Tag: RUDY GAY
Spurs’ Murray on fans at AT&T Center: ‘I think it helped us get a huge team win’
Fans of the San Antonio Spurs(19-15), who were in the At&t Center for the first time this season, got a nice treat on Friday night. San Antonio, who trailed by 13 after the first quarter, outscored the Magic by 40 points the rest of the way to defeat Orlando(13-26) 104-77.
San Antonio was led by Rudy Gay, who scored 19 points off the bench. Before returning on Wednesday night against the Mavericks, Gay missed five games due to health and safety protocols.
On Friday night, in 20 minutes of action, Gay shot 6-9 from the field and scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. According to Gay, when he comes off the bench, he wants to be aggressive.
“Well, just basically trying to be aggressive,” Gay said. “When me and Patty(Mills) come onto the court, our thing is to be aggressive offensively, and also, just play the right way and play with each other. Today, I got it going. Usually, Patty gets it going in the first half. I got it going today. It is what it is, next man up kind of mentality.”
After the first quarter(Magic scored 29 points), San Antonio held the Magic, who had only nine players on Friday night, to 10 points in the second quarter and 13 points in the fourth quarter, and Gay gave the credit to Mills and Dejounte Murray.
“I think Dejounte and Patty had the most impact,” Gay said. “They are the people that guarded people bringing the ball up. They start our defense. They started it, and we just fed off their defense.”
Over 3200 fans were in the At&T Center on Friday night, and according to Murray, who had 17 points against the Magic, having the fans back in the arena helped the team.
‘It was great for us because we do it for the fans,” he said. “The fans help us in every aspect. I feel like it was an adjustment that’s going to have to be made by us players. It’s something we have to get back used to because we kind of adjusted to playing with just no fans… To have them back yelling and supporting us was great, and I think it helped us get a huge team win.”
Notes:
The Spurs were without DeMar DeRozan on Friday night. DeRozan was back in California to attend the funeral services for his father.
The Spurs had all their players(Gay, White, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell) back, who were out due to health and safety protocols. White chipped in 17 points for San Antonio.
San Antonio is off on Saturday and will travel to Philly to battle the 76ers, who will be without All-Star and MVP candidate Joel Embiid. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the four-time All-Star will be out two-three weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee. Embiid suffered the injury against the Wizards on Friday night.
Spurs re-sign Rudy Gay
The San Antonio Spurs and Rudy Gay agree to a new contract, the team announced today.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, it’s a two-year, $32 million deal.
Gay is one of two players in the NBA with at least 15,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, 1,000 steals and 500 blocks since he was drafted in 2006, along with LeBron James.
The 13-year veteran appeared in 69 games for the Spurs last season and averaged 13.7 points to go along with a career-high 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 26.7 minutes while shooting a career-high .504 (376-746) from the floor and a career-best .402 (74-184) from three-point range.
Gay signs with the Spurs for the third time after originally joining San Antonio on July 6, 2017 and re-signing on July 11, 2018. In 126 total games over two seasons with the Silver and Black, Gay has averaged 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.4 minutes while shooting .490 from the floor and .368 from beyond the arc. He holds career averages of 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.26 steals in 34.0 minutes while shooting .456 from the field and .348 from three-point range in 879 total contests.
The former University of Connecticut forward was originally drafted by Houston in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft (8th overall) before being dealt to Memphis on July 12, 2006. After spending his first six-plus seasons with the Grizzlies, Gay was traded to Toronto on Jan. 30, 2013. Playing parts of two seasons with the Raptors, he was moved on Dec. 9, 2013 to Sacramento. Including the 2014-15 campaign when he averaged a career-high 21.1 points, Gay spent three-plus years with the Kings before joining the Spurs.
Gay has suited up for the USA Basketball Men’s National Team at the last two FIBA World Championships, helping the United States win gold at both the 2010 World Cup in Turkey and the 2014 World Cup in Spain
(WATCH)Spurs’ Gay on playoff seeding: ‘I like to say it doesn’t matter, but obviously there are teams we match up with better’
The San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City Thunder have all clinched playoff spots in the Western Conference. However, where they will be seeded in the playoffs is still a mystery.
Every team wants to avoid the number one seed in the West, the Golden State Warriors. Currently, San Antonio(47-34) is tied with the Clippers(47-34) for the 7th seed(Spurs hold the tiebreaker), and are a 1/2 game behind the Thunder(47-33) for the 6th seed. If the playoffs started today, the Spurs would play the Nuggets in the first round.
According to Spurs F Rudy Gay, who San Antonio plays in the first round does matter.
“I like to say it doesn’t matter,” Gay said on Friday after the Spurs routed the Wizards 129-112 in D.C. “But, obviously there are teams we match up with better. Going into the playoffs, you have to give it your all, so no matter what we want to be in there and actually compete. So, we have to be ready no matter who it is.”
This season, the Spurs are 2-1 against the Warriors, 2-2 against the Nuggets, and 1-3 against the Rockets. If I’m San Antonio, I would want to take my chances against the Nuggets. While Denver has a lot of talent, this team has a young core that has not tasted the playoffs, which could be an advantage for the more experienced Spurs.
Listen below as Gay talks victory over Wizards, playing in D.C, playoffs, and the “Rodeo Road Trip.”:
Rudy Gay to the Spurs
Rudy Gay is expected to sign with the Spurs. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a two-year deal, worth $17 million plus with a player option. For Gay, it’s an opportunity to play for a contender. For the Spurs, you get another guy who can put the ball in the basket. Moreover, in order to beat the Warriors, you are going to have to score a lot of points.
Great opportunity for the 30-year-old Gay, who averaged 18.2 ppg for the Kings last season.
Let's go #Spurs
— Rudy Gay (@RudyGay) July 7, 2017