Disappointed in his team’s effort level last week, Coach Gregg Popovich said he was done resting players, especially with no back-to-backs or crazy traveling between the final two games of the season. On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers chose to rest and nurse some injuries after a Russell Westbrook buzzer-beater knocked the Denver Nuggets out of the playoff hunt and assured Terry Stotts’ club the final seed.
After a meh first half of the Spurs regular rotation vs. the Blazers minus six players (including Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum), the Spurs had a better third quarter to take the lead, and Pop give the third string a chance to win it in the fourth quarter.