San Antonio Spurs: Unlikely stars win Game 5 vs. Rockets

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets in Game 5 Tuesday night, 110-107. In in an overtime win, a few unlikely heroes sealed the victory for the Spurs.

Tuesday night we saw the most competitive game of these Western Conference semifinals with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets battling for 53 minutes of back and forth action. In a game where neither team held more than a three-point lead at the quarter break, you knew it would come right down to the wire.

By the fifth game in a series there typically aren’t as many adjustments as there were earlier in the round. This rule of thumb remained true Tuesday despite a couple of key lineup changes for both sides.

Patty Mills stepped into the starting lineup over Dejounte Murray (who received a DNP-CD) for the Spurs, and Eric Gordon was called up for the Rockets, so they still had a big in Ryan Anderson come off the bench with Nene injured.

Other than that tactics were the same. The Spurs played with their two big men for a good chunk of the game, and Houston tried to get one of them switched on to James Harden each time down the floor.

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What wasn’t status quo was the last six or seven minutes of game action, where we saw the high-octane Houston offense completely shut down and the Spurs won the game with Kawhi Leonard on the bench.

Leonard stepped on the foot of James Harden midway through the third quarter and was in and out of the lineup the rest of the way. He sat out the final offensive and defensive possessions in regulation, and the entirety of overtime. Leonard finished the game with 22 points (8-of-21 shooting) and 14 rebounds.

But despite the Leonard-less finish, cold shooting and mental errors, the San Antonio Spurs came out on top. It was all thanks to a few unlikely heroes, and a few of their key moments.

Jonathon Simmons: The charge

Jonathon Simmons played a crucial role for San Antonio all night. He came off the bench for 12 points and three steals in 32 minutes of action. He  provided the team with a lift whenever there was a lull, whether it be a key defensive play or push in transition. His defining moment though, came in the waning moments of regulation.

With 34 seconds left, Simmons entered the game for Leonard. His job: Stop James Harden. The game was all even at 101 and Harden made his move. As he drove left, Simmons moved his feet and squares up.

There was contact.

A whistle.

Charge.

Harden was called for the offensive foul and the Spurs wound up with the last possession of the game. They don’t get a shot off (insert Gregg Popovich yelling at Pau Gasol), but that key defensive play helped San Antonio force overtime.

Danny Green: The and-1

The overtime period was ugly for both teams offensively, with the first bucket not coming until the two-minute mark. With just a minute left the score was only 104-103, advantage Rockets (game was tied at 101 going into OT). It was then that Danny Green decided to take over.

After a steal by LaMarcus Aldridge, Green nailed a three-pointer with less than a minute remaining. After Anderson answered, giving his team the lead 107-106, Green came back for an three-point play on Harden with just 30 seconds to go.

He then made 1-of-2 free throws after an Eric Gordon miss to give the Spurs their 110-107 lead going into the final possession. These were seven of Green’s 16 points, and the team’s final points of the night.

Manu Ginobili: The block

This was the vintage Manu Ginobili game the San Antonio Spurs needed. Averaging less than four points per contest on below 30 percent shooting for the playoffs wasn’t going to get it done. Now, without Tony Parker, and eventually without Kawhi, they got the Ginobili of old.

We saw corkscrew layups, eurosteps, a one-handed slam and a timely three — all in one game! Ginobili went for 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in an astounding 32 minutes of action on Tuesday. But for all the things he did on offense, his biggest play was on the opposite end.

After Green’s 7-3 run in overtime, the Rockets had one more chance to tie the game. With 15 seconds remaining, Patty Mills knocked the ball away from Gordon and forced a jump ball. Gordon won the jump, and the ball wound up in Harden’s hands. He squared up to Manu with just three seconds on the clock. Harden got by Ginobili and pulled up, but the 39-year-old recovered and swatted the ball away from behind.

*Paul George voice*

Ball game.

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Leonard was able to carry the team for much of the game, but it took the clutch plays of these individuals for the Spurs to win. Moving forward the team will have to see where Kawhi stands, but either way, performances like these can give the important role players the momentum they need.