After fierce Bulls snap win streak, Spurs outlast Nets to stay perfect.

Patty Mills recuperated well after starting 0-4 from 3PT range

"Everything has an end. We had a good groove going, but let's face it: we're tired. Tomorrow, we start fresh and refreshed," Coach Popovich said after his Spurs lost a touch-and-go fight with the Chicago Bulls on the road. Foul trouble did them in, and their first game back at home showed the Nets benefiting early from Patty Mills missing the broadside of a barn from long range.

However, the Spurs can never be counted out early, especially at home. Kawhi Leonard took up the mantle of leadership and got them back into the mix, aided by Mills finding his telescopic sight once more, finishing with 4-10 from the 3PT line and 9 assists. Tony Parker came off the bench and played marvelously, dishing the others into a rhythm, finishing with 6 points and 10 points.

When questioned after the victory, Coach Pop answered as to why Mills was trusted to hold the lead and send the fans home happy. "Patty's our long-term guy. Tony knows that. Now, Tony was able to come in and spark our guys. He's had a hell of a career, and Patty's also had his moments. Now's the time when our actions are committed to supporting this transition and Patty's done tremendously so far this season for us. We won tonight, and a lot of credit goes to him for it."

 "Patty's a special player. Love the guy to death. When you're special like that, sometimes a rough start can stun you, but he kept after it and with his talent from deep kept us in the lead. I'm just glad to be able to still contribute and help out when one of us struggles. We're a family and we make each other stronger every night. Some nights, it's Kawhi's time to shine. Others, it's Patty's or Pau's," Parker (nearly recovered from a hamstring injury and embracing a bench role) told reporters. "I'm still waiting for mine," he joked.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 25 points, as the Spurs team play and ball movement came in handy for them down the stretch. Timofey Mosgov's defense caused problems early, but Anderson Varejao and Parker clicked together in the pick-and-roll, beating the big Russian to the punch. D'Angelo Russell broke free a few times to make some splashes from 3PT range, given his own talent, and made 5 assists alongside Jeremy Lin--but Iman Shumpert made him work for it, covering him closely all-game. Jeremy Lin had 21 points and 7 assists, but struggled shooting the ball as did Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll.

The Spurs surged out of reach from Brooklyn's constant pursuit (a close game throughout) courtesy of Thaddeous Young, who's been working on his 3PT shot, making four big ones tonight that gave the Spurs a 110-95 lead at one point. The Nets scrambled in the final minute or so, bringing it to a final score of 112-120 after Josh Smith dazzled the AT&T Center crowd with a windmill dunk.