Spurs vs. Lakers Previews

[duncan228]

Wednesday: Lakers (31-6) at Spurs (24-12) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Wednesday_Lakers_31-6_at_Spurs_24-12.html)
Express-News

Time: 8 p.m.
TV: KENS, ESPN
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POST - SPURS - LAKERS

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 2 Derek Fisher (6-1, 13th yr)
Thanks to playoff no-call, Fisher can expect hearty welcome from home crowd.

SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 24 Kobe Bryant (6-6, 13th yr)
Mason, who had four FGA vs. Lakers, needs shots to make shots.

SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 10 Vladimir Radmanovic (6-10, 8th yr)
Finley has played in 272 consecutive games, NBA's fourth-longest streak.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 16 Pau Gasol (7-0, 8th yr)
Including playoffs, Spurs are 1-5 against Lakers since Gasol trade.

C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 17 Andrew Bynum (7-0, 4th yr)
Bynum did not play in last season's Western Conference finals due to injury.

SPURS RESERVES

12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 7th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C/F, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr

LAKERS RESERVES

3 Trevor Ariza, F, 6-8, 5th yr
7 Lamar Odom, F, 6-10, 10th yr
28 D.J. Mbenga, C, 7-0, 5th yr
31 Chris Mihm, C, 7-0, 8th yr
21 Josh Powell, F, 6-9, 4th yr
9 Sun Yue, G, 6-9, 1st yr
18 Sasha Vujacic, G, 6-7, 5th yr

COACHES

Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Lakers: Phil Jackson

INJURIES

Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (left ankle sprain) is out.

Lakers: Jordan Farmar (left knee) and Luke Walton (right foot) are out. Lamar Odom (bone bruise, right knee) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Mahinmi, Malik Hairston.

Lakers: Farmar, Walton, Odom.

NOTABLE

This is Spurs' first meeting with Lakers since last season's conference finals, which L.A. won in five games. ... Bryant averaged 24.3 points in three regular-season games vs. Spurs last season, nearly three points less than his season average. ... Popovich and Jackson are the only active coaches to boast multiple NBA titles.

- Jeff McDonald

[duncan228]

Los Angeles (31-6) at San Antonio (24-12) Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009011424&prov=ap)
Game info: 9:00 pm EST Wed Jan 14, 2009
TV: ESPN
By Mike Lipka

The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers have ruled the Western Conference for most of the last decade, combining for nine of the last 10 conference titles and seven league championships in that span.

The way both are playing to start 2009, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that trend continue this spring.

Their season series will begin on Wednesday in San Antonio, as the teams meet for the first time since Los Angeles quickly ousted the Spurs in last season’s conference finals.

Los Angeles came within two games of its fourth NBA title of the decade last season, but lost to Boston in the finals. Over the past 10 seasons, they remain one championship shy of San Antonio’s four league titles since 1999.

Last May’s series marked the sixth playoff meeting in the last decade for these clubs, which again appear to be the class of the West.

Coach Phil Jackson’s Lakers have emerged as the team to beat after eliminating the Spurs 4-1 last season and charging to a 31-6 start to 2008-09.

“They’re the best team in the West, maybe the best team in the league, and that says it all,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “They’ve done a great job at both ends of the court, and they knocked us out of the playoffs last year, so we know as much or more than anybody how good they are.”

The Lakers have won four straight games and 10 of their last 11, averaging 108.5 points over that span - more than 30 of them per game from Kobe Bryant.

Bryant had 33 in Los Angeles’ 105-100 win at Houston on Tuesday. Although he made just 13 of his season-high 32 shot attempts, the reigning NBA MVP scored 13 points in the fourth quarter including a key 3-pointer with 27 seconds to play.

“My shots felt good, they just weren’t going in for me,” Bryant said. “Once the fourth quarter came around, I had to focus even more to try to put the ball in the hole.”

The Spurs (24-12) faltered in the final quarter of their most recent game, giving up 31 points en route to a 105-98 home loss to Orlando on Sunday. Tony Parker’s 31 total points weren’t enough for San Antonio, which has won nine of its last 11 games despite the setback.

Manu Ginobili, who missed time early this season with an ankle injury, continues to struggle to get untracked. He’s shooting a career-worst 33.3 percent from 3-point range and averaging 14.5 points - five fewer than last season.

“I am still not feeling like myself last season at this point,” said Ginobili, who played through injury in the postseason and was held to 10 or fewer points in four of the five games against the Lakers.

“I am physically pretty good. Nothing is hurting,” Ginobili added. “It’s just a bit of probably mental and other confidence.”

On Wednesday, the Spurs may lean on Tim Duncan, who has averaged 23.0 points and 12.8 rebounds in 68 career games against Los Angeles including playoffs.

The home team won all four games in the 2007-08 regular-season series.

“It tells you where you stand,” Ginobili said of facing the Lakers. “… It makes you see the mistakes you made, how far you are from them and stuff like that. I wish we played them 10 times (per season).”

Notes

Lakers:

Los Angeles is leading the NBA in points scored and are 16th in points allowed. ... F Trevor Ariza reached 1,000 rebounds for his career. ... G Kobe Bryant currently ranks third in the NBA with 27.2 points. ... F Lamar Odom is currently day-to-day with a bone bruise on his right knee. ... The Lakers have won nine of there last 10 games.

Spurs:

Both teams were accurate from the free-throw line on Sunday, combining to shoot 36-of-39, with San Antonio a perfect 17-of-17. ... It was the first loss of 2009 for the Spurs, who were 4-0 in the new year. ... San Antonio, which was averaging nearly 21 3-point attempts per game, had only 10 before they hoisted up three more in the final 18.8 seconds.

Team Stat Leaders

Points

Kobe Bryant LAL 27.0
Tony Parker SA 21.3

Rebounds

Pau Gasol LAL 9.4
Tim Duncan SA 10.1

Assists

Kobe Bryant LAL 4.6
Tony Parker SA 6.7

Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

Los Angeles 31-6 1st Pacific / 1st West 107.7 98.9 Road 11-4 Won 4 9-1

San Antonio 24-12 1st Southwest / 3rd West 97.2 93.6 Home 14-7 Lost 1 8-2

[duncan228]

Spurs Team Report (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AuuRJiMY6TY0ytaxZLI0N7.M0bYF?slug=teamre ports-2009-nba-sas&prov=sportsxchange&type=team_report)

Before facing Southeast Division leading Orlando Sunday, five of San Antonio’s previous six opponents had losing records. The Spurs try not to focus on the quality of their foes beforehand.

“It doesn’t really come up. We always respect opponents,” guard Roger Mason said. “This is the NBA. We know these guys are capable of beating anybody. You always respect your opponent, no matter who they are. For us it’s about playing Spurs defense, sharing the ball and playing the right way.”

The Spurs only have two losses to sub-.500 teams this season and both were at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Otherwise, Gregg Popovich’s team handles its business.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. The Spurs had a few dogfights and close calls along the way before blowing out the Clippers, leading up to the Magic.

“Anytime you play a team that, on paper, is less than you and they have three or four injured players, it’s hard because the opponents know that,” guard Manu Ginobili said. “They play harder because they want to show they can do it without (their injured teammates) and you are not as motivated. It usually becomes a tougher game than expected.”

Magic 105, Spurs 98: San Antonio had its four-game winning streak come to an end with Sunday night’s home loss to Orlando. The Magic swept the season series from the Spurs for the first time ever.

San Antonio’s big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker combined for 67 points. Michael Finley was the only other Spur with at least 10. Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu each had at least 21 points for Orlando.

The Magic, winners of four straight, are tied with the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference lead in victories at 30. San Antonio fell to 24-12 overall and 14-7 at home. The Spurs are third in the Western Conference.

Notes, Quotes

• Tony Parker is making his case for an All-Star selection. Not only does he have a 55-point game on his docket this season, San Antonio’s point guard is averaging a career-high 20.9 points and 6.7 assists.

He’s picked up the pace even more ever since a miserable nine-point showing in a loss at Orlando. In the 10 games leading up to Sunday, the Frenchman was good for 21.7 points and 7.3 assists.

“He’s a scoring point guard, but he’s got to make sure he keeps everybody involved, too,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He could try and get something done (alone) all the time, but he realizes it’s a team game. The decisions he’s made this year have been really, really good in that regard.”

• He was called a “beast” and a “load” by the Spurs. That’s a pretty fair description of Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

The reigning slam dunk champ averaged 22.2 points and 13.4 rebounds in his past five games against San Antonio heading into Sunday. Is there a reason Howard gets up for the Spurs?

“I don’t know if it’s because he’s going against Tim Duncan, or because he’s going up against the Spurs, but he always seems to want to play one of his better games against us,” guard Michael Finley said.

Quote To Note: “With our system, around Tim Duncan, we have to have shooters. But the fact that we’re first, as we speak, wasn’t intended or wasn’t the goal or anything like that. We probably won’t be the leading three-point shooting team by the end of the year. That wasn’t the plan.”—Coach Gregg Popovich, on the Spurs leading the league in three-point percentage.

Roster Report

Rotation:

Starters—Point guard Tony Parker, Shooting guard Roger Mason, Small forward Michael Finley, Power forward Tim Duncan, Center Matt Bonner

Bench—Forward Kurt Thomas, Guard Manu Ginobili, Forward Ime Udoka, Forward Bruce Bowen, Center Fabricio Oberto, Guard George Hill, Guard Jacque Vaughn.

Player Notes:

• G Tony Parker had game highs in points (31) and assists (six) in Sunday night’s loss to Orlando. But he missed two floaters in the closing minutes that could have given the Spurs a chance to come back.

“That’s my shot. The tear-drop is my shot and it didn’t go in,” he said. “The layup was just short. I do those shots every day and sometimes that happens. That’s basketball. I can’t worry about that. It just meant that it wasn’t our night.”

• C Matt Bonner doesn’t have a problem bribing his way into the three-point contest, despite leading the league at 48 percent going into Sunday. NBA vice president Stu Jackson chooses the shootout field for All-Star Weekend.

“I’m going to send him some flowers,” Bonner quipped. “Or maybe one of those cookie bouquets.”

• F Kurt Thomas has developed into a solid backup for Tim Duncan after a slow start to the season. Thomas has played double-figure minutes in every game since Dec. 12.

“Kurt has gotten better and better as the season has gone along and he’s getting in shape,” coach Gregg Popovich sad. “He’s been good for a while backing Tim up.”

Medical Watch:

• C Ian Mahinmi (sprained ankle) is inactive.

[duncan228]

Game blog: Spurs vs. Lakers (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/spursworld/)
By Joe Alexander

One of the best rivalries in the Western Conference over the last decade is renewed when the Spurs host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs haven't played the Lakers yet this season, so this is their first meeting since the 2008 Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs have won 9 of their last 11 games. They are coming off a 105-98 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. By the way, the Magic followed their hot outside shooting against the Spurs by making 23 of 37 from 3-point range in a 139-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

The Lakers are in the second game of a back-to-back. They beat the Rockets 105-100 on Tuesday night in Houston. The Lakers got the go-ahead basket on a 3-pointer from, who else, Kobe Bryant in the final minute of the game.

The Lakers have won four in a row and 10 of their last 11. Like the Spurs, the Lakers have been pulling out close games. They beat the Miami Heat 108-105 on Sunday and beat the Indiana Pacers 121-119 last week.

[Dude]

That is some good info do you work for the Spurs?

[bavarianworks]

I'd love to see Pop surprise everyone and start Ian

[Danny.Zhu]

Please don't have too much expectation. LAL is still better than us.

[boutons_]

A Spurs win would surprise me as much as it would please me, naturallement.

The Spurs haven't shown much intensity or purpose, been laid back, "maybe we'll win, maybe we won't", if it's Great Deity Master Plan's will, such is our fate.

It's going to take playoff intensity to win. What month is it?

(However, Spurs' OT-win/17-pt-4th-qtr-comeback/Manu-48 @PHX was in Jan.)

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Wed. Jan. 14
L.A. Lakers @ San Antonio: S. Corbin, D. Guthrie, M. Smith

[duncan228]

Lakers conclude Texas two-step in San Antonio (http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4203598)

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers conclude a quick two-game tour of Texas Wednesday when they face the San Antonio Spurs in a battle of division leaders at the AT&T Center.

The matchup kicks off the season series for the two teams that have dominated the Western Conference for the past decade, combining for nine of the last 10 conference titles and seven NBA titles.

LA eliminated the Spurs to win the Western Conference last year before falling to Boston in the NBA Finals.

The Pacific-leading Lakers opened their Texas two-step on a positive note Tuesday when Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists, as Los Angeles outlasted Houston, 105-100.

Trevor Ariza notched 14 points off the Lakers' bench, Vladimir Radmanovic donated 12 points and six rebounds and Pau Gasol joined Andrew Bynum with 11 points.

Lamar Odom returned from a three-game absence due to a knee injury to score 10 points in just over 27 1/2 minutes for LA, which has won four in a row and 10 of 11 overall.

The Spurs, who are on top of the Southwest Division, lost for the first time in five games on Sunday when Orlando's Dwight Howard continued to crank out double-doubles with 24 points and 14 rebounds and the Magic won another matchup of division leaders, 105-98.

Tony Parker scored a game-high 31 points but failed to convert a pair of uncontested layups in the waning moments of the fourth as the Spurs fell to 1-1 on their three-game homestand and 14-7 on the season at the AT&T Center.

Tim Duncan posted 18 points and 10 rebounds while Manu Ginobili also scored 18 in the loss.

The Lakers, who are 11-4 as the visitor on the year, have dropped two straight regular season games to the Spurs in the Alamo City.

[duncan228]

Lakers to play at San Antonio (http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakerstonight14-2009jan14,0,3482689.story)

The Lakers are 7-1 in the second game of back-to-back situations.

Records: Lakers 31-6, Spurs 24-12.

Record vs. Spurs (2007-08): 2-2.

Update: The Lakers split with the Spurs during the regular season before beating them in five games in last season's Western Conference finals. The Spurs rebounded quickly this season after a 2-5 start. Tim Duncan has again been a source of consistency, averaging 20.4 points and 10.1 rebounds a game.

-- Mike Bresnahan

[duncan228]

At Center Court with Forum Blue and Gold (http://48minutesofhell.blogspot.com/2009/01/at-center-court-with-forum-blue-and.html)

[gingerwave]

These are some great reads. Thx. Big Game Tonight. Go Spurs :flag:

[romain.star]

I bet on a super Manu tonight...

Make them pay Manu !! Make them pay !!

[romad_20]

Lakers and ESPN game? I would be pleasantly surprised if the Spurs won. They are at home and rested but that's what I thought with the last game. Hopefully the Lakers don't shoot the 3-ball like the Magic have been.

[duncan228]

Hit the link for video with Manu and Pop.

Manu’s Eager to Show the Lakers What They Missed (http://www.woai.com/content/sports/spurs/story/Manu-s-Eager-to-Show-the-Lakers-What-They-Missed/kTJYyE0jtEm-AC6XCO3SDw.cspx)
Reported by: Don Harris

SAN ANTONIO - It's arguably the hottest ticket of the regular season. Kobe and company are coming to town as the best in the West - and maybe the best in the entire NBA.

“They’re at the top of the heap, so – of course – everybody’s chasing them,” Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich told me after practice Tuesday afternoon.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are rolling. They come to San Antonio for the first time this season Wednesday night. The Lakers last beat Houston Tuesday night for their 4th straight win, but that's just the beginning. The Lakers are the best in the West at 31-6. They have won 10 of their last 11 games.

This will be the first meeting since the Lakers knocked the Spurs out of the playoffs last summer. You can bet it's a game that gets the Spurs attention.

“It’s a good measuring stick,” explains Manu Ginobili. “It tells you where you stand. And sometime you’re going to lose. Sometimes you’re going to win. But it makes you see the mistakes you made and shows you how far you are from them. I wish we played them ten times – not only four.”

If you talk to hardcore Spurs fans, they're still bitter about the playoffs. Had Manu's ankle been 100 percent, the Lakers would have never beaten the Spurs. Right?

One this is for sure… Manu is worth watching. At practice Tuesday afternoon, even Tim Duncan took a little timeout to watch Manu work one on one. So is Manu ready to show the Lakers what they missed?

“It’s always great when you get to play those teams. It’s something that makes you better. Makes you improve and play harder. If not, you know you’re going home with a loss. It’s a great test,” said Manu.

Sounds like he’s ready. The Spurs get a chance to prove it Wednesday night at 8pm at the AT&T Center.

[EricB]

I think Duncan228 deserves another Spur for all the great work of collecting these game previews :toast

[z0sa]

I think Duncan228 deserves another Spur for all the great work of collecting every single recent spurs article known to humans :toast

FIFY and +1

[duncan228]

Boyd Free Bets (http://www.locksmithsportspicks.com/boyd-free-bets-11409/)

San Antonio Spurs -2.5

This is a big game for the Spurs to make a statement to the Lakers and to the rest of the Western Conference. The Spurs want to make things very clear that Los Angeles will have to go through them if it hopes to get back to the NBA Finals. San Antonio is coming off a home loss to Orlando in which its defense did not play up to par and that will get the Spurs even more focused here. The Lakers have been one of the worst covering teams in the league recently, dropping 14 of their last 20 games against the point spread. The key tonight will be San Antonio’s defense and its ability to control the tempo at home to keep this a halfcourt game. Here are two key trends to look at : the Spurs are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game and the Lakers are 3-18 ATS in their last 21 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. Both trends support my points that the Spurs will have every incentive to tighten the screws of defense tonight to get a win.

[DrHouse]

I can watch this game in peace since the Lakers won last night. 1-1 on the Texas two step is fine by me.

Just want to see a competitive and close game. I have a feeling the Lakers will get up for this game and try their best.

[21_Blessings]

Well the Lakers are slightly banged up and worn out from last night. The Lakers will need another ridiculous performance from Kobe if they want to make it out alive. The Spurs should win this game but it's going to be hilariously sad if they don't.

[Frenzy]

I bet on a super Manu tonight...

Make them pay Manu !! Make them pay !!


agreeeeed:king

[duncan228]

Nice read.

Reflections on a Rival: The Los Angeles Lakers (http://48minutesofhell.blogspot.com/)

[iggypop123]

i expect a loss. we arent healthy. second night of a back to back. the spurs arent a crap team like an OKC so its going to be tough. fisher has been loging 42 min a game alot lately and i think it catches up trying to guard parker.

[duncan228]

LA Times Lakers Blog (http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/01/lakers-vs-spurs.html)

Lakers vs. Spurs: A few thoughts

I always enjoy watching the Spurs, and things are no different this year. Whether they're struggling with injuries as they did opening the season or playing well as they currently are- San Antonio is 18-6 since a 6-6 start, and 8-2 over their last 10- Gregg Popovich's crew always provides a test. They're like the Terminator. Or the Energizer Bunny. Or death and taxes. Or whatever comparison to something that is steady, consistent, and relatively hard to kill that you prefer. While they're generally not the most athletic or dynamic team, they're always smart, fundamentally sound, play to their strengths, and most importantly, San Antonio doesn't do the opposition's work for them (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=tmcompare&sort=tos&league=nba&season=2009&seasontype=2&avg=pg&order=false).

With that in mind, some thoughts about tonight's game:

* SA's frontcourt combination provides an interesting matchup for the Lakers. Power forward Tim Duncan spends more time near the basket, while center Matt Bonner loves to bomb from the outside, taking three triples a game and shooting nearly 50% from beyond the arc. It's a similar setup to the Jazz, with Boozer/Millsap and Okur. Look for Bynum to play Duncan, Gasol on Bonner. On the other end, as Kurt from Forum Blue and Gold points out (http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/01/14/preview-and-chat-the-san-antonio-spurs-2/), whoever gets Bonner needs to take advantage.

* The Spurs are, in general, a three-heavy group (http://www.82games.com/0809/FGTEAM1.HTM), again, playing to strengths. Rounding up from George Hill's 39.5% (and eliminating Blake Ahern's six-plus minutes of burn), San Antonio has six rotation players who shoot 40% or better from distance.

* With that in mind, don't leave Roger Mason Jr. open.

* Given Tim Duncan's defensive abilities, it's no surprise to see that he Spurs don't give up much by the basket (http://www.82games.com/0809/FDTEAM15.HTM), relative to every other team in the league. Pau Gasol struggled to put up points against them in last year's playoffs, and Andrew Bynum hasn't lit them up, either.

* Threes are tough to come by (http://www.82games.com/0809/FDTEAM1.HTM) against the Spurs as well. For the Lakers to not get stuck in "long two" hell, they'll have to move the ball far more effectively than they did last night in Houston.

* Still, good as they've been in some areas, BDL's Kelly Dwyer notes that the Spurs have sputtered in others (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/BDL-NBA-Power-Rankings-Musical-chairs?urn=nba,133915): "The weird thing about this giant is that the team is last in three pretty major categories (http://www.knickerblogger.net/stats/2009/Spurs.htm): causing turnovers per possession, pulling in offensive rebounds per how many are available to grab, and getting to the line compared with how many field goals you attempt. The Spurs will also win about 58 games, so there’s that, as well."

* Tonight's theme: Controlled speed. Injuries and rotation issues have made it tough for the Lakers to play at truly full speed over the last few games, but if they could gently increase the pace of things tonight, it would serve them well. But discipline is important- you don't want to turn the ball over against the Spurs. On the other end, with SA's shooting ability and the penetration skills of Parker and Ginobili, the Lakers will have to be very disciplined in how they trap and what passing lanes they try to jump. LA has been strong all year forcing TOs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=tmcompare&sort=tos&league=nba&season=2009&seasontype=2&avg=pg&order=true&split=999)and can do so tonight, but can't take shortcuts to get there.

[duncan228]

Forum Blue & Gold (http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/01/14/preview-and-chat-the-san-antonio-spurs-2/)

Preview and Chat: The San Antonio Spurs

Records: Lakers 30-6 (1st in West) Spurs 24-12 (3rd in the West)

Offensive ratings: Lakers 113.1 (2nd in league) Spurs 108.3 (11th in league)

Defensive ratings: Lakers 103.8 (5th in league) Spurs 104.3 (6th in league)

Projected Starting Lineups:

Lakers: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Vladimir Radmanovic, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum

Spurs: Tony Parker, Roger Mason Jr., Michael Finley, Matt Bonner, Tim Duncan

Lakers Notes: Just an entertaining game last night. It was a hard fought and chippy effort from two teams that always play eachother tough, so the fact that the game came down to the final possesions is not a suprise. There were, however some suprises. VON WAFER! Who knew? Well, apparently The Kamenetzky Bros did…and have been on his bandwagon (for various reasons) since he was originally drafted by the Lakers. Von’s always been a little bit of a character (love the haircut), so check out that little tribute to a guy we once had, but now is playing quite well for the undermanned Rockets. As for a suprise from the Lakers, it was nice to see Lamar back in the lineup and doing the things that he can do that help this team win. I was not expecting him to be back this soon, but was happy that he could come into the office with the team being a bit understaffed at the moment. Kwame A. summed it up well in the comments:

What a difference Lamar Odom makes, the guy does a lot of stuff that helps a team win. Rotations on defense, attacking the basket, moving the ball from strong to weak, etc. The next time he runs somebody over, or steps in-bounds before throwing the ball in, give the guy a pass, cause we wouldn’t have won tonight without him.

Overall, last night might not have been our best game and we needed some Kobe heroics at the end, but that was a very good road win. We played a motivated team that, while undermanned themselves, had some strong performances from (the afforementioned) Wafer, Carl Landry, and Yao. I would have liked to have seen some different defensive strategies employed (O’ where have you gone, strong side zone?) but in the end I’ll take a win any way we can get one. We’ve had lot’s of trouble on the first night of back to backs (four of our six losses have come in that type of game) and I’m happy that we could fly out of Houston with the victory. Which leads us to tonight…

The Spurs Coming in: The Spurs are currently playing some very good ball. Sure, they’ve beaten up on some soft opponents and lost against Orlando in their last game, but overall they’re right where you’d expect them to be. Currently sitting 3rd in the Western Conference (in a percentage tie with the Nuggets), they’ve battled through Ginobili’s early season recovery from surgery and Tony Parker’s high ankle sprain to prove that, once again, they are one of the elite teams in the West and a true contender for the title. And speaking of the Spurs’ injuries, in some ways they have been a blessing in disguise for this team. While Parker and Ginobili were out, other players stepped to the forefront and showed that they are capable of being contributors for this team. First is the starter at SG, Roger Mason Jr. Castoff from the Wizzards, Mason has proven to be a very reliable outside shooting threat (47% on threes) and has been a steady player (double digit scoring in two thirds of their games) for the Spurs. Also benefitting from the absence of Parker and Ginobili is rookie George Hill. We know Hill as the guy that our coaching staff was hoping would fall to us in the 2nd round of this past draft. A guy we hoped could compete for backup PG minutes with Farmar. The Spurs know him as a smooth and poised guard that can score in a variety of ways and a guy that will surely help them as a spark off the bench in some important games this season and in seasons to come. From what I’ve seen of him, our coaches were right to want this kid and the Spurs are (once again) ahead of the curve in drafting players that can really contribute for them.

However, eventhough these new faces have emerged, the Spurs are still built on the big three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe these guys, so I’m not going to on and on about them. However, I will say that Tony Parker is quietly having another strong season. He’s coming off a 31 point, 6 assist effort against the Magic and is averaging a cool 21 and 7 on the year. I’ll also add that Tim Duncan is having a throwback type season. His leadership when Paker and Ginobili were out was masterful and he continues to be the catalyst for this team. His consistency has always been his trademark, but this season is a testament to this quality. In 36 games, he’s had only five games where he’s scored under 17 points and only nine games where he’s had less than 9 rebounds. As for Manu, his minutes are down almost five a game, but the efficiency is still there. He’s still got a PER over 21 and is still a threat from anywhere on the court. More crafty than explosive at this point, he’s getting the job done night in and night out.

Keys to game:

Defensively: As mentioned earlier the Spurs are still all about the Big 3 and any plan to beat this team starts with them. Parker is the exact type of guard that gives the Lakers fits. He will continuosly try to get to the rim and will test our rotations on penetration as well as our ability to recover to the perimeter when he drives and kicks out to shooters. He’ll go to the P&R on ten straight possesions if he needs to and we must be disciplined in our defense or he will hurt us. Per our normal strategy, we must try to make him a jumpshooter by going under screens and then trying to contest the jumper when does shoot. If we chase him over the screen, the big man must be ready to show hard while also not letting Parker split the double and get into the lane. If Parker shoots ten teardrops tonight, we have not done our job on defense. Another big key to stopping the Spurs attack is trying to contain Duncan. He’s taken a more active role in early offense this season and is getting more post up looks early in the clock. We must fight him for position and play sound position defense. I expect for Bynum to start out on Timmy and traditionally Andrew’s size and length has bothered him. If young ‘Drew can stay out of foul trouble, it will go a long way in limiting Duncan’s effectiveness. We must also be very aware of the three point line and recognizing where the Spurs shooters are. San Antonio leads the league in Three Point FG % and there are many shooters to track. We can’t give wide open, stand still looks to Finley, Bowen, Mason, Bonner, or Hill. We’ll need hard close outs tonight and I’d like to see us run them off the 3 point line and make them create off the dribble instead. Bowen and Bonner are especially less effective when they have to put the ball on the ground (and they’re also their best % shooters from deep) so it’s even more important to track them (Bowen will be in the corner and Bonner loves to Pick and Pop to the top of the key) and get them out of the places where they like to shoot from.

Offensively: This is a team that, in the recent past, has had trouble containing Kobe. Over the years and through their great battles, Kobe has learned to dissect Bruce Bowen’s defensive tendencies and really hurt the Spurs. This was most evident in last years playoff series against San Antonio where Kobe shot 53% from the field and basically killed the Spurs. He’ll have a different matchup tonight with Mason on him to start, but I would not be suprised to see Bowen get some extended minutes on Kobe. As for our bigs, like last night, this will be a test. Duncan is one of the best defenders of our generation and will likely hold down whoever he matches up with. I would think that he’d battle Gasol, but Popovich may not want Bonner attempting to keep Andrew off the offensive glass. So, I say, whoever Duncan doesn’t guard should be our main option on the block. Obviously Gasol will get his touches regardless of who’s on him, but if the Spurs put Bonner on him he should be featured on offense on nearly every possesion. If the Spurs put Bonner on Bynum, this should be another chance for ’Drew to get it going on offense. Andrew (despite last night’s effort) has been playing quite well on offense in the last several games and this could be another good night for him. Also, we must move the ball from side to side and make the Spurs move on defense. While their D is anchored by Duncan, they also start players whose calling card is not on that end of the court. Parker, Bonner, and Finley can all be taken advantage of and are not the most instinctive defensive players. If we run crisp sets and really move the ball, we will end up with open looks and we will score.

One final note: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and the Spurs since we eliminated them from the Playoffs last season. Think about how much we wanted to beat Boston when we saw them for the first time. Now apply that same perspective to the Spurs mindset and that of their fan base towards us. Not only do these franchises have a rich history and storied rivalry over the last ten years, but there are fresh wounds on their side. So don’t be suprised at an even greater level of hate by their fans towards us tonight. Expect there to be boos and expect Fisher to be a primary recipient. If you don’t know why, maybe you forgot about this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWiw60NusOY&feature=related). It’s apparent that they haven’t (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_refuse_to_dwell_on_non-call.html). And then for old times sake, there’s always this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zipuwPRcEw&feature=related). So, expect a hard fought game and expect there to be a real home court advantage with the crowd going crazy.

One final, final note: For other thoughts on the game please go visit the excellent Spurs Blog 48 Minutes of Hell (http://48minutesofhell.blogspot.com/). They’ve got a Q&A up with Kurt (http://48minutesofhell.blogspot.com/2009/01/at-center-court-with-forum-blue-and.html) and will also be providing some updated posts with some solid insights on the Lakers/Spurs rivalry.