Looking back on the DEN scratches

[bigfish22]

Can we shut all the critics up about sitting 4 against Denver now? I think the win today rightfully justifies Pop's madness

[timvp]

Don't see how the two games are connected but yeah the media will probably hush about Pop's ploy. In reality, it made no difference.

[GSH]

Don't see how the two games are connected but yeah the media will probably hush about Pop's ploy. In reality, it made no difference.


They were related because our bench came out and took it to them. They played with purpose, instead of looking like they were there to hold down the fort. Our bench was better than Boston's bench. Damn it feels good to say that.

Was it a direct result of the Denver game? Who knows? But you have to believe that was part of it.

[Tully365]

I really don't see any connection. Great win today, but I still think Tim and Tony should've come in late in the 4th quarter, down just a few points to a team that could wind up with a seeding just ahead of the Spurs.

[Jobbs]

I agree with Pop's move. Beating Boston IN Boston is a better moral booster than beating the Nuggs AGAIN.

[Biggems]

Can we shut all the critics up about sitting 4 against Denver now? I think the win today rightfully justifies Pop's madness

id rather have a win over Denver, than a win over Boston. Conference wins are more valuable.

Still, i am not complaining about Pop sitting the guys. I know he has a plan and after a decade, I trust his plan.

I will say, there was a huge part of me that wanted at least Parker to come in once we got within 2 in Denver. Still, I am glad Pop let those guys finish what they started, even though they lost. It shows that he has confidence in them.

[Deimosfobos]

This win is great, no dout about it... but it had little to do with Denver game.

[Interrohater]

NO! A lose is a lose, doesnt matter if it was to Bos or Denver, we should be gaining ground on LA instead of taking nights off!
That's retarded, grammatically and logically. We're not catching the Lakers, there's no need to catch the Lakers and what's so great about catching the Lakers? Just so that we can say we have the best record in the Conference? It's pointless, all that matters is we get into the playoffs healthy. Keep moving, there's 82 games and we almost won that one against Denver. Get over it.

[pjjrfan]

That's retarded, grammatically and logically. We're not catching the Lakers, there's no need to catch the Lakers and what's so great about catching the Lakers? Just so that we can say we have the best record in the Conference? It's pointless, all that matters is we get into the playoffs healthy. Keep moving, there's 82 games and we almost won that one against Denver. Get over it.

Well if I had my druthers I would rather have home court throughout the playoffs but at the same time I understand Pop's thinking. With so many guy going down with injuries, why risk it? Plus the nba schedulers suck. There's no need for all those back to back games if they did thier homework. Look at all the time off the Spurs had this week and then the 4 day break for the all star game. I'll take it, but why then have teams playing 4 games in 5 days and single out the spurs for cheating thier fans, I think when a team come in tired and worn out from the travel the fans are being cheated from seeing the best product the NBA can offer on the floor.

[GSH]

If our bench can play the other teams' starters to a virtual draw (like Denver) and outplay the other teams' bench (like Boston) it's going to be hard for anyone to beat us in a 7-game series.

If the Rodeo Road Trip is all about the Spurs coming together as a team, then that near-win in Denver made the bench guys a part of the team in a way that nothing else could have. That game is going to pay dividends for the rest of the season. I'm looking forward to hearing the playoff announcers talking about how the Spurs bench is playing with more poise and purpose than the other team's bench, and how "that is making the difference in these games."

[Jobbs]

don't worry about catching the Lakers...the Lakers will catch us.

[exstatic]

Don't see how the two games are connected but yeah the media will probably hush about Pop's ploy. In reality, it made no difference.

I do see one connection: by forcing bench play against Denver, they then played with confidence and a purpose against Boston. The Green Slime lost this game in the first 4 minutes of the 4th by not matching our bench play, even though Doc stressed the importance of doing so in the huddle.

[Interrohater]

Your a Damn fool if you think we beat LA in a seven game with this team and they have Home Court! A DAMN FOOL.
Ok then Nostradumbass, I guess I'm a damn fool. I'm also a Spurs fan.

[timvp]

id rather have a win over Denver, than a win over Boston. Disagree. Boston >>>>>>>>>>>>> Denver.

[vander]

yet at the end of the game, who were we going to on offense? it was Mason, Bonner, etc. the Big three couldn't do anything.
Isn't that part of being a star and getting the big bucks? taking over at the end of big games?

our Big 3 got outplayed by theirs, if not for an epic game by Bonner (especially his D) we lose handily.

[rascal]

Can we shut all the critics up about sitting 4 against Denver now? I think the win today rightfully justifies Pop's madness


I knew some fool would bring this up. That game had nothing to do with this game. There was enough time between the games for all the players to be well rested.

Pop threw that game away as a protest to the league scheduling.

[Biggems]

Disagree. Boston >>>>>>>>>>>>> Denver.

disagree all you want....but bring reasoning, not emotion.

A conference loss is worse than a non conference loss.

A conference win is more important than a non conference win.

[Interrohater]

yet at the end of the game, who were we going to on offense? it was Mason, Bonner, etc. the Big three couldn't do anything.
Isn't that part of being a star and getting the big bucks? taking over at the end of big games?

our Big 3 got outplayed by theirs, if not for an epic game by Bonner (especially his D) we lose handily.
:td -1
yea, and if a meteor fell from the sky, the big three might have been incinerated! The "IF" game is stupid. The whole point of having a TEAM effort is that during the course of a game, the entire TEAM needs to step up. Remember, Matt Bonner and Roger Mason are a part of this Spurs TEAM. Which means, the TEAM won the game, with contributions from players on their TEAM.

Also, I don't know how much money you make, but Bonner and Mason also make "the big bucks".

[InK]

I agree with Pop's move. Beating Boston IN Boston is a better moral booster than beating the Nuggs AGAIN.

And what leads you to the conclusion that its an either-one-or-the other situation? I didn't much care for that move then, don't care much for it now.

[timvp]

disagree all you want....but bring reasoning, not emotion.Where was the emotion? Boston is a much better team than Denver. I'd rather the Spurs beat Boston than beat Denver, no matter the circumstances. Confidence-wise, beating Boston on their home court means a lot more than beating Denver yet again.

Conference record and tiebreakers are important but it's not like the Spurs put themselves in an unbearable hole by dropping one game. The emotional response is overreacting to one loss. Especially when the Spurs were probably losing anyways if the starters played.

[bigfish22]

I knew some fool would bring this up. That game had nothing to do with this game. There was enough time between the games for all the players to be well rested.

Pop threw that game away as a protest to the league scheduling.

I knew some jack ass would be thinking rest, when just about everyone else is thinking BENCH PLAY

[Biggems]

Where was the emotion? Boston is a much better team than Denver. I'd rather the Spurs beat Boston than beat Denver, no matter the circumstances. Confidence-wise, beating Boston on their home court means a lot more than beating Denver yet again.

Conference record and tiebreakers are important but it's not like the Spurs put themselves in an unbearable hole by dropping one game. The emotional response is overreacting to one loss. Especially when the Spurs were probably losing anyways if the starters played.


Im not overreacting to one loss. I have stated that I know Pop has a plan. As far as resting the Big 3 and Finley.....I was upset before the game, cause I look forward to watching Spurs basketball, and I felt it would be a waste of an evening. However, our reserves showed some moxie and made it one helluva game. We almost pulled out the win.....and I was entertained. Plus, playing so close to the 3rd best team in the conference, on their floor, on the second end of a back to back after we went to OT in the first game, and without 4 key players....I think we showed that Denver has a lot to worry about if they meet us in the postseason.

Still, with as highly contested as the West is, Conference games hold so much more weight.....One reprieve we do have is the recent rash of injuries to key players who we are contending with.....Paul and Chandler, Billups and Martin, etc.....

I will say it felt good to see us win in Boston.....I absolutely hate Garnett, Allen, Pierce, Perkins, and Allen. I don't care too much for Rondo either.

[vander]

:td -1
yea, and if a meteor fell from the sky, the big three might have been incinerated! The "IF" game is stupid. The whole point of having a TEAM effort is that during the course of a game, the entire TEAM needs to step up. Remember, Matt Bonner and Roger Mason are a part of this Spurs TEAM. Which means, the TEAM won the game, with contributions from players on their TEAM.

Also, I don't know how much money you make, but Bonner and Mason also make "the big bucks".

we're not going to get epic games from roll players every game come playoff time, the Big 3 had 5 days rest and got handled, you can't possibly be happy with their performance today.

and you apparently need to education in basketball economics, Bonner is not expected to shoulder the scoring load like TP and Manu. If today's win is how the Spurs are supposed to win, then Bonner would have a 50 million dollar extension in the works

[exstatic]

yet at the end of the game, who were we going to on offense? it was Mason, Bonner, etc. the Big three couldn't do anything.
Isn't that part of being a star and getting the big bucks? taking over at the end of big games?

our Big 3 got outplayed by theirs, if not for an epic game by Bonner (especially his D) we lose handily.

Be happy. That's pretty much what was missing last year, late game production outside of the big 3. You're acting like Oberto hung 30 on them. They got beat by two of the top ten 3 point shooters in the league. That's really not a fluke, it's picking your poison. Not really any different than Steven Jackson ripping people new ones in 2003.

Oh, and the big 3 didn't get handled, Parker did. I think it was their game plan. Timmy got 23p/13r/5a and Manu got 19 on a good shooting %.

[rascal]

I knew some jack ass would be thinking rest, when just about everyone else is thinking BENCH PLAY

Bench play :lol

[Interrohater]

we're not going to get epic games from roll players every game come playoff time, the Big 3 had 5 days rest and got handled, you can't possibly be happy with their performance today.

and you apparently need to education in basketball economics, Bonner is not expected to shoulder the scoring load like TP and Manu. If today's win is how the Spurs are supposed to win, then Bonner would have a 50 million dollar extension in the works
How much did Steve Kerr make when he was a bigtime roleplayer for the Spurs? You don't have to make an incredible sum of money to be an important part of a team. Also, I'm pretty happy with Timmy and Manu. Parker was shut down as per Boston's game plan, so we needed production from elsewhere. It seems to me that you feel the big 3 should always be the biggest scorers. Sorry homie, not gonna happen throughout a full NBA season. You should be a lot more happy that roleplayers stepped up when Boston shut down one of our all-stars. Again, it's what a TEAM is supposed to do. Would you have felt any better if Tony had thought to himself "Hmm, I'm one of the big 3, I really need to force the issue and get my points, or else the team won't win!" Thereafter taking many more ill-advised shots, Bonner-Mason not scoring and the Spurs losing? You take what their defense gives you. And they gave us wide open Bonner shots. What else do you want?

[ploto]

Let us see-

Parker was rested and he shot 3-12, and Finley pretty much sucked. Manu turned the ball over 3 times in the first half and looked rusty. Duncan was the one who benefited the most from the days off but any indication that one extra day meant anything is purely speculative.

Boston's Big Three outplayed the Spurs Big Three so I just do not see the vindication.

As for the bench guys who got more playing time in Denver: Hill was good and that was about it. It is not like Hairston or Udoka did anything. Boston just does not have a good bench.

[Interrohater]

Let us see-

Parker was rested and he shot 3-12, and Finley pretty much sucked. Manu turned the ball over 3 times in the first half and looked rusty. Duncan was the one who benefited the most from the days off but any indication that one extra day meant anything is purely speculative.

Boston's Big Three outplayed the Spurs Big Three so I just do not see the vindication.

As for the bench guys who got more playing time in Denver: Hill was good and that was about it. It is not like Hairston or Udoka did anything. Boston just does not have a good bench.

great analysis! Although, we did win the game. Also "but any indication that one extra day meant anything is purely speculative" is also speculative. Maybe it did mean something, who knows? more importantly, who cares? but thanks for the heads up with the stats, I'm about to call Pop and I'll let him know...

[vander]

How much did Steve Kerr make when he was a bigtime roleplayer for the Spurs? You don't have to make an incredible sum of money to be an important part of a team. Also, I'm pretty happy with Timmy and Manu. Parker was shut down as per Boston's game plan, so we needed production from elsewhere. It seems to me that you feel the big 3 should always be the biggest scorers. Sorry homie, not gonna happen throughout a full NBA season. You should be a lot more happy that roleplayers stepped up when Boston shut down one of our all-stars. Again, it's what a TEAM is supposed to do. Would you have felt any better if Tony had thought to himself "Hmm, I'm one of the big 3, I really need to force the issue and get my points, or else the team won't win!" Thereafter taking many more ill-advised shots, Bonner-Mason not scoring and the Spurs losing? You take what their defense gives you. And they gave us wide open Bonner shots. What else do you want?

wrong wrong and more wrong, I don't even know where to begin, you're talking about TP or manu not needing to force the issue? thats all they ever do when they score :bang they use their skills and continue to work the defender until they can get to the hoop and either score or hit the open guy. this almost never happened today, our penetration was so nonexistent, our offense so stagnant, that guys like Mason and Bonner were forcing up contested shots, and even worse, putting the ball on on the floor and trying to create offense. :spless:
Boston isn't going to give Manu wide open lanes to the hoop like Phoenix and GS did, against any good D, someone is going to have to force the issue and make tough plays, and that someone needs to be TD Manu and TP, especially after a week off and after Bonner had kept them in the game for 3.5 quarters. but they couldn't do it. instead it was Hill, Bonner, and Mason "forcing the issue" and next time, as much as I like Bonner, he won't be able to bail the Spurs out like that.

[Spurminator]

any indication that one extra day meant anything is purely speculative.

It meant none of them suffered injuries that would have kept them from playing this game.

[Interrohater]

wrong wrong and more wrong, I don't even know where to begin, you're talking about TP or manu not needing to force the issue? thats all they ever do when they score :bang they use their skills and continue to work the defender until they can get to the hoop and either score or hit the open guy. this almost never happened today, our penetration was so nonexistent, our offense so stagnant, that guys like Mason and Bonner were forcing up contested shots, and even worse, putting the ball on on the floor and trying to create offense. :spless:
Boston isn't going to give Manu wide open lanes to the hoop like Phoenix and GS did, against any good D, someone is going to have to force the issue and make tough plays, and that someone needs to be TD Manu and TP, especially after a week off and after Bonner had kept them in the game for 3.5 quarters. but they couldn't do it. instead it was Hill, Bonner, and Mason "forcing the issue" and next time, as much as I like Bonner, he won't be able to bail the Spurs out like that.
Wait, you had this blueprint for winning the game the whole time?! Why didn't you give it to us BEFORE the Spurs won?! Cause then we would've.... WON!

Seriously dude, do you have all three of them on your fantasy league or somethin? Here's how it works: Teams will normally continue feeding the "hot hand". If Bonner came in the game and shot 3-4 bricks in a row, I promise you he wouldn't have stayed in. Made shots begets made shots. It builds their confidence so they get in a rhythm, plus, Boston was playing way off of him. Here's the funniest thing in your whole response, you said "and that someone needs to be TD, Manu and TP". Why? Because they get paid more? I understand that they are the basis for everything the Spurs do, but Boston also understands that, which is why they collapsed on Tony and left Bonner wide open. You're actually going to tell me that Bonner should have given up all of his wide open shots so that Tony and Manu could get their numbers? Ridiculous!

Please, continue banging your head against the wall. There are 5 players on a team, not 3. Get over it, we won the game and your argument is weak because it's all based on conjecture. I'm going to enjoy this win while you light another candle underneath your Tony Parker shrine.

[vander]

Wait, you had this blueprint for winning the game the whole time?! Why didn't you give it to us BEFORE the Spurs won?! Cause then we would've.... WON!

Seriously dude, do you have all three of them on your fantasy league or somethin? Here's how it works: Teams will normally continue feeding the "hot hand". If Bonner came in the game and shot 3-4 bricks in a row, I promise you he wouldn't have stayed in. Made shots begets made shots. It builds their confidence so they get in a rhythm, plus, Boston was playing way off of him. Here's the funniest thing in your whole response, you said "and that someone needs to be TD, Manu and TP". Why? Because they get paid more? I understand that they are the basis for everything the Spurs do, but Boston also understands that, which is why they collapsed on Tony and left Bonner wide open. You're actually going to tell me that Bonner should have given up all of his wide open shots so that Tony and Manu could get their numbers? Ridiculous!

Please, continue banging your head against the wall. There are 5 players on a team, not 3. Get over it, we won the game and your argument is weak because it's all based on conjecture. I'm going to enjoy this win while you light another candle underneath your Tony Parker shrine.

whatever, I can see I will not be getting through to you, so enjoy the win. If the Big 3 (actually TD wasn't too bad) keep playing like this come playoff time we won't be won't be seeing :lobt: #5

[Tully365]

Let us see-

Parker was rested and he shot 3-12, and Finley pretty much sucked. Manu turned the ball over 3 times in the first half and looked rusty. Duncan was the one who benefited the most from the days off but any indication that one extra day meant anything is purely speculative.

Boston's Big Three outplayed the Spurs Big Three so I just do not see the vindication.

As for the bench guys who got more playing time in Denver: Hill was good and that was about it. It is not like Hairston or Udoka did anything. Boston just does not have a good bench.

+1. Bonner wasn't rested against Denver and had the best game of his life against Boston. Parker was rested and had a sub-par game against Boston. At this point, most people are going to stick with their original assessment of the Denver strategy regardless of what happens from here on in.