Season 51, Game 42
San Antonio 107, Sacramento 100
28-14, 4th in the West

4 high-end rotation players did not play.

3/5ths of the starting lineup combined for a mere 10 points.

The Spurs have mastered the “one hand tied behind the back” game this season, so Monday’s result in Sacramento after a dispiriting loss in Portland the night before shouldn’t be surprising.

LaMarcus Aldridge was a stud, yet again. 31 points and 12 rebounds only tells part of the story. He was an absolute monster on the floor, sprinting from end to end on every change of possession. His jumper was locked in. But more importantly, he ran himself into at least 10 easy points, getting baskets in transition off missed layups and offensive rebounds. He was easily the best player on the floor.

Not far behind him, though, was Davis Bertans.

Any observant Spurs watcher knows that Bertans is much more than just a shooter. But sometimes, being a shooter is enough. He put up a career high 28 points, propelled in large part on 6-9 shooting from deep. His shot always looks like it’s going in; Monday night it did.

Bertans always plays hard, but seems to find more energy when his shot is falling. He was all over the place, serving as a decoy on a few possessions, and tallying 3 assists with good cutting and ball movement.

The Spurs’ roster is littered with players who could break out in any given game for career nights. The team’s depth is a strength, but it does put an artificial cap on some of these player’s potentials, as they won’t always get the minutes needed to put up consistent numbers. But credit to these players who always stay ready to seize the moment when it comes to them.

Bertans, DeJounte Murray, Bryn Forbes, Kyle Anderson, and Brandon Paul all have incredible games in them. With the Spurs unable to field a consistent roster, they are getting just enough from these players to stay near the top of the West.

Here’s hoping they get healthy at some point this season to see just how far they can go.

The Spurs finish off their road trip Thursday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Go Spurs Go.