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Defending Champion Spurs Stunned in Berlin
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All posts by Basketball InsidersUpdated8 hours ago on April 25, 2024
It was an entertaining, if meaningless game Wednesday in the Spurs’ preseason opener, with Alba Berlin clawing back from a huge early deficit before stunning the defending NBA champions 94-93 on Jamel McLean’s running bank shot from about 15 feet as time expired.
McLean stole an errant inbound pass from Tim Duncan before racing down court. It was the last of 24 turnovers for the Spurs, who also shot just 4 for 16 on 3-pointers in their first official action since crushing Miami in last season’s Finals for their fifth championship.
Interestingly, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich went for the victory, giving Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard big fourth-quarter minutes as the two teams battled back and forth. The Spurs, who blew all of an early 16-point lead, appeared to have things wrapped up as Parker headed to the foul line with 14.1 seconds left.
