timvp
12-05-2008, 05:05 PM
The San Antonio Spurs came into Thursday night’s game with a two-game losing streak in which the team looked totally out of sync in both contests. The Denver Nuggets entered the game fresh off of a 39-point walloping of the Toronto Raptors. With the Nuggets at home, they’d be able to make quick work of the Spurs, right? Wrong.
The Spurs played inspired basketball throughout and easily dispatched the Nuggets by a final score of 109-91. In what was very likely the best win of the season thus far for the Spurs, the second quarter was the key. With San Antonio up by one point with less than two minutes gone by in the period, the Spurs went on a 15-2 run to break the game open and never look back. Manu Ginobili and George Hill combined to score 12 of the 15 points during the run.
Although the Nuggets weren't unable to match the energy of the Spurs, they still look like a team that could make noise in the playoffs. They didn’t play well but their pieces fit much better than they did in recent years. Denver looks like a team that is very capable of winning between 55 and 58 games this season.
As for the Spurs, they have to be very happy about this win. Their cohesion offensively was impressive and the defense was solid. They still have room for improvement but hopefully this is a glimpse of what this team is capable of doing when they start clicking on all cylinders.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
39 minutes, 21 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks
7-for-12 from the field, 7-for-8 at the line
Tim Duncan had a fantastic all-around game. On defense, he closed off the paint single-handedly and boxed out with ferocity. His five blocks illustrate how well he contested shots at the rim. Offensively, Duncan was equally as impressive. His post moves were crisp and he made the right pass virtually every time he touched the ball. When Duncan plays at this level, there aren’t many players in the history of the game that you’d rather have on your side.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
30 minutes, 21 points, four rebounds, two assists
7-for-11 from the field, 4-for-7 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Manu Ginobili played a much better game than we saw out of him in his last two outings. He played smarter and let the action come to him. Even better, he was moving well on his surgically repaired ankle – especially defensively. On the season, he’s hitting 54% of his shots from the field and a jaw dropping 65.4% on two-pointers. And even though he’s not yet 100%, he’s scoring more points per minute than he did last season. All very good signs.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
36 minutes, 22 points, eight assists, seven turnovers
10-for-21 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Although his stats don’t look pretty, Tony Parker was actually quite effective. He did a good job attacking continuously on offense and the Nuggets were forced to send help his direction. When they did, Parker found the open man. Defensively, he defended Chauncey Billups very well. Parker finished the game with seven turnovers and another handful of questionable shots, but at least most of those errors were out of aggressiveness. He still needs to clean up his execution on a possession by possession basis, but this game was a step in the right direction.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
14 minutes, four points, three rebounds
2-for-2 from the field
Michael Finley battled foul trouble all game but actually played decently when out on the court. He started the game off with a few embarrasingly poor defensive plays, however he eventually got into a rhythm on that end. On offense, Finley had a much better shot selection and played with more patience. In this current starting lineup, Finley has to realize he’s the fifth option and only needs to shoot when open to keep the defenses honest. For one night, at least, he played that role well.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
29 minutes, 14 points, eight rebounds, two blocks
6-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
Starting his second straight game, Matt Bonner showed exactly how he can help the team. He aggressively looked for his own shot, which spread the court for Duncan inside and created lanes for Parker and Ginobili. Defensively, he was physical in the low blocks and moved his feet quickly out on the perimeter. Bonner also did a very good job on the boards and even blocked a pair of shots. All told, this is even better than the Bonner the Spurs expected when they gave him his current contract. If he can keep playing at this level, he will hold onto the starting gig for good.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
32 minutes, two points, seven rebounds
1-for-4 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen may no longer be a starter but he can still have a huge impact on a game. Against the Nuggets, Bowen constantly harassed Carmelo Anthony and forced him into a number of offensive fouls. His team defense was off the charts and he crashed the defensive boards. He didn’t do much offensively but that can be forgiven when he was dominant on the other end of the court.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
29 minutes, 11 points, four rebounds, two turnovers
4-for-14 from the field, 2-for-10 on three-pointers
Roger Mason, Jr. had a difficult time putting the ball in the basket, but overall I liked how he played. Mason didn’t hesitate to let it fly when he was open and forced the Nuggets to account for him at all times. Defensively, he was much better than he was in recent games – especially in transition defense. Mason is going to have to continue to figure out how to best contribute in his new sixth man role but he’s showing good signs.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
19 minutes, 11 points, five rebounds, two assists
3-for-8 from the field, 1-for-3 on three-pointers, 4-for-4 at the line
After a game in which Pop benched him for the second half due to passive play, George Hill rebounded with a fine performance. Although he had moments of passiveness, he was a lot more aggressive on the whole. He hit back-to-back jumpers in the second quarter during that 15-2 run to help demoralize the Nuggets. Hill also boarded well and he continues to get to the free throw line. Playing as the team’s fourth guard at the moment, this type of play will keep firmly entrenched in Pop’s rotation.
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Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
12 minutes, two points, four assists, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto played with a higher activity level against Denver. He has struggled rebounding the ball this year but he was a factor in that category on Thursday night. He was credited with three rebounds but he also kept many other balls alive. Oberto’s passing was once again on display and although most of his stats are down on the season, his assists are way up. In fact, his assist rate is almost double his previous career best.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop’s rotation was much improved from the Pistons game. He didn’t bury Hill, he gave Bowen and Bonner more time and he didn’t overplay Finley. Although, part of the reason why Pop’s rotation was more normal than usual was the fact that Ime Udoka and Kurt Thomas stayed back in San Antonio. We’ll see if he resumes his wild rotations once he has his full roster available. The only problem with him in the Nuggets game is I believe he played the Big Three too many minutes – especially considering that the Spurs had a comfortable lead at many points in the game. Duncan and Parker playing 39 and 36 minutes is too much and playing Ginobili 30 minutes is way too much. Subtract about four minutes from each of those totals and that’d be much more reasonable. I'm not comfortable with Ginobili playing more than 25 or 26 minutes while he's working his way back.
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Offense
The offense was flowing much, much better than it flowed in the Pistons game. The biggest improvement was the chemistry amongst the Big Three. They each played well of off each other and created wide open shots for the role players. For the game, the Spurs shot 50% from the field – including 57.1% on two-pointers. They also had 27 assists and only 13 turnovers. The only two negative points were the so-so three-point shooting (9-for-26) and shooting only 18 free throw attempts.
Defense
The defense wasn’t championship level defense but it was good. The Nuggets have been scoring the ball very well lately but the Spurs gave a good effort and slowed them down. The Nuggets were shooting less than 40% at halftime, although they ended up shooting 44.3% for the game. The biggest bright spot was the rebounding, with the Spurs posting a 47-33 edge. That stat is doubly impressive once you consider that the Spurs played small ball for than a quarter of the contest.
Drive to Five
All things considered, the Spurs are in a good place with their 10-8 record. Hopefully this game was proof that the Big Three remembered how to play as one and the Spurs can start their move up the standings. On Saturday night, San Antonio hosts the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors will be a good test for the transition defense and we’ll see just how far the offensive cohesion has come.
Believe.
The Spurs played inspired basketball throughout and easily dispatched the Nuggets by a final score of 109-91. In what was very likely the best win of the season thus far for the Spurs, the second quarter was the key. With San Antonio up by one point with less than two minutes gone by in the period, the Spurs went on a 15-2 run to break the game open and never look back. Manu Ginobili and George Hill combined to score 12 of the 15 points during the run.
Although the Nuggets weren't unable to match the energy of the Spurs, they still look like a team that could make noise in the playoffs. They didn’t play well but their pieces fit much better than they did in recent years. Denver looks like a team that is very capable of winning between 55 and 58 games this season.
As for the Spurs, they have to be very happy about this win. Their cohesion offensively was impressive and the defense was solid. They still have room for improvement but hopefully this is a glimpse of what this team is capable of doing when they start clicking on all cylinders.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
39 minutes, 21 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks
7-for-12 from the field, 7-for-8 at the line
Tim Duncan had a fantastic all-around game. On defense, he closed off the paint single-handedly and boxed out with ferocity. His five blocks illustrate how well he contested shots at the rim. Offensively, Duncan was equally as impressive. His post moves were crisp and he made the right pass virtually every time he touched the ball. When Duncan plays at this level, there aren’t many players in the history of the game that you’d rather have on your side.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
30 minutes, 21 points, four rebounds, two assists
7-for-11 from the field, 4-for-7 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Manu Ginobili played a much better game than we saw out of him in his last two outings. He played smarter and let the action come to him. Even better, he was moving well on his surgically repaired ankle – especially defensively. On the season, he’s hitting 54% of his shots from the field and a jaw dropping 65.4% on two-pointers. And even though he’s not yet 100%, he’s scoring more points per minute than he did last season. All very good signs.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
36 minutes, 22 points, eight assists, seven turnovers
10-for-21 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Although his stats don’t look pretty, Tony Parker was actually quite effective. He did a good job attacking continuously on offense and the Nuggets were forced to send help his direction. When they did, Parker found the open man. Defensively, he defended Chauncey Billups very well. Parker finished the game with seven turnovers and another handful of questionable shots, but at least most of those errors were out of aggressiveness. He still needs to clean up his execution on a possession by possession basis, but this game was a step in the right direction.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
14 minutes, four points, three rebounds
2-for-2 from the field
Michael Finley battled foul trouble all game but actually played decently when out on the court. He started the game off with a few embarrasingly poor defensive plays, however he eventually got into a rhythm on that end. On offense, Finley had a much better shot selection and played with more patience. In this current starting lineup, Finley has to realize he’s the fifth option and only needs to shoot when open to keep the defenses honest. For one night, at least, he played that role well.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
29 minutes, 14 points, eight rebounds, two blocks
6-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
Starting his second straight game, Matt Bonner showed exactly how he can help the team. He aggressively looked for his own shot, which spread the court for Duncan inside and created lanes for Parker and Ginobili. Defensively, he was physical in the low blocks and moved his feet quickly out on the perimeter. Bonner also did a very good job on the boards and even blocked a pair of shots. All told, this is even better than the Bonner the Spurs expected when they gave him his current contract. If he can keep playing at this level, he will hold onto the starting gig for good.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
32 minutes, two points, seven rebounds
1-for-4 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen may no longer be a starter but he can still have a huge impact on a game. Against the Nuggets, Bowen constantly harassed Carmelo Anthony and forced him into a number of offensive fouls. His team defense was off the charts and he crashed the defensive boards. He didn’t do much offensively but that can be forgiven when he was dominant on the other end of the court.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
29 minutes, 11 points, four rebounds, two turnovers
4-for-14 from the field, 2-for-10 on three-pointers
Roger Mason, Jr. had a difficult time putting the ball in the basket, but overall I liked how he played. Mason didn’t hesitate to let it fly when he was open and forced the Nuggets to account for him at all times. Defensively, he was much better than he was in recent games – especially in transition defense. Mason is going to have to continue to figure out how to best contribute in his new sixth man role but he’s showing good signs.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
19 minutes, 11 points, five rebounds, two assists
3-for-8 from the field, 1-for-3 on three-pointers, 4-for-4 at the line
After a game in which Pop benched him for the second half due to passive play, George Hill rebounded with a fine performance. Although he had moments of passiveness, he was a lot more aggressive on the whole. He hit back-to-back jumpers in the second quarter during that 15-2 run to help demoralize the Nuggets. Hill also boarded well and he continues to get to the free throw line. Playing as the team’s fourth guard at the moment, this type of play will keep firmly entrenched in Pop’s rotation.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
12 minutes, two points, four assists, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto played with a higher activity level against Denver. He has struggled rebounding the ball this year but he was a factor in that category on Thursday night. He was credited with three rebounds but he also kept many other balls alive. Oberto’s passing was once again on display and although most of his stats are down on the season, his assists are way up. In fact, his assist rate is almost double his previous career best.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop’s rotation was much improved from the Pistons game. He didn’t bury Hill, he gave Bowen and Bonner more time and he didn’t overplay Finley. Although, part of the reason why Pop’s rotation was more normal than usual was the fact that Ime Udoka and Kurt Thomas stayed back in San Antonio. We’ll see if he resumes his wild rotations once he has his full roster available. The only problem with him in the Nuggets game is I believe he played the Big Three too many minutes – especially considering that the Spurs had a comfortable lead at many points in the game. Duncan and Parker playing 39 and 36 minutes is too much and playing Ginobili 30 minutes is way too much. Subtract about four minutes from each of those totals and that’d be much more reasonable. I'm not comfortable with Ginobili playing more than 25 or 26 minutes while he's working his way back.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offense was flowing much, much better than it flowed in the Pistons game. The biggest improvement was the chemistry amongst the Big Three. They each played well of off each other and created wide open shots for the role players. For the game, the Spurs shot 50% from the field – including 57.1% on two-pointers. They also had 27 assists and only 13 turnovers. The only two negative points were the so-so three-point shooting (9-for-26) and shooting only 18 free throw attempts.
Defense
The defense wasn’t championship level defense but it was good. The Nuggets have been scoring the ball very well lately but the Spurs gave a good effort and slowed them down. The Nuggets were shooting less than 40% at halftime, although they ended up shooting 44.3% for the game. The biggest bright spot was the rebounding, with the Spurs posting a 47-33 edge. That stat is doubly impressive once you consider that the Spurs played small ball for than a quarter of the contest.
Drive to Five
All things considered, the Spurs are in a good place with their 10-8 record. Hopefully this game was proof that the Big Three remembered how to play as one and the Spurs can start their move up the standings. On Saturday night, San Antonio hosts the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors will be a good test for the transition defense and we’ll see just how far the offensive cohesion has come.
Believe.