timvp
01-20-2009, 05:42 PM
In an extremely physical battle against the Charlotte Bobcats, the San Antonio Spurs were able to escape victorious from another nail-biter. Up by two points in the closing seconds, Tim Duncan blocked a Raymond Felton runner and then watched Boris Diaw miss a wide open three-pointer at the buzzer.
The most important stretch of San Antonio’s 86-84 victory came with three and a half minutes to go in the game. With the Spurs down by a point, Duncan was double-teamed on the low block but found Manu Ginobili free for a three-pointer. After getting a stop, Ginobili sank another three on another assist from Duncan to give the Spurs a five-point lead they would never relinquish.
The Bobcats were surprisingly impressive. Larry Brown has his team playing hard. In fact, this was easily the most physical game the Spurs have played on the season. Two former Phoenicians did the most damage as Boris Diaw remained a headache for the Spurs in the low block and Raja Bell played lights out in the second half.
Overall, the Spurs have to be happy with their performance. The defense was solid and they were able to overcome abysmal shooting nights from beyond the arc and from the charity stripe. It wasn’t a beautiful game to behold but it was the type of grind-it-out battle the Spurs have perfected over the years.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
36 minutes, 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks
6-for-13 from the field, 5-for-11 from the line
Tim Duncan wasn’t flashy but he was good enough. Although he struggled from the line, he kept attacking whenever he got the ball in good post position. His energy level on offense was on the low side but he came up with two key assists when the Spurs needed it most. Defensively, Duncan had a relatively good showing. He was aware of his responsibilities in terms of protecting the rim and picking up cutters down the lane. For the month of January, Duncan has passed the ball extremely well – averaging five assists and only two turnovers per game.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
28 minutes, ten points, two rebounds, one assist
4-for-11 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers
Up until the final four minutes of the game, Manu Ginobili hadn’t done much of anything. He was only 2-for-9 and wasn’t making a dent anywhere else on the stat sheet. Then, out of nowhere, Ginobili canned two huge three-pointers to give the Spurs the cushion they needed for the victory. Although it was otherwise a non-descript outing, he deserves credit for not turning the ball over and playing physical defense throughout.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
34 minutes, 13 points, ten assists, two rebounds, two steals
3-for-11 from the field, 7-for-8 from the line
Tony Parker had a rare bad shooting night as he hit less than half of his attempts for the first time in six games. The good news is he remained aggressive and fought to get to the line eight times. He also dished out ten assists while only turning the ball over once. Defensively, Parker pressured the ball reasonably well and was sturdy when he was forced to switch onto bigger players. All in all, it wasn’t a game to remember but Parker helped far more than he hurt.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
29 minutes, 12 points, four rebounds
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-6 on three-pointers, 2-for-4 from the line
For the second straight game, Roger Mason, Jr. seemed to be running in molasses on the defensive end. He did a poor job fighting through picks and even failed at simple close-outs on shooters. On offense, Mason was somewhat productive, although he had two uncharacteristic misses at the free throw line. With the rest of the team picking up their defensive effort, Mason needs to keep up or else Pop could quickly lose confidence in him.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
25 minutes, three points, five rebounds, two assists
1-for-9 from the field, 0-for-7 on three-pointers
Against the Bulls, Finley struggled early on and then found his shot in the fourth quarter. Against the Bobcats, Finley struggled early on and then continued to struggle in the fourth quarter. In his last four games, Finley is shooting just 22.6% from the field and 15.8% from three-point land. The good news is that his defense was a strength against Charlotte – especially when matched up with Gerald Wallace.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
16 minutes, five points, six rebounds
2-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner was playing well offensively and rebounding the ball very well for the second straight game, but Pop was forced to relegate him to the pine due to poor defense. Bonner let Diaw do basically whatever he wanted without any hint of defense being played. At the very least, Bonner should have been more physical and kept Diaw from getting great position every time up the court. Hopefully this was a learning experience and Pop won’t have to make a habit of benching Bonner for poor defense.
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Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
24 minutes, five points, four rebounds, two blocks
2-for-5 from the field
With Bonner struggling against Diaw, Thomas came in and saved the day. He made Diaw work down low and even was able to hang with him out on the perimeter. When he wasn’t defending Diaw, Thomas roamed the paint and was a shot blocking presence. On the other end he wasn’t as helpful but he aggressively looked for his shot, which helped spread the court when he was paired with Duncan.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
18 minutes, ten points, two rebounds
3-for-5 from the field, 4-for-5 at the line
0-for-3
George Hill was quietly one of the most important pieces to the win. He came off the bench and supplied boundless energy on both ends of the court. When it was obvious that many of the veterans were weary due to the busy schedule as of late, Hill supplied the needed injection of tenacity. Pop rewarded Hill by allowing him to play the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter. An interesting lineup that Pop used in the fourth consisted of Hill alongside both Parker and Ginobili. If Hill continues to improve, that could be a lineup we see more often.
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
17 minutes, five points
2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 at the line
Although Bruce Bowen didn’t play a huge role, he was very helpful in terms of matching the physicality of the Bobcats. Specifically, he went mano-a-mano against Bell and assisted in cooling him off. On the offensive end, Bowen hit both of his shots from the field and his only free throw attempt. It was the first time since Jan .3 that Bowen hit multiple shots in a game.
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Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
11 minutes, four points, two rebounds
1-for-1 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Like usual, Ime Udoka came into the game and played poorly in his first few minutes. He was hesitant on the offensive end and was just getting in the way on the defensive end. Thankfully, Udoka improved in his second stint and produced at a decent clip in his seven fourth quarter minutes. It’d be nice if Udoka figured out how not to require a few minutes of warming up before being useful.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
Two minutes, two points, one rebound, one block
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto was once again granted a few minutes of first half action. This time, he was much more active. Oberto moved well offensively and even got a hand up to protect the rim a few times. It’ll be interesting to see if Pop eventually gives Oberto a sizeable role or if Oberto will be on the outside of the rotation looking in for the rest of the season.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
I thought Pop coached reasonably well. I don’t really like his fascination with always putting in Udoka at the first sign of trouble. I also probably would have given Bonner one last shot instead of benching him for the final 21 minutes of the game. That said, I really liked how Pop gave Hill extended playing time and rested the Big Three despite the tight nature of the contest. Going without any member of the Big Three on the court for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth quarter was extremely gutsy by Pop but it worked out quite nicely. That strategy allowed the role players to gain experience and for the Big Three to rest for the stretch run.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offense was simply not that good. Ginobili’s two three-pointers late were huge shots but the execution down the stretch was iffy. With under a minute to go, Thomas fired up a long jumper that was ill-advised. On the final possession, Ginobili didn’t sufficiently run the shot clock down before initiating the play and that allowed the Bobcats plenty of time at the end. Thankfully Diaw missed the desperation three or else the poor execution at the end of the game on offense would have been at fault. For the night, the Spurs shot only 40.8% from the court, hit just 5-of-21 three-pointers and 23-of-34 free throws. On the plus side, getting to the line 34 times was great to see and the Spurs had 20 assists to only eight turnovers.
Defense
The Spurs had a lot to be proud about on the defensive end. They held the Bobcats to 36.3% shooting from the field – a much more Spurs-like defensive mark than we’ve seen in a while. The Spurs also did a good job of holding Charlotte to 5-of-14 shooting from beyond the three-point arc. However, the rest of the numbers aren’t so good. The Bobcats got to the line 28 times, had 19 assists, only nine turnovers and out-rebounded the Spurs 46-39.
Drive to Five
The Spurs play another back-to-back when the Indiana Pacers visit the AT&T Center on Tuesday night. Fatigue will be a factor but let’s hope the Spurs can get their third W in a row and continue their defensive ways.
Believe.
The most important stretch of San Antonio’s 86-84 victory came with three and a half minutes to go in the game. With the Spurs down by a point, Duncan was double-teamed on the low block but found Manu Ginobili free for a three-pointer. After getting a stop, Ginobili sank another three on another assist from Duncan to give the Spurs a five-point lead they would never relinquish.
The Bobcats were surprisingly impressive. Larry Brown has his team playing hard. In fact, this was easily the most physical game the Spurs have played on the season. Two former Phoenicians did the most damage as Boris Diaw remained a headache for the Spurs in the low block and Raja Bell played lights out in the second half.
Overall, the Spurs have to be happy with their performance. The defense was solid and they were able to overcome abysmal shooting nights from beyond the arc and from the charity stripe. It wasn’t a beautiful game to behold but it was the type of grind-it-out battle the Spurs have perfected over the years.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
36 minutes, 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks
6-for-13 from the field, 5-for-11 from the line
Tim Duncan wasn’t flashy but he was good enough. Although he struggled from the line, he kept attacking whenever he got the ball in good post position. His energy level on offense was on the low side but he came up with two key assists when the Spurs needed it most. Defensively, Duncan had a relatively good showing. He was aware of his responsibilities in terms of protecting the rim and picking up cutters down the lane. For the month of January, Duncan has passed the ball extremely well – averaging five assists and only two turnovers per game.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
28 minutes, ten points, two rebounds, one assist
4-for-11 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers
Up until the final four minutes of the game, Manu Ginobili hadn’t done much of anything. He was only 2-for-9 and wasn’t making a dent anywhere else on the stat sheet. Then, out of nowhere, Ginobili canned two huge three-pointers to give the Spurs the cushion they needed for the victory. Although it was otherwise a non-descript outing, he deserves credit for not turning the ball over and playing physical defense throughout.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
34 minutes, 13 points, ten assists, two rebounds, two steals
3-for-11 from the field, 7-for-8 from the line
Tony Parker had a rare bad shooting night as he hit less than half of his attempts for the first time in six games. The good news is he remained aggressive and fought to get to the line eight times. He also dished out ten assists while only turning the ball over once. Defensively, Parker pressured the ball reasonably well and was sturdy when he was forced to switch onto bigger players. All in all, it wasn’t a game to remember but Parker helped far more than he hurt.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
29 minutes, 12 points, four rebounds
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-6 on three-pointers, 2-for-4 from the line
For the second straight game, Roger Mason, Jr. seemed to be running in molasses on the defensive end. He did a poor job fighting through picks and even failed at simple close-outs on shooters. On offense, Mason was somewhat productive, although he had two uncharacteristic misses at the free throw line. With the rest of the team picking up their defensive effort, Mason needs to keep up or else Pop could quickly lose confidence in him.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
25 minutes, three points, five rebounds, two assists
1-for-9 from the field, 0-for-7 on three-pointers
Against the Bulls, Finley struggled early on and then found his shot in the fourth quarter. Against the Bobcats, Finley struggled early on and then continued to struggle in the fourth quarter. In his last four games, Finley is shooting just 22.6% from the field and 15.8% from three-point land. The good news is that his defense was a strength against Charlotte – especially when matched up with Gerald Wallace.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
16 minutes, five points, six rebounds
2-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner was playing well offensively and rebounding the ball very well for the second straight game, but Pop was forced to relegate him to the pine due to poor defense. Bonner let Diaw do basically whatever he wanted without any hint of defense being played. At the very least, Bonner should have been more physical and kept Diaw from getting great position every time up the court. Hopefully this was a learning experience and Pop won’t have to make a habit of benching Bonner for poor defense.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
24 minutes, five points, four rebounds, two blocks
2-for-5 from the field
With Bonner struggling against Diaw, Thomas came in and saved the day. He made Diaw work down low and even was able to hang with him out on the perimeter. When he wasn’t defending Diaw, Thomas roamed the paint and was a shot blocking presence. On the other end he wasn’t as helpful but he aggressively looked for his shot, which helped spread the court when he was paired with Duncan.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
18 minutes, ten points, two rebounds
3-for-5 from the field, 4-for-5 at the line
0-for-3
George Hill was quietly one of the most important pieces to the win. He came off the bench and supplied boundless energy on both ends of the court. When it was obvious that many of the veterans were weary due to the busy schedule as of late, Hill supplied the needed injection of tenacity. Pop rewarded Hill by allowing him to play the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter. An interesting lineup that Pop used in the fourth consisted of Hill alongside both Parker and Ginobili. If Hill continues to improve, that could be a lineup we see more often.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
17 minutes, five points
2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 at the line
Although Bruce Bowen didn’t play a huge role, he was very helpful in terms of matching the physicality of the Bobcats. Specifically, he went mano-a-mano against Bell and assisted in cooling him off. On the offensive end, Bowen hit both of his shots from the field and his only free throw attempt. It was the first time since Jan .3 that Bowen hit multiple shots in a game.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
11 minutes, four points, two rebounds
1-for-1 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Like usual, Ime Udoka came into the game and played poorly in his first few minutes. He was hesitant on the offensive end and was just getting in the way on the defensive end. Thankfully, Udoka improved in his second stint and produced at a decent clip in his seven fourth quarter minutes. It’d be nice if Udoka figured out how not to require a few minutes of warming up before being useful.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
Two minutes, two points, one rebound, one block
1-for-2 from the field
Fabricio Oberto was once again granted a few minutes of first half action. This time, he was much more active. Oberto moved well offensively and even got a hand up to protect the rim a few times. It’ll be interesting to see if Pop eventually gives Oberto a sizeable role or if Oberto will be on the outside of the rotation looking in for the rest of the season.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
I thought Pop coached reasonably well. I don’t really like his fascination with always putting in Udoka at the first sign of trouble. I also probably would have given Bonner one last shot instead of benching him for the final 21 minutes of the game. That said, I really liked how Pop gave Hill extended playing time and rested the Big Three despite the tight nature of the contest. Going without any member of the Big Three on the court for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth quarter was extremely gutsy by Pop but it worked out quite nicely. That strategy allowed the role players to gain experience and for the Big Three to rest for the stretch run.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offense was simply not that good. Ginobili’s two three-pointers late were huge shots but the execution down the stretch was iffy. With under a minute to go, Thomas fired up a long jumper that was ill-advised. On the final possession, Ginobili didn’t sufficiently run the shot clock down before initiating the play and that allowed the Bobcats plenty of time at the end. Thankfully Diaw missed the desperation three or else the poor execution at the end of the game on offense would have been at fault. For the night, the Spurs shot only 40.8% from the court, hit just 5-of-21 three-pointers and 23-of-34 free throws. On the plus side, getting to the line 34 times was great to see and the Spurs had 20 assists to only eight turnovers.
Defense
The Spurs had a lot to be proud about on the defensive end. They held the Bobcats to 36.3% shooting from the field – a much more Spurs-like defensive mark than we’ve seen in a while. The Spurs also did a good job of holding Charlotte to 5-of-14 shooting from beyond the three-point arc. However, the rest of the numbers aren’t so good. The Bobcats got to the line 28 times, had 19 assists, only nine turnovers and out-rebounded the Spurs 46-39.
Drive to Five
The Spurs play another back-to-back when the Indiana Pacers visit the AT&T Center on Tuesday night. Fatigue will be a factor but let’s hope the Spurs can get their third W in a row and continue their defensive ways.
Believe.