The Spurs already swung-and-missed once in trying to get coach Gregg Popovich career win No. 1,000, and San Antonio seemed poised to drop another game on Monday night in Indianapolis. A huge third quarter gave the Pacers a 14-point lead entering the final period. That’s when the Spurs woke up.
Gregg Popovich gets win No. 1,000 on late Marco Belinelli jumper to beat Pacers
The Spurs needed a big fourth-quarter comeback to get a milestone victory for their head coach.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Eight different Spurs players scored in the fourth quarter, led by nine points from Marco Belinelli. Belinelli’s last jumper finally put San Antonio ahead and gave Pop his 1,000th regular season win, 95-93, in Indiana. (He also has 149 career postseason wins.)
Like they have so many times during Popovich’s tenure, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker carried San Antonio throughout the night. Parker scored a team-high 19 points and added six assists. He also played some defense, helping limit Indiana guard George Hill to just seven points in 29 minutes. Duncan was solid as well, giving the Spurs 15 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the win.
The victory keeps the Spurs at No. 6 in the Western Conference at 33-19.
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