timvp
02-06-2009, 04:14 AM
Following the exhausting overtime win against the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs traveled to Denver to take on the Nuggets. As everyone knows by now, Pop elected to rest the Big Three (plus Michael Finley) on this back-to-back affair. Playing against the junior varsity Spurs, the Nuggets were able to pull out a 104-96 victory.
Regarding Pop’s ploy, I was in full agreement. After the Warriors game, my main hope was that the Spurs would stay healthy against the Nuggets. Playing a good team on the road, in altitude and less than 20 hours after finishing the previous game is just asking for trouble. By benching the Big Three, Pop assured their health and also gave his bench some valuable minutes. For a further explanation on Pop’s motives, I hand the baton to Kori Ellis (http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3081296&postcount=54).
As far as the actual game is concerned, I was very happy with how the Spurs played. They had nowhere near equal talent but they played extremely hard and relentlessly fought. As a whole, I also though the Spurs played a physical brand of basketball we haven’t seen much of this season. Despite the loss, I believe there were a lot of positives to take out of this performance, especially in terms of the added confidence of the bench unit and the way the team stuck with playing Spurs Basketball no matter which five players were out on the court wearing the silver and black.
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
35 minutes, 26 points, six assists, five rebounds, eight turnovers
8-for-21 from the field, 5-for-10 on three-pointers, 5-for-5 at the line
Roger Mason, Jr. had mixed results taking the starring role as the Big Three rested. Turnovers were his most prominent negative on the night, finishing with a total of eight – the most a Spurs player has had in a game since Tim Duncan had nine in his rookie season. Besides his turnovers, Mason played reasonably well. His scoring kept the Spurs in the game and he also was helpful on the defensive end and on the boards. His playmaking, when he wasn’t losing the ball, was also a bright spot.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
23 minutes, six points
2-for-5 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Back in the starting lineup, Bruce Bowen didn’t play especially well. He had a few good moments on the defensive end but was otherwise underwhelming. With Carmelo Anthony scoring 35 points on 17 shots, a lockdown defensive performance by Bowen would have been really helpful. After knocking down 2-of-3 three-pointers, Bowen is now shooting a career-high 44.3% from three-point land. That mark is even better than when he lead the league in the 2002-03 season.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
36 minutes, nine points, three assists, three turnovers
4-for-14 from the field, 0-for-4 on three-pointers
For the first time this season, it was painfully obvious that George Hill has hit the rookie wall. Following a great first quarter that saw him outplay Chauncey Billups, Hill looked tired and the explosion in his legs was gone. In his first nine minutes of action, Hill had seven points and two assists. In his remaining 27 minutes, he only managed two points and one assist on 1-for-8 shooting. Hopefully Hill can break through the wall before too much longer because the Spurs need his athletic boost off the bench.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
31 minutes, 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists
4-for-10 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 1-for-2 at the line
Matt Bonner got 31 minutes of action and played decently well. Although he got bullied a few times by Nene on defense and was a bit too passive at times on the offensive end, Bonner was one of the better players on the night for the Spurs. He shot the ball well from the perimeter, battled on the boards and dished off a handful of assists. Bonner also deserves credit for being one of the players who upped the physicality level of the team.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
27 minutes, ten points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals
4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Kurt Thomas played a solid all-around game. He was aggressive on both ends of the court, rebounded well, passed the ball well and seemed to be a real leader on the floor for the Spurs. I thought his post defense was especially impressive and Thomas also moved well off the ball to help clog the lane. Both his ten points and three steals were season-highs.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
31 minutes, six points, six rebounds, three assists, four steals
3-for-11 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers
Ime Udoka continued his usual pattern. When he first entered the game, he was horrible. Both offensively and defensively, he played a large role in the Spurs blowing an early lead. Eventually, as Udoka got into a groove, he played much better. He still shot poorly but he became more active, especially in terms of his rebounding and his anticipation on defense. Overall, it’s difficult to have much hope in Udoka helping out this season. Almost every time he has played, he’s looked terrible in his first few minutes of action. That is not a trait of a successful bench player.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
22 minutes, ten points, three rebounds, three assists, four blocks
5-for-6 from the field
Maybe the most stunning stat on the night was Fabricio Oberto’s four blocked shots. In his first 430 minutes of the season, he had a total of five blocks. Against the Nuggets, he picked up his four blocks in 22 minutes. Outside of his sudden ability to contest shots, Oberto had some other memorable moments. On offense, his passing was predictably good but he also was able to score on the low block and showed off a few new moves in his arsenal. Oberto’s rebounding was lacking but his post defense was excellent and he was very physical in the lane.
-------------------------------
Malik Hairston
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/rivals/full.48185/a1523cd118938faf9ccbf0d319b2c625/malik-hairston.jpg
20 minutes, 12 points, five rebounds, one steal, one block
6-for-8 from the field, 0-for-3 from the line
Playing his first extended minutes in the NBA, Malik Hairston demonstrated an interesting skillset. On offense, he has a deceptively powerful first step, good body control and he’s beefy enough to not let contact affect him much in the air. His offensive rebounding and inside toughness, especially for a player his size, is notable. On defense, Hairston still has trouble with positioning but he’s extremely aggressive in one-on-one situations and will forcefully go after shot attempts. Compared to his play in summer league and in preseason, Hairston is much more refined. The next steps of his advancement are to extend his natural range to the three-point line, learn to do his work early on defense and speed up his game a bit more. On the whole, Hairston looks like a good prospect for a pick in the middle of the second round.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
16 minutes, six points, three assists, two rebounds
3-for-5 from the field
Considering he had barely played in the previous few months, I thought Jacque Vaughn played very well. His energy, as always, was top notch. But he also shot the ball well, made good decisions and his athleticism and stamina looked better than expected. For a third string point guard who can spend most of his time on the inactive list and be ready when called upon, Vaughn is about as valuable as it gets.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
While the controversy surrounding Pop’s move is somewhat justified, considering the congested Western Conference standings, I 100% agreed with his move. And really, I think the side effects of the move will be worth more than one win going forward. Getting a good look at the role players, giving more than usual touches to players like Oberto and Udoka, dusting off Vaughn and letting Hairston get his feet wet, in my opinion, definitely is worth 1/82nd of the regular season. It also looked as if the coaches and players got a little bit of a break from the daily grind of the regular season. Pop seemed to more excited than usual and the team looked like it really began to rally around each other. A major part of the Rodeo Road Trip is the chemistry aspect of the adventure and this move by Pop could have very well had a galvanizing affect on the team.
-------------------------------
Offense
All things considered, the offense played rather well. They shot 44.3% from the field, knocked down 9-for-25 three-pointers and finished with 26 assists. Where the offense came up short was in the free throw department, as they totaled only 14 free throws on the night. The 19 turnovers were also a problem. That said, scoring 52 points in the second half against one of the better teams in the West was definitely a good accomplishment.
Defense
The toughness the Spurs showed on the defensive end was extremely good to see. However, that physicality also played a part in the Nuggets getting to the line 23 more times than the Spurs. For the game, Denver shot 44.2% from the field, hit 31-of-37 free throws and out-rebounded the Spurs 49-37. The Spurs did a good job limiting the Nuggets’ assists (18), forcing turnovers (17) and defending the three-point line (5-of-16), but the advantages in free throws and rebounding were too much to overcome.
Drive to Five
After a substantial break, the Spurs will be back in action on Sunday against the Boston Celtics. Playing the defending champs in their home gym will obviously be a great test for San Antonio. Let’s hope the Spurs can shake off the rust early and give a good fight.
Believe.
Regarding Pop’s ploy, I was in full agreement. After the Warriors game, my main hope was that the Spurs would stay healthy against the Nuggets. Playing a good team on the road, in altitude and less than 20 hours after finishing the previous game is just asking for trouble. By benching the Big Three, Pop assured their health and also gave his bench some valuable minutes. For a further explanation on Pop’s motives, I hand the baton to Kori Ellis (http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3081296&postcount=54).
As far as the actual game is concerned, I was very happy with how the Spurs played. They had nowhere near equal talent but they played extremely hard and relentlessly fought. As a whole, I also though the Spurs played a physical brand of basketball we haven’t seen much of this season. Despite the loss, I believe there were a lot of positives to take out of this performance, especially in terms of the added confidence of the bench unit and the way the team stuck with playing Spurs Basketball no matter which five players were out on the court wearing the silver and black.
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
35 minutes, 26 points, six assists, five rebounds, eight turnovers
8-for-21 from the field, 5-for-10 on three-pointers, 5-for-5 at the line
Roger Mason, Jr. had mixed results taking the starring role as the Big Three rested. Turnovers were his most prominent negative on the night, finishing with a total of eight – the most a Spurs player has had in a game since Tim Duncan had nine in his rookie season. Besides his turnovers, Mason played reasonably well. His scoring kept the Spurs in the game and he also was helpful on the defensive end and on the boards. His playmaking, when he wasn’t losing the ball, was also a bright spot.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
23 minutes, six points
2-for-5 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Back in the starting lineup, Bruce Bowen didn’t play especially well. He had a few good moments on the defensive end but was otherwise underwhelming. With Carmelo Anthony scoring 35 points on 17 shots, a lockdown defensive performance by Bowen would have been really helpful. After knocking down 2-of-3 three-pointers, Bowen is now shooting a career-high 44.3% from three-point land. That mark is even better than when he lead the league in the 2002-03 season.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
36 minutes, nine points, three assists, three turnovers
4-for-14 from the field, 0-for-4 on three-pointers
For the first time this season, it was painfully obvious that George Hill has hit the rookie wall. Following a great first quarter that saw him outplay Chauncey Billups, Hill looked tired and the explosion in his legs was gone. In his first nine minutes of action, Hill had seven points and two assists. In his remaining 27 minutes, he only managed two points and one assist on 1-for-8 shooting. Hopefully Hill can break through the wall before too much longer because the Spurs need his athletic boost off the bench.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
31 minutes, 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists
4-for-10 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 1-for-2 at the line
Matt Bonner got 31 minutes of action and played decently well. Although he got bullied a few times by Nene on defense and was a bit too passive at times on the offensive end, Bonner was one of the better players on the night for the Spurs. He shot the ball well from the perimeter, battled on the boards and dished off a handful of assists. Bonner also deserves credit for being one of the players who upped the physicality level of the team.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
27 minutes, ten points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals
4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Kurt Thomas played a solid all-around game. He was aggressive on both ends of the court, rebounded well, passed the ball well and seemed to be a real leader on the floor for the Spurs. I thought his post defense was especially impressive and Thomas also moved well off the ball to help clog the lane. Both his ten points and three steals were season-highs.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
31 minutes, six points, six rebounds, three assists, four steals
3-for-11 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers
Ime Udoka continued his usual pattern. When he first entered the game, he was horrible. Both offensively and defensively, he played a large role in the Spurs blowing an early lead. Eventually, as Udoka got into a groove, he played much better. He still shot poorly but he became more active, especially in terms of his rebounding and his anticipation on defense. Overall, it’s difficult to have much hope in Udoka helping out this season. Almost every time he has played, he’s looked terrible in his first few minutes of action. That is not a trait of a successful bench player.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
22 minutes, ten points, three rebounds, three assists, four blocks
5-for-6 from the field
Maybe the most stunning stat on the night was Fabricio Oberto’s four blocked shots. In his first 430 minutes of the season, he had a total of five blocks. Against the Nuggets, he picked up his four blocks in 22 minutes. Outside of his sudden ability to contest shots, Oberto had some other memorable moments. On offense, his passing was predictably good but he also was able to score on the low block and showed off a few new moves in his arsenal. Oberto’s rebounding was lacking but his post defense was excellent and he was very physical in the lane.
-------------------------------
Malik Hairston
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/rivals/full.48185/a1523cd118938faf9ccbf0d319b2c625/malik-hairston.jpg
20 minutes, 12 points, five rebounds, one steal, one block
6-for-8 from the field, 0-for-3 from the line
Playing his first extended minutes in the NBA, Malik Hairston demonstrated an interesting skillset. On offense, he has a deceptively powerful first step, good body control and he’s beefy enough to not let contact affect him much in the air. His offensive rebounding and inside toughness, especially for a player his size, is notable. On defense, Hairston still has trouble with positioning but he’s extremely aggressive in one-on-one situations and will forcefully go after shot attempts. Compared to his play in summer league and in preseason, Hairston is much more refined. The next steps of his advancement are to extend his natural range to the three-point line, learn to do his work early on defense and speed up his game a bit more. On the whole, Hairston looks like a good prospect for a pick in the middle of the second round.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
16 minutes, six points, three assists, two rebounds
3-for-5 from the field
Considering he had barely played in the previous few months, I thought Jacque Vaughn played very well. His energy, as always, was top notch. But he also shot the ball well, made good decisions and his athleticism and stamina looked better than expected. For a third string point guard who can spend most of his time on the inactive list and be ready when called upon, Vaughn is about as valuable as it gets.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
While the controversy surrounding Pop’s move is somewhat justified, considering the congested Western Conference standings, I 100% agreed with his move. And really, I think the side effects of the move will be worth more than one win going forward. Getting a good look at the role players, giving more than usual touches to players like Oberto and Udoka, dusting off Vaughn and letting Hairston get his feet wet, in my opinion, definitely is worth 1/82nd of the regular season. It also looked as if the coaches and players got a little bit of a break from the daily grind of the regular season. Pop seemed to more excited than usual and the team looked like it really began to rally around each other. A major part of the Rodeo Road Trip is the chemistry aspect of the adventure and this move by Pop could have very well had a galvanizing affect on the team.
-------------------------------
Offense
All things considered, the offense played rather well. They shot 44.3% from the field, knocked down 9-for-25 three-pointers and finished with 26 assists. Where the offense came up short was in the free throw department, as they totaled only 14 free throws on the night. The 19 turnovers were also a problem. That said, scoring 52 points in the second half against one of the better teams in the West was definitely a good accomplishment.
Defense
The toughness the Spurs showed on the defensive end was extremely good to see. However, that physicality also played a part in the Nuggets getting to the line 23 more times than the Spurs. For the game, Denver shot 44.2% from the field, hit 31-of-37 free throws and out-rebounded the Spurs 49-37. The Spurs did a good job limiting the Nuggets’ assists (18), forcing turnovers (17) and defending the three-point line (5-of-16), but the advantages in free throws and rebounding were too much to overcome.
Drive to Five
After a substantial break, the Spurs will be back in action on Sunday against the Boston Celtics. Playing the defending champs in their home gym will obviously be a great test for San Antonio. Let’s hope the Spurs can shake off the rust early and give a good fight.
Believe.