duncan228
02-02-2009, 05:58 PM
San Antonio (32-14) at Golden State (15-33) Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009020209)
Game info: 10:30 pm EST Mon Feb 2, 2009
TV: FSSW, CSBA
By Kate Hedlin
The San Antonio Spurs begin their annual “rodeo” road trip with some room atop the Southwest Division standings. They have a good chance to increase that margin considering the struggles of their next opponent.
The Spurs begin an eight-game road trip Monday when they visit the Golden State Warriors.
While the AT&T Center is taken over by a rodeo show, San Antonio (32-14) will travel to both coasts during this road trip that goes through Feb. 21. The Spurs began this trip in 2002-03 when the rodeo moved to the AT&T Center from the Freeman Coliseum, and they have traditionally done well during it, going 35-13 over the previous six seasons, including 6-3 in 2007-08.
“The guys said they’ve had some success, so there’s a little bit of pressure,” said guard Roger Mason Jr., who is in his first season with San Antonio. “I want to be a part of a winning road trip.”
The Spurs will face teams from both conferences during this trip, with five of the opponents currently below .500. They’ll also face Denver, Boston and Detroit before returning home on Feb. 24 to face Dallas.
“It’s not as if we’re doing anything differently,” coach Gregg Popovich said of the stretch. “We don’t have a new offense or a new defense when we go on the road. We enjoy it because it gives us an opportunity to focus, but we don’t do anything different strategy wise.”
The Spurs are 14-7 on the road this season, having won seven of their last nine road games.
San Antonio has also won seven of its last eight overall, including three straight. It’s coming off a 106-93 win over New Orleans on Saturday, which increased its lead in the division over the second-place Hornets to three games.
The Spurs shot 54.5 percent and had six players score in double figures, led by 25 points from Tony Parker, who was 12-of-18 from the field, and 22 by Manu Ginobili.
Parker is averaging 25.0 points and shooting 57.9 percent in his last three games. He missed eight games of last season’s rodeo road trip because of ankle problems.
The Warriors probably are wishing he would miss this one as well. Parker has averaged 25.4 points and 7.5 assists in his last eight visits to Oracle Arena and he scored 17 points and added eight assists in 20 minutes when the Spurs blew out the Warriors 123-88 on Dec. 6 in San Antonio.
San Antonio has won 12 of the last 15 meetings, but has dropped three of the last four at Oracle Arena.
Golden State (15-33), though, has lost four of six and 10 of 15. The Warriors are coming off a 110-93 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Corey Maggette scored 17 points and Stephen Jackson added 16, but the Warriors failed to reach 100 points for a third straight game after doing so in 14 straight. Golden State is 2-11 this season when it fails to score 100 points, and averages 106.4—the second-highest in the NBA.
Jamal Crawford said that the team is adjusting to the returns of several players. Monta Ellis played in his fifth game of the season Saturday while Maggette and Jackson have also missed time.
“We’re having to adjust on the fly since we’re just getting some guys back into action,” Crawford said. “Sometimes it looks OK and other nights it doesn’t.”
After finishing a three-game road trip Saturday, the Warriors play seven of their next eight at home. They are 10-11 at home this season.
Notes
Spurs:
After closing out a 12-3 January, the Spurs will face a tough road - literally - in February. They begin the new month on an eight-game road trip, though it will be put on hold for a few days over the All-Star break. ... The Spurs' victory over division-rival New Orleans on Saturday was revenge for an earlier road loss to the Hornets on December 17. ... Veteran G-F Michael Finley had one of his best showings of the season, scoring 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting - including 4-of-5 from the arc.
Warriors:
Starting F Kelenna Azubuike was a late scratch Saturday because of tendinitis in his left knee. F Ronny Turiaf started in his place and grabbed 10 rebounds but scored only four points in 31 minutes. It was just the third start of the season for Turiaf. ... G-F Corey Maggette's string of four consecutive games of scoring 20 or more points ended at Houston. Maggette ended with 17, shooting 6-of-13 in 32 minutes. ... F Brandan Wright missed his 11th consecutive game since suffering a partial dislocation of his left shoulder January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers. ... Coach Don Nelson's explanation for Friday's 91-87 win at New Orleans. "We were pretty good defensively," he said. "They missed a lot of shots." The Hornets shot 36 percent with Peja Stojakovic a mere 3-of-11, including 1-of-6 from 3-point range. ... The Warriors return home to play San Antonio and Phoenix, Monday and Wednesday.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tony Parker SA 20.6
Corey Maggette GS 19.6
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.3
Andris Biedrins GS 11.9
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.5
Stephen Jackson GS 5.9
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 32-14 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.4 94.1 Road 14-7 Won 3 8-2
Golden State 15-33 3rd Pacific / 11th West 106.4 111.2 Home 10-11 Lost 1 5-5
Game info: 10:30 pm EST Mon Feb 2, 2009
TV: FSSW, CSBA
By Kate Hedlin
The San Antonio Spurs begin their annual “rodeo” road trip with some room atop the Southwest Division standings. They have a good chance to increase that margin considering the struggles of their next opponent.
The Spurs begin an eight-game road trip Monday when they visit the Golden State Warriors.
While the AT&T Center is taken over by a rodeo show, San Antonio (32-14) will travel to both coasts during this road trip that goes through Feb. 21. The Spurs began this trip in 2002-03 when the rodeo moved to the AT&T Center from the Freeman Coliseum, and they have traditionally done well during it, going 35-13 over the previous six seasons, including 6-3 in 2007-08.
“The guys said they’ve had some success, so there’s a little bit of pressure,” said guard Roger Mason Jr., who is in his first season with San Antonio. “I want to be a part of a winning road trip.”
The Spurs will face teams from both conferences during this trip, with five of the opponents currently below .500. They’ll also face Denver, Boston and Detroit before returning home on Feb. 24 to face Dallas.
“It’s not as if we’re doing anything differently,” coach Gregg Popovich said of the stretch. “We don’t have a new offense or a new defense when we go on the road. We enjoy it because it gives us an opportunity to focus, but we don’t do anything different strategy wise.”
The Spurs are 14-7 on the road this season, having won seven of their last nine road games.
San Antonio has also won seven of its last eight overall, including three straight. It’s coming off a 106-93 win over New Orleans on Saturday, which increased its lead in the division over the second-place Hornets to three games.
The Spurs shot 54.5 percent and had six players score in double figures, led by 25 points from Tony Parker, who was 12-of-18 from the field, and 22 by Manu Ginobili.
Parker is averaging 25.0 points and shooting 57.9 percent in his last three games. He missed eight games of last season’s rodeo road trip because of ankle problems.
The Warriors probably are wishing he would miss this one as well. Parker has averaged 25.4 points and 7.5 assists in his last eight visits to Oracle Arena and he scored 17 points and added eight assists in 20 minutes when the Spurs blew out the Warriors 123-88 on Dec. 6 in San Antonio.
San Antonio has won 12 of the last 15 meetings, but has dropped three of the last four at Oracle Arena.
Golden State (15-33), though, has lost four of six and 10 of 15. The Warriors are coming off a 110-93 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Corey Maggette scored 17 points and Stephen Jackson added 16, but the Warriors failed to reach 100 points for a third straight game after doing so in 14 straight. Golden State is 2-11 this season when it fails to score 100 points, and averages 106.4—the second-highest in the NBA.
Jamal Crawford said that the team is adjusting to the returns of several players. Monta Ellis played in his fifth game of the season Saturday while Maggette and Jackson have also missed time.
“We’re having to adjust on the fly since we’re just getting some guys back into action,” Crawford said. “Sometimes it looks OK and other nights it doesn’t.”
After finishing a three-game road trip Saturday, the Warriors play seven of their next eight at home. They are 10-11 at home this season.
Notes
Spurs:
After closing out a 12-3 January, the Spurs will face a tough road - literally - in February. They begin the new month on an eight-game road trip, though it will be put on hold for a few days over the All-Star break. ... The Spurs' victory over division-rival New Orleans on Saturday was revenge for an earlier road loss to the Hornets on December 17. ... Veteran G-F Michael Finley had one of his best showings of the season, scoring 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting - including 4-of-5 from the arc.
Warriors:
Starting F Kelenna Azubuike was a late scratch Saturday because of tendinitis in his left knee. F Ronny Turiaf started in his place and grabbed 10 rebounds but scored only four points in 31 minutes. It was just the third start of the season for Turiaf. ... G-F Corey Maggette's string of four consecutive games of scoring 20 or more points ended at Houston. Maggette ended with 17, shooting 6-of-13 in 32 minutes. ... F Brandan Wright missed his 11th consecutive game since suffering a partial dislocation of his left shoulder January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers. ... Coach Don Nelson's explanation for Friday's 91-87 win at New Orleans. "We were pretty good defensively," he said. "They missed a lot of shots." The Hornets shot 36 percent with Peja Stojakovic a mere 3-of-11, including 1-of-6 from 3-point range. ... The Warriors return home to play San Antonio and Phoenix, Monday and Wednesday.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tony Parker SA 20.6
Corey Maggette GS 19.6
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.3
Andris Biedrins GS 11.9
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.5
Stephen Jackson GS 5.9
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 32-14 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.4 94.1 Road 14-7 Won 3 8-2
Golden State 15-33 3rd Pacific / 11th West 106.4 111.2 Home 10-11 Lost 1 5-5