timvp
11-17-2008, 04:57 PM
For the second consecutive game, the San Antonio Spurs used great defense and timely offense to climb out of a double-digit deficit and post a two-point victory. As a result, the Spurs are riding their first winning streak of the season. The Sacramento Kings had control for much of the game but the Spurs took over at the end to win by a final score of 90-88.
With two minutes to go in the game, Michael Finley tied the score with a difficult leaner in the lane. Former Spur Beno Udrih then hit two free throws to put the Kings back up by two with a little over a minute to go. Tim Duncan responded with a hoop, and then after a defensive stop, Duncan hit a running layup with 15 seconds to go that ended up being the game winner.
The Kings actually played quite well, considering they are arguably more shorthanded than the Spurs. With Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia out with injury, John Salmons was amazing – scoring 31 points on only 13 field goal attempts. Udrih also played well, as did Quincy Douby who hit a number of difficult shots before missing a desperation three-point heave at the buzzer.
The Spurs have to be very happy with this latest win. They showed great mental toughness even though the Kings got u by as much as 11 points in the second half. Defensively, the Spurs were once again stout, especially in the fourth quarter in which the Kings only scored 16 points. When Tony Parker joined Manu Ginobili on the sidelines, it appeared as if the Spurs could freefall out of playoff contention. Three wins in four games later, San Antonio is just one game under .500 and Spurs Basketball has seemingly been rediscovered.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
35 minutes, 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, five turnovers
8-for-15 from the field, 4-for-8 at the line
Tim Duncan had his work cut out for him on Sunday night. Although the Kings didn’t have all their perimeter players, they had four lively 6-foot-11 or taller players to throw at him – three of which were in the starting lineup. Defensively, he was very good for much of night. He rotated well and contested shots at the rim. On offense, his scoring was choppy until it became money time. In the final four minutes, Duncan accounted for all eight Spurs points with three buckets and an assist. Overall, it wasn’t a great game for Duncan but he stood strong and came out victorious at the end.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
38 minutes, 18 points, two rebounds, two steals
6-for-14 from the field, 3-for-8 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Roger Mason, Jr. had an interesting outing. On defense, I thought he was actually somewhat good but Salmons repeatedly scored on him. And although Mason’s all-around game wasn’t as varied as we’ve seen in recent outings, his scoring touch returned. He had a big three-point play in the fourth quarter and also did a good job running the show to end the game. Shooting-wise, it was his best game since Parker went down with his ankle injury. Mason led the Spurs in minutes and has quickly become an indispensable part of the rotation.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
35 minutes, 21 points, three rebounds
8-for-17 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Not too long ago, Michael Finley was mired in a massive slump. Now, for the fourth straight game, Finley played excellent basketball. Although his scoring numbers look good, I think it all begins with his defensive play. Matched up against rookie power forward Jason Thompson to begin the game, Finley gave great effort and didn’t let the Kings use that mismatch to their advantage. On the offensive end, Finley was ultra aggressive and even mixed in one of his old school dunks over the top of Brad Miller. Starting at small forward, Finley’s play recently has been a big reason why the Spurs have been able to win games.
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George Hill
http://www.iupuijags.com/images/2007/12/12/player_hill.jpg
20 minutes, four points, three assists, two rebounds, two turnovers
2-for-7 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Fresh off the best game of his young career, George Hill took a step backwards against the Kings. Defensively, he was decent enough but he lacked that relentless effort we’ve become accustomed to seeing. On the other end, Hill went back and forth between being too passive and playing too quickly. As a result, Pop had to look elsewhere for production from the point guard spot. Hopefully Hill can continue to learn, stay confident and take games like these as small bumps in the road.
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Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
26 minutes, two points, four rebounds
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto started at center once again and played decently well. His biggest play of the game came late when he forced Thompson into a difficult shot on a post-up attempt out of a timeout. I’d still like to see Oberto step it up on the boards. His rebounding numbers are way down on the season and against the Kings he only had two defensive rebounds in 26 minutes of action. On the positive side, Oberto was able to pick up his first blocked shot of the season against Sacramento.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
29 minutes, two points, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen spent all 29 of his minutes chasing around different players. Pop had him on everyone from Salmons to Udrih to Douby. Like Mason, Bowen wasn't able to slow down Salmons even though he was forcing him into tough shots. However, Bowen’s defense late in the game was critical in getting stops. On the offensive end, Bowen hit one of his two shots as he continues to shoot very well this season. The 29 minutes played were the most for Bowen in his new bench role.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
27 minutes, 11 points, seven rebounds
4-for-9 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers
For the second straight game, Matt Bonner played very well. Building upon his effort against the Rockets, Bonner played smart basketball, gave good effort on the boards, defended well and hit big shots. Compared to what we’ve seen out of him last season and the beginning of this season, Bonner seems to be playing with a lot more confidence and isn’t looking over at Pop after each mistake. If he can stay locked in, there’s no reason for him to make his way back into the doghouse. This was the Bonner the Spurs were hoping for when they gave him his current contract.
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Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
23 minutes, ten points, six assists
3-for-7 from the field, 4-for-4 at the line
Jacque Vaughn played by far his best game of the season. He scored well by being aggressive and physical on forays to the hoop. Vaughn also passed the ball very well. On the whole, the Spurs offense clicked best when Vaughn was running the show. Defensively, he gave great effort and used his excess tenacity to his advantage. The Spurs simply would not have won without this effort out of their veteran point guard.
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Anthony Tolliver
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NBA/Headshots/140x170/4371.jpg
seven minutes, two points, one rebound
1-for-1 from the field
Anthony Tolliver was decent in his seven minutes of play. His energy was a plus and he played good transition defense. On the other side of the coin, Tolliver made a few mistakes defensively and was in the wrong place offensively a couple of times as well. This was an outing where it was obvious that Tolliver is a rookie who is still learning the system.
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Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
0 minutes
After three consecutive games in the starting lineup, Ime Udoka was sent from the penthouse to the doghouse. Udoka’s poor play as a starter was rewarded with a DNP-CD on Sunday night. Kurt Thomas and the newly signed Blake Ahearn also didn’t get off the bench, although Udoka’s absence was the most notable.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
I liked how Pop coached this game. He was able to keep Duncan’s minutes reasonable while also giving the team a chance to win the game. Although I typically want him to play Hill as much as possible, I agreed with his decision to go with Vaughn more than usual and to go with Mason at point guard down the stretch. Playing Bonner as the main bigman off the bench was the right move, as was giving Finley a lot of early plays to get him going. Defensively, Pop putting Hill on Salmons would have been interesting to see if that would have slowed him down, since nothing else could.
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Offense
Although they had a number of droughts, the offense overall played about as well as could be expected. Scoring 90 points, shooting 45.9% from the field and going 9-for-20 on threes are stats I’ll take every night from this squad. Most of the scoring was thanks to good individual performances from Finley and Mason in the starting lineup and Bonner and Vaughn off the bench. One thing the Spurs have done well all season is not turn the ball over. The Spurs are second in the league in fewest turnovers and only had 13 against the Kings.
Defense
On defense, the Spurs weren’t quite as dominant as they were the last three games but they were still very good. The only quarter that got away from them was the third, in which the Kings were able to score 30 points. For the game, Sacramento shot 44.6% from the field and were forced into 17 turnovers. The boards, however, were still a problem area for San Antonio. The Kings outrebounded the Spurs 42-34 and were able to pull down nine offensive rebounds. If the Spurs could solve their current rebounding issues, their defense would be even better than it is currently.
Drive to Survive
With two straight wins to their name, the Spurs will try to keep the momentum going as they play a back-to-back tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers are struggling with a 1-8 record, so this is a very good opportunity for the 4-5 Spurs to get another win.
Believe.
With two minutes to go in the game, Michael Finley tied the score with a difficult leaner in the lane. Former Spur Beno Udrih then hit two free throws to put the Kings back up by two with a little over a minute to go. Tim Duncan responded with a hoop, and then after a defensive stop, Duncan hit a running layup with 15 seconds to go that ended up being the game winner.
The Kings actually played quite well, considering they are arguably more shorthanded than the Spurs. With Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia out with injury, John Salmons was amazing – scoring 31 points on only 13 field goal attempts. Udrih also played well, as did Quincy Douby who hit a number of difficult shots before missing a desperation three-point heave at the buzzer.
The Spurs have to be very happy with this latest win. They showed great mental toughness even though the Kings got u by as much as 11 points in the second half. Defensively, the Spurs were once again stout, especially in the fourth quarter in which the Kings only scored 16 points. When Tony Parker joined Manu Ginobili on the sidelines, it appeared as if the Spurs could freefall out of playoff contention. Three wins in four games later, San Antonio is just one game under .500 and Spurs Basketball has seemingly been rediscovered.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
35 minutes, 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, five turnovers
8-for-15 from the field, 4-for-8 at the line
Tim Duncan had his work cut out for him on Sunday night. Although the Kings didn’t have all their perimeter players, they had four lively 6-foot-11 or taller players to throw at him – three of which were in the starting lineup. Defensively, he was very good for much of night. He rotated well and contested shots at the rim. On offense, his scoring was choppy until it became money time. In the final four minutes, Duncan accounted for all eight Spurs points with three buckets and an assist. Overall, it wasn’t a great game for Duncan but he stood strong and came out victorious at the end.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
38 minutes, 18 points, two rebounds, two steals
6-for-14 from the field, 3-for-8 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Roger Mason, Jr. had an interesting outing. On defense, I thought he was actually somewhat good but Salmons repeatedly scored on him. And although Mason’s all-around game wasn’t as varied as we’ve seen in recent outings, his scoring touch returned. He had a big three-point play in the fourth quarter and also did a good job running the show to end the game. Shooting-wise, it was his best game since Parker went down with his ankle injury. Mason led the Spurs in minutes and has quickly become an indispensable part of the rotation.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
35 minutes, 21 points, three rebounds
8-for-17 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Not too long ago, Michael Finley was mired in a massive slump. Now, for the fourth straight game, Finley played excellent basketball. Although his scoring numbers look good, I think it all begins with his defensive play. Matched up against rookie power forward Jason Thompson to begin the game, Finley gave great effort and didn’t let the Kings use that mismatch to their advantage. On the offensive end, Finley was ultra aggressive and even mixed in one of his old school dunks over the top of Brad Miller. Starting at small forward, Finley’s play recently has been a big reason why the Spurs have been able to win games.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://www.iupuijags.com/images/2007/12/12/player_hill.jpg
20 minutes, four points, three assists, two rebounds, two turnovers
2-for-7 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Fresh off the best game of his young career, George Hill took a step backwards against the Kings. Defensively, he was decent enough but he lacked that relentless effort we’ve become accustomed to seeing. On the other end, Hill went back and forth between being too passive and playing too quickly. As a result, Pop had to look elsewhere for production from the point guard spot. Hopefully Hill can continue to learn, stay confident and take games like these as small bumps in the road.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
26 minutes, two points, four rebounds
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto started at center once again and played decently well. His biggest play of the game came late when he forced Thompson into a difficult shot on a post-up attempt out of a timeout. I’d still like to see Oberto step it up on the boards. His rebounding numbers are way down on the season and against the Kings he only had two defensive rebounds in 26 minutes of action. On the positive side, Oberto was able to pick up his first blocked shot of the season against Sacramento.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
29 minutes, two points, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen spent all 29 of his minutes chasing around different players. Pop had him on everyone from Salmons to Udrih to Douby. Like Mason, Bowen wasn't able to slow down Salmons even though he was forcing him into tough shots. However, Bowen’s defense late in the game was critical in getting stops. On the offensive end, Bowen hit one of his two shots as he continues to shoot very well this season. The 29 minutes played were the most for Bowen in his new bench role.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
27 minutes, 11 points, seven rebounds
4-for-9 from the field, 3-for-5 on three-pointers
For the second straight game, Matt Bonner played very well. Building upon his effort against the Rockets, Bonner played smart basketball, gave good effort on the boards, defended well and hit big shots. Compared to what we’ve seen out of him last season and the beginning of this season, Bonner seems to be playing with a lot more confidence and isn’t looking over at Pop after each mistake. If he can stay locked in, there’s no reason for him to make his way back into the doghouse. This was the Bonner the Spurs were hoping for when they gave him his current contract.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
23 minutes, ten points, six assists
3-for-7 from the field, 4-for-4 at the line
Jacque Vaughn played by far his best game of the season. He scored well by being aggressive and physical on forays to the hoop. Vaughn also passed the ball very well. On the whole, the Spurs offense clicked best when Vaughn was running the show. Defensively, he gave great effort and used his excess tenacity to his advantage. The Spurs simply would not have won without this effort out of their veteran point guard.
-------------------------------
Anthony Tolliver
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NBA/Headshots/140x170/4371.jpg
seven minutes, two points, one rebound
1-for-1 from the field
Anthony Tolliver was decent in his seven minutes of play. His energy was a plus and he played good transition defense. On the other side of the coin, Tolliver made a few mistakes defensively and was in the wrong place offensively a couple of times as well. This was an outing where it was obvious that Tolliver is a rookie who is still learning the system.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
0 minutes
After three consecutive games in the starting lineup, Ime Udoka was sent from the penthouse to the doghouse. Udoka’s poor play as a starter was rewarded with a DNP-CD on Sunday night. Kurt Thomas and the newly signed Blake Ahearn also didn’t get off the bench, although Udoka’s absence was the most notable.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
I liked how Pop coached this game. He was able to keep Duncan’s minutes reasonable while also giving the team a chance to win the game. Although I typically want him to play Hill as much as possible, I agreed with his decision to go with Vaughn more than usual and to go with Mason at point guard down the stretch. Playing Bonner as the main bigman off the bench was the right move, as was giving Finley a lot of early plays to get him going. Defensively, Pop putting Hill on Salmons would have been interesting to see if that would have slowed him down, since nothing else could.
-------------------------------
Offense
Although they had a number of droughts, the offense overall played about as well as could be expected. Scoring 90 points, shooting 45.9% from the field and going 9-for-20 on threes are stats I’ll take every night from this squad. Most of the scoring was thanks to good individual performances from Finley and Mason in the starting lineup and Bonner and Vaughn off the bench. One thing the Spurs have done well all season is not turn the ball over. The Spurs are second in the league in fewest turnovers and only had 13 against the Kings.
Defense
On defense, the Spurs weren’t quite as dominant as they were the last three games but they were still very good. The only quarter that got away from them was the third, in which the Kings were able to score 30 points. For the game, Sacramento shot 44.6% from the field and were forced into 17 turnovers. The boards, however, were still a problem area for San Antonio. The Kings outrebounded the Spurs 42-34 and were able to pull down nine offensive rebounds. If the Spurs could solve their current rebounding issues, their defense would be even better than it is currently.
Drive to Survive
With two straight wins to their name, the Spurs will try to keep the momentum going as they play a back-to-back tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers are struggling with a 1-8 record, so this is a very good opportunity for the 4-5 Spurs to get another win.
Believe.