timvp
12-30-2008, 06:47 PM
Riding a four-game winning streak and coming off of a joyful victory on Christmas Day in Phoenix, the San Antonio Spurs came home to face the Memphis Grizzlies. Although the contest against a team that had only two road wins appeared to be a foregone conclusion, it turned out to be anything but.
The Grizzlies played extremely well throughout and pushed the game into a pair of overtimes. In the second overtime, Tony Parker hit two jumpers to push San Antonio’s lead to five points with one minute to go in the period. After OJ Mayo drained a three-pointer and Parker missed on the other end, the Spurs got two blocks on the other end and a Kurt Thomas free throw to seal the 106-103 victory.
For Memphis, Mayo continues to appear to be a potential superstar in the making. He plays with a sense of calmness and looks smooth shooting the ball from everywhere on the court. Mayo is also a strong defender and was able to play well in clutch situations. Overall, the Grizzlies played really well on both ends of the court and made the Spurs work for their victory.
The Spurs definitely wanted this game to be an easier win but once it was obvious the Grizzlies were on top of their game and the Spurs were a step slow, San Antonio needed to just gut it out. It was far from pretty and a double overtime win against a sub par team isn’t exactly celebration worthy, but the victory allowed the Spurs to keep the momentum flowing in the right direction.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
46 minutes, 29 points, five rebounds, three assists
11-for-19 from the field, 7-for-9 at the line
Offensively, Tim Duncan played well. Although he’s been shooting a lot more jumpers this season, Duncan did most of his damage against the Grizzlies in the paint. He was finishing well and playing strongly around the rim. On defense, it was a different story for Duncan. He lacked energy on that end and was very poor on the boards. His lack of energy also caused him to be out of position more often then usual, which is the main reason why he fouled out in the first overtime. On the whole, it was definitely a below average game for Duncan but his offense helped keep the Spurs afloat.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
41 minutes, 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals
7-for-16 from the field, 3-for-7 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Manu Ginobili seemed to take a step in the right direction against Memphis. He scored 20 points for the first time since he scored 27 points against the Hawks on Dec. 10. Although his shooting was still a bit shaky, he played hard and did a good job of creating for himself and others while only turning the ball over once in 41 minutes. Defensively, Ginobili spent a lot of time on Mayo – which was easily his most difficult cover of the season so far. He defended Mayo well when he pressured his dribble but had difficulty staying with him when moving laterally. Ginobili appeared to tire in the overtimes but he at least didn’t seem to have trouble with his ankle at any point in the game.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
48 minutes, 32 points, five assists, four rebounds, three turnovers
13-for-26 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
Up until two minutes to go in regulation, Tony Parker had 15 points. The rest of the way, Parker had 17 points and helped carry the Spurs to victory. During San Antonio’s five consecutive wins, he’s averaging 27.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.9% from the floor and 86.7% at the charity stripe. What was impressive about this performance against the Grizzlies is that Parker went through a few stretches where he struggled but he fought through it and kept playing aggressively.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
40 minutes, 10 points, six rebounds, five assists
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers
Michael Finley quietly had one of his better games of the season. He hit both of his three-pointers in the fourth quarter when the Spurs were struggling for points. His six rebounds and five assists were both tied for the most on the team. At the end of the game, Finley blocked Rudy Gay at the basket to protect the two-point lead. During the winning streak, Finley is averaging 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 52.6% from beyond the three-point arc.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
31 minutes, three rebounds
0-for-4 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
After his buzzer-beating gift to San Antonio on Christmas, Roger Mason, Jr. didn’t do much against the Grizzlies. He went scoreless in 31 minutes by missing all four of his field goal attempts. When he airballed one of his three-pointers by about five feet, it was obvious that it wasn’t his night. Defensively, Mason was decent but nothing special. It was a forgettable performance but thankfully he has hit one of his last five shots.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
nine minutes, two points, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
With Memphis playing small ball, it didn’t take Pop long to bench Matt Bonner and go in a different direction. While Bonner was on the court, he didn’t do much to convince Pop to keep him on the floor. He rebounded better but his overall energy continues to be missing in action. Hopefully he can rediscover his liveliness and get back to how he was playing earlier in the month.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
39 minutes, six points, six rebounds
2-for-3 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
Playing a season-high 39 minutes, Bruce Bowen had one of his better games of the season. On the defensive end, Bowen was extremely active and he came up with a number of big stops. He played with more physicality than usual, which is part of the reason why he ended up fouling out. Offensively, Bowen hit a huge three-pointer late in the fourth to cut a six-point deficit in half with two and half minutes to go in the game. All in all, it was a good showing and illustrates what Bowen is still capable of contributing when given minutes.
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Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
12 minutes, three points, four rebounds, three blocks
1-for-2 from the field
In his first half stint, Kurt Thomas wasn’t too impressive. However, when he entered the game after Duncan fouled out in overtime, Thomas was dominant. In the second overtime alone, Thomas had three points, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal. He anchored the defense even better than Duncan and played with confidence on the offensive end. In December, Thomas is averaging 1.3 blocks in only 16.6 minutes per game. For the season, he now leads the teams in blocks per minute.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
10 minutes, one assist
0-for-2 from the field
George Hill’s struggles continue. He played ten first half minutes that saw the Spurs go from having a five-point lead to a nine-point deficit. Offensively, Hill was too passive and has gone away from attacking the basket. His defense was also not very good at all, especially when it came to making defensive rotations. In the second half, Pop opted to go with Mason at point guard rather than Hill. In the upcoming weeks, hopefully he can get his groove back.
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Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
eight minutes, four points, two assists
2-for-3 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Ime Udoka played all eight of his minutes in the third quarter and actually played well. He played under control offensively and his defense was active. His play as the small ball power forward continues to be the role in which Udoka flourishes.
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Anthony Tolliver
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4371.jpg
seven minutes, one rebound, one assist
0-for-3 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Outside of his shooting, Anthony Tolliver was pretty decent. He hustled and gave the Spurs some life when it was apparent that the Grizzlies were working harder. That said, Tolliver missing wide open shot after wide open shot seemed to put the entire offense in a funk. If Tolliver can’t at least be a bad shooter instead of a horrible shooter, it’s tough for him to warrant minutes on the court.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop was doing all he could to get the victory for the Spurs, although I’m not sure I agreed with all of his decisions. Going to small ball exclusively in the second half worked out in the end but it caused the Spurs to get beat up on the boards. Playing Duncan the entire second half until he fouled out was also a bit iffy. I also didn’t agree with playing Ginobili 41 minutes – especially because Ginobili spent so much energy defending Mayo. All that being said, the Spurs got the win so Pop gets the last laugh.
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Offense
Although the offense stagnated at many different points throughout the game, the Spurs fought through it and the final stats were respectable. They ended up shooting 46.1% from the field and 7-of-20 from three-point land. The Spurs also only had eight turnovers in the double-overtime affair to go along with 21 assists.
Defense
The defense was inconsistent throughout. The Spurs were solid on D in the first and third quarters, but they struggled in the second and fourth quarters. For the game, the Grizzlies shot 46.6% from the field and outrebounded the Spurs 50-36, as Memphis controlled both the offensive and defensive glass. The good news for the Spurs is that they limited the Grizzlies to 5-for-14 on three-pointers. Memphis also helped out by missing 7-of-23 free throws.
Drive to Five
After escaping the Grizzlies game with a win to improve their record to 20-10, the Spurs need to stay on the winning track on Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Bucks have historically been a thorn in their side, the Spurs are coming off of two days of rest and they also have some revenge to serve after an early season loss in Milwaukee.
Believe.
The Grizzlies played extremely well throughout and pushed the game into a pair of overtimes. In the second overtime, Tony Parker hit two jumpers to push San Antonio’s lead to five points with one minute to go in the period. After OJ Mayo drained a three-pointer and Parker missed on the other end, the Spurs got two blocks on the other end and a Kurt Thomas free throw to seal the 106-103 victory.
For Memphis, Mayo continues to appear to be a potential superstar in the making. He plays with a sense of calmness and looks smooth shooting the ball from everywhere on the court. Mayo is also a strong defender and was able to play well in clutch situations. Overall, the Grizzlies played really well on both ends of the court and made the Spurs work for their victory.
The Spurs definitely wanted this game to be an easier win but once it was obvious the Grizzlies were on top of their game and the Spurs were a step slow, San Antonio needed to just gut it out. It was far from pretty and a double overtime win against a sub par team isn’t exactly celebration worthy, but the victory allowed the Spurs to keep the momentum flowing in the right direction.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
46 minutes, 29 points, five rebounds, three assists
11-for-19 from the field, 7-for-9 at the line
Offensively, Tim Duncan played well. Although he’s been shooting a lot more jumpers this season, Duncan did most of his damage against the Grizzlies in the paint. He was finishing well and playing strongly around the rim. On defense, it was a different story for Duncan. He lacked energy on that end and was very poor on the boards. His lack of energy also caused him to be out of position more often then usual, which is the main reason why he fouled out in the first overtime. On the whole, it was definitely a below average game for Duncan but his offense helped keep the Spurs afloat.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
41 minutes, 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals
7-for-16 from the field, 3-for-7 on three-pointers, 3-for-3 at the line
Manu Ginobili seemed to take a step in the right direction against Memphis. He scored 20 points for the first time since he scored 27 points against the Hawks on Dec. 10. Although his shooting was still a bit shaky, he played hard and did a good job of creating for himself and others while only turning the ball over once in 41 minutes. Defensively, Ginobili spent a lot of time on Mayo – which was easily his most difficult cover of the season so far. He defended Mayo well when he pressured his dribble but had difficulty staying with him when moving laterally. Ginobili appeared to tire in the overtimes but he at least didn’t seem to have trouble with his ankle at any point in the game.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
48 minutes, 32 points, five assists, four rebounds, three turnovers
13-for-26 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
Up until two minutes to go in regulation, Tony Parker had 15 points. The rest of the way, Parker had 17 points and helped carry the Spurs to victory. During San Antonio’s five consecutive wins, he’s averaging 27.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.9% from the floor and 86.7% at the charity stripe. What was impressive about this performance against the Grizzlies is that Parker went through a few stretches where he struggled but he fought through it and kept playing aggressively.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
40 minutes, 10 points, six rebounds, five assists
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers
Michael Finley quietly had one of his better games of the season. He hit both of his three-pointers in the fourth quarter when the Spurs were struggling for points. His six rebounds and five assists were both tied for the most on the team. At the end of the game, Finley blocked Rudy Gay at the basket to protect the two-point lead. During the winning streak, Finley is averaging 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 52.6% from beyond the three-point arc.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
31 minutes, three rebounds
0-for-4 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
After his buzzer-beating gift to San Antonio on Christmas, Roger Mason, Jr. didn’t do much against the Grizzlies. He went scoreless in 31 minutes by missing all four of his field goal attempts. When he airballed one of his three-pointers by about five feet, it was obvious that it wasn’t his night. Defensively, Mason was decent but nothing special. It was a forgettable performance but thankfully he has hit one of his last five shots.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
nine minutes, two points, three rebounds
1-for-2 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
With Memphis playing small ball, it didn’t take Pop long to bench Matt Bonner and go in a different direction. While Bonner was on the court, he didn’t do much to convince Pop to keep him on the floor. He rebounded better but his overall energy continues to be missing in action. Hopefully he can rediscover his liveliness and get back to how he was playing earlier in the month.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
39 minutes, six points, six rebounds
2-for-3 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
Playing a season-high 39 minutes, Bruce Bowen had one of his better games of the season. On the defensive end, Bowen was extremely active and he came up with a number of big stops. He played with more physicality than usual, which is part of the reason why he ended up fouling out. Offensively, Bowen hit a huge three-pointer late in the fourth to cut a six-point deficit in half with two and half minutes to go in the game. All in all, it was a good showing and illustrates what Bowen is still capable of contributing when given minutes.
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Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
12 minutes, three points, four rebounds, three blocks
1-for-2 from the field
In his first half stint, Kurt Thomas wasn’t too impressive. However, when he entered the game after Duncan fouled out in overtime, Thomas was dominant. In the second overtime alone, Thomas had three points, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal. He anchored the defense even better than Duncan and played with confidence on the offensive end. In December, Thomas is averaging 1.3 blocks in only 16.6 minutes per game. For the season, he now leads the teams in blocks per minute.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
10 minutes, one assist
0-for-2 from the field
George Hill’s struggles continue. He played ten first half minutes that saw the Spurs go from having a five-point lead to a nine-point deficit. Offensively, Hill was too passive and has gone away from attacking the basket. His defense was also not very good at all, especially when it came to making defensive rotations. In the second half, Pop opted to go with Mason at point guard rather than Hill. In the upcoming weeks, hopefully he can get his groove back.
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Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
eight minutes, four points, two assists
2-for-3 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Ime Udoka played all eight of his minutes in the third quarter and actually played well. He played under control offensively and his defense was active. His play as the small ball power forward continues to be the role in which Udoka flourishes.
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Anthony Tolliver
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4371.jpg
seven minutes, one rebound, one assist
0-for-3 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Outside of his shooting, Anthony Tolliver was pretty decent. He hustled and gave the Spurs some life when it was apparent that the Grizzlies were working harder. That said, Tolliver missing wide open shot after wide open shot seemed to put the entire offense in a funk. If Tolliver can’t at least be a bad shooter instead of a horrible shooter, it’s tough for him to warrant minutes on the court.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop was doing all he could to get the victory for the Spurs, although I’m not sure I agreed with all of his decisions. Going to small ball exclusively in the second half worked out in the end but it caused the Spurs to get beat up on the boards. Playing Duncan the entire second half until he fouled out was also a bit iffy. I also didn’t agree with playing Ginobili 41 minutes – especially because Ginobili spent so much energy defending Mayo. All that being said, the Spurs got the win so Pop gets the last laugh.
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Offense
Although the offense stagnated at many different points throughout the game, the Spurs fought through it and the final stats were respectable. They ended up shooting 46.1% from the field and 7-of-20 from three-point land. The Spurs also only had eight turnovers in the double-overtime affair to go along with 21 assists.
Defense
The defense was inconsistent throughout. The Spurs were solid on D in the first and third quarters, but they struggled in the second and fourth quarters. For the game, the Grizzlies shot 46.6% from the field and outrebounded the Spurs 50-36, as Memphis controlled both the offensive and defensive glass. The good news for the Spurs is that they limited the Grizzlies to 5-for-14 on three-pointers. Memphis also helped out by missing 7-of-23 free throws.
Drive to Five
After escaping the Grizzlies game with a win to improve their record to 20-10, the Spurs need to stay on the winning track on Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Bucks have historically been a thorn in their side, the Spurs are coming off of two days of rest and they also have some revenge to serve after an early season loss in Milwaukee.
Believe.