Season 50, Game 31
San Antonio 119, Chicago 100
25-6, 2nd in the West

Other than Roger Mason, Jr.’s 3 to win the game in Phoenix way back in 2008, the Spurs have a bad Christmas Day history. Frankly, I’ve gotten used to the Spurs losing on this day.

It’s the price of admission for being a Spurs fan: win 50-60 games a year, but lose on Christmas day. Not a bad trade-off.

As with many other things, though, this year’s team is different. I had a good feeling coming into this game. For starters, the team had a rare road loss to avenge. Plus, after losing to the Clippers on Thursday, the team bounced back with a huge win Friday night in Portland in which many things just seemed to click. (Then Trace put the huge reverse jinx on the game, practically ensuring the win.)

Ten minutes into the game, it sure looked like this thing was over. LaMarcus Aldridge couldn’t miss, the Bulls couldn’t hit, and the Spurs were already up 20. But as we’ve discussed many times, there’s nothing worse in an NBA game than a huge 1st quarter lead. There’s almost no way to maintain that type of lead over a professional NBA team. There’s just too much variance in a game, too much pride in the other squad, and too much natural complacency when you get that big of a lead.

As was easily predicted, the Bulls took their first lead midway through the 3rd quarter. Had I been watching in real time, my brand new slippers (a biennial Christmas gift from my mother) probably would’ve been thrown through the TV. Thankfully, I was watching with the benefit of hindsight, so I patiently waited for the Dewayne Dedmon spurt to push the lead back up to double digits, then the dominating 4th quarter to close it out.

There was a lot to be happy about in this game (Pop was reminded post-game that he has used the word ‘happy’ on more than one occasion this month):

• The aforementioned Dedmon spurt, pretty reliable in just about every game.

• Aldridge making up for all his midrange misses by hitting them all (and I mean all) in this game. I’d still like more offensive variety in his game, but hitting that jumper consistently takes him from a very good player to one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons in the game.

• Kawhi continuing to be Kawhi and being ruthlessly efficient and dominant.

• Tony Parker coming through with his late-game burst to ice the game. Parker is a flash point for this season’s team. However, if he can be solid (if unremarkable) for the majority of the game while still having the capability for those little late game runs that help swing games, he is still a plus-player in the system.

• The bench continuing to be a spark.

• Not getting bullied and pushed around by a more physical team (what happened to the team in Chicago).

• The sweet Christmas warm-ups and jerseys. (Santa, if you’re listening and it’s not too late.)

After a dispiriting road loss in Los Angeles Thursday night, it’s hard not to be impressed with the bounce back from this team. Two games, a +39-point differential on a difficult travel schedule (trust me, Portland is a tough in-and-out).

The team is really good, and still has so much room to grow. At 16-2, the Spurs currently have a better record on the road than any other team has at home (the Cavs are an equal 16-2 at home). And don’t look now, but they’re only one game back in the loss column from the Warriors.

This is going to be a fun season, even if the Finals feel preordained. Here’s hoping the Spurs at least have a few words to say in that conversation.

The team now gets a few days off at home before facing Phoenix at the AT&T Center on Wednesday night.

Go Spurs Go.