San Antonio Spurs’ juggernaut returns home to host reeling Chicago Bulls in NBA

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs look to finish off a spectacular March with a bang and continue on the hunt for the best record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) when they host the Chicago Bulls on March 30 (March 31 morning, Singapore time).

The Spurs (56-18) have won eight straight outings and have captured 13 of their 15 games this month after going undefeated in February. They remain hot on the heels of Oklahoma City (59-16) for the top seed in the West and the best mark in the league with eight contests left to play.

Coach Mitch Johnson said his team’s focus over the next three weeks would be to continue to improve and let the chips fall where they may.

“They don’t lose very often, and we don’t play them again,” he said of Oklahoma City. “So there’s nothing we can do other than control these games in front of us and just trying to keep getting better.”

San Antonio guaranteed that they would finish no worse than second in the West when they swamped Milwaukee 127-95 on the road on March 28.

The team swept a three-game road trip to Miami, Memphis and Milwaukee and have produced four straight victories on the road by at least 25 points.

“Everybody playing for each other is the biggest thing, and I feel that’s just the Spurs way,” said guard Devin Vassell, who had 16 points against the Bucks and was among seven teammates in double-figure scoring.

“Everybody passes up a good shot for a great shot.

“Having your brother’s back is what we’ve preached since I’ve got here, and it’s great to see it working right now.”

Chicago head to the Alamo City trying to throw a monkey wrench into San Antonio’s jaunt to the post-season but will have to be better to reach that goal.

They have dropped three games in a row, including a 125-124 setback in Memphis on March 28. The team also lost for their fifth time in their past six games.

The Bulls (29-45) were officially eliminated from post-season consideration with their loss at Oklahoma City on March 27.

Forward Matas Buzelis said that the team would not lie down with a few weeks left in their campaign.

“Just keep fighting, man,” he said of his mindset.

‘‘You don’t want to go out quitting. You have to finish what you started. We’ll come back stronger than ever (next year). I’m going to work really hard this summer, but you keep battling. I’m playing to win.”

The teams played on Nov 10 in San Antonio, with the Spurs garnering a 121-117 win.

Meanwhile, in NBA action on March 29, the Thunder ensured that the Spurs would not have it easy as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points in a 111-100 win over the New York Knicks.

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander extended his NBA record run of games with 20 or more points to 135 in a row.

“He’s MVP for a reason,” Thunder guard Luguentz Dort said of “SGA”.

“He knows the type of shot he’s going to get and he’s never going to lay down and we know he’s always going to be aggressive for us, which he did throughout the whole game.”

Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum delivered 32 points, eight assists and five rebounds as the Boston Celtics sealed a play-off berth with a 114-99 victory at Charlotte.

Payton Pritchard added 28 points for Boston (50-24), who pulled within four games of Eastern Conference leaders Detroit. REUTERS, AFP