Anderson (30) was the only player to log more than 27 minutes in the rout, and the Spurs expect to have at least Duncan and Ginobili back on Wednesday while Leonard (illness) is day-to-day.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (13-9): Toronto is 3-6 in its last nine games against Western Conference opponents but gave Golden State a pair of tight challenges before falling in both meetings by a total of eight points. Former Spurs player Cory Joseph is settling into his role as backup to Lowry and is beginning to see more time alongside his star teammate in the backcourt when the team goes small. Joseph contributed 14 points on Monday and is averaging 11.5 points while logging at least 28 minutes in each of the last six games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Toronto C Bismack Biyombo recorded a double-double with a season-high 15 points and 13 rebounds on Monday.
2. San Antonio F LaMarcus Aldridge is 26-of-44 from the floor in the last three games.
3. The teams split two meetings last season, with the home team taking each.