Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET a battle of Western Conference heavyweights will kick off when the defending champion San Antonio Spurs (17-9) host the Portland Trailblazers (20-6), who are off to a blazing start for the second straight season. Watch the game on ESPN or live stream it free by clicking this link. Spurs fans can listen to the game on 1200 WOAI, while Blazers fans may do the same on Fox Sports 620.
The Northwest division-leading Trailblazers have ridden a surprisingly effective defense to their 20-6 record this year as much as a potent offense, and that D suffered a blow when center Robin Lopez broke his hand.
In addition to providing a solid 9.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a night, Lopez was turning away 1.5 shots and acting as a rim protector so fellow big man LaMarcus Aldridge could focus on the offensive end. Lopez's defense has anchored a unit that is allowing just 95.7 points per game, the second-best mark in the NBA.
He's been replaced by former lottery pick Thomas Robinson, who dominated in his first start to the tune of 15 points and 16 rebounds. "I was just happy to see him get that opportunity because I know how hard he works and how positive he is, being that he hasn't played a lot this year," Blazers guard Damian Lillard said.
San Antonio, meanwhile, has chugged along despite numerous injuries that would cause a catastrophic lack of continuity for most teams. Gregg Popovich's Spurs, however, tend to just roll with the punches each season as their core ages.
"Regardless who's on the floor, we gotta bring it," shooting guard Danny Green said. "We gotta continue to win games. We put ourselves in a little hole here. We know what it takes. We trust one through 15 to get it done, and guys have to step up."
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