Spurs vs. Trail Blazers Previews

[duncan228]

Wednesday: Trail Blazers (35-21) at Spurs (38-17) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Wednesday_Trail_Blazers_35-21_at_Spurs_38-17.html)
Express-News

Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: KMYS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - TRAIL BLAZERS

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 2 Steve Blake (6-3, 6th yr)
Parker had 24 points, 11 assists in loss to Blazers in October.

SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 7 Brandon Roy (6-6, 3rd yr)
Roy, Blake give Blazers two guards with top 20 assist-turnover ratio.

SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 88 Nicolas Batum (6-8, 1st yr)
Batum was high on Spurs’ draft board, but went to Portland through Houston.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (6-10, 3rd yr)
Duncan will have sore right knee examined by doctors today to determine status.

C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 10 Joel Przybilla (7-1, 9th yr)
Improved defense helps Bonner hold on to starting job.

SPURS RESERVES

12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 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

TRAIL BLAZERS RESERVES

4 Jerryd Bayless, G, 6-3, 1st yr
5 Rudy Fernandez, G/F, 6-6, 1st yr
44 Channing Frye, F, 6-11, 4th yr
25 Travis Outlaw, F, 6-9, 6th yr
42 Shavlik Randolph, F, 6-10, 4th yr
11 Sergio Rodriguez, G, 6-3, 3rd yr
51 Michael Ruffin, G/F, 6-8, 9th yr

COACHES

Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Trail Blazers: Nate McMillan

INJURIES

Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (right ankle surgery) and Manu Ginobili (stress reaction, right ankle) are out. Duncan (sore right knee) is questionable.

Trail Blazers: Raef LaFrentz (right shoulder), Greg Oden (left knee), and Martell Webster (left foot) are out.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Mahinmi, Ginobili.

Trail Blazers: LaFrentz, Oden, Webster.

NOTABLE

Portland’s 100-99 victory over Spurs on Oct. 31 at Rose Garden snapped 12-game losing streak vs. Spurs. ... Spurs had shot to win that game at buzzer, but Finley’s baseline jumper missed. ... Spurs are 7-4 this season in the second game of back-to-backs. They are 4-0 when those games are at home.

- Jeff McDonald

[TDMVPDPOY]

hope ghill exposes bayless/rudy/OLDMAN

[tomtom]

Should be a good one :toast

[duncan228]

Portland (35-21) at San Antonio (38-17) Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009022524&prov=ap)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Wed Feb 25, 2009
TV: KGW, My35
By Dan Pieringer

Playing their first home game in nearly a month, the San Antonio Spurs beat a division rival. The homecoming win was marred, however, by another injury to one of the team’s star players.

The Spurs could be without Tim Duncan for a second consecutive game Wednesday night when they try for their 11th straight home win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Duncan was scratched a half-hour before tip-off Tuesday night because of a sore right knee, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the game he didn’t know the severity of the injury. Popovich said Duncan would be evaluated by doctors Wednesday morning, putting his status for this game in doubt.

The coach also said his All-Star forward appeared fine Tuesday morning but was stiff and had trouble getting loose while warming up. Duncan, who was walking around the locker room before Tuesday’s contest, was not on the bench during the game.

“It was strange,” Popovich said. “He was good this morning, but this evening he couldn’t move on it.”

The Southwest Division-leading Spurs (38-17) were already without Manu Ginobili, who hasn’t played since the All-Star break because of a stress reaction in his right ankle and is expected to miss at least two more weeks.

Tony Parker - the only healthy member of the trio that has led San Antonio to three championships in six years - stepped up Tuesday, scoring 37 points with a season-high 12 assists in a 93-76 win over Dallas.

“I love those opportunities,” said Parker, whose point total was the third-highest of his eight-season career. “I’m not going to say I want to play every game like that, but you can show what you can do.”

The Spurs’ fifth straight home win came in their first game in San Antonio since Jan. 31. They’d played their previous eight games on the road while the AT&T Center was occupied by the annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

The Spurs hope to continue their strong play at home by extending their dominance of the Blazers. Since a 95-76 loss Nov. 9, 2002, they’ve won 10 straight home games against Portland by an average of 15.7 points.

Portland (35-21) has already snapped one losing streak against San Antonio this season. It had dropped 12 straight overall in the series before taking a 100-99 home victory Oct. 31.

The Blazers, though, continue to struggle on the road, where they’ve dropped four straight. They nearly overcame an 17-point second-half deficit Tuesday night, but the rally fell short in a 98-94 loss in Houston.

“We need to learn to have the same intensity and focus and learn how to play for 48 minutes on the road,” said Blazers coach Nate McMillan, whose team has one of the league’s best home records at 23-5 but is 12-16 outside Portland. “We dug too big of a hole and we couldn’t get out.”

Blazers All-Star guard Brandon Roy, averaging 26.4 points and shooting 56.5 percent over his last five games, had 26 points, five rebounds and seven assists while shooting 10-for-18 in Portland’s October victory over San Antonio.

Parker had 24 points and 11 assists in that game.

Notes

Blazers:

G Steve Blake's 14 assists in the first quarter tied an NBA record for most assists in a quarter, originally set by former San Antonio Spur John Lucas, vs. Denver, on April 15, 1984. It is a new franchise record for Portland, with the previous record of 10 set by Terry Porter vs. San Antonio on November 25, 1991. It also broke the franchise record for assists in a half of 13, also set by Porter at Dallas, November 14, 1987, and Rod Strickland, vs. Phoenix, April 5, 1994. ... Portland has won five of its last six against Los Angeles. The Trail Blazers open a three-game road swing at Houston Tuesday looking to end a three-game slide away from home. ... F LaMarcus Aldridge set a season high with 28 points.

Spurs:

The Spurs returned from a 5-3 road trip while the rodeo was at the AT&T Center. However, they were without star F Tim Duncan (right knee) and G Manu Ginobili (right ankle). While Ginobili is out for a few weeks, Duncan's injury was more spur of the moment. He will visit doctors Wednesday for further examination. ... G Tony Parker had 37 points and a season-high 12 assists. He took 32 shots - four shy of his season high, which he attempted when he scored 55 points in a double-overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in November.

Team Stat Leaders

Points

Brandon Roy Por 22.8
Tim Duncan SA 20.7

Rebounds

Joel Przybilla Por 8.0
Tim Duncan SA 10.7

Assists

Brandon Roy Por 5.2
Tony Parker SA 6.5

Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

Portland 35-21 2nd Northwest / 5th West 99.2 95.2 Road 12-16 Lost 1 6-4

San Antonio 38-17 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.6 93.7 Home 19-7 Won 3 7-3

[duncan228]

More fun quotes about Duncan.


“It was strange,” Popovich said. “He was good this morning, but this evening he couldn’t move on it.”

[tonylongoriafan]

solid info, as usual :toast

[SenorSpur]

Recall that Batum had a fabulous first showing versus the Spurs in the previous meeting up in Portland.

[Rogue]

I hope TD plays tonight...this isn't the shitty Mavs, this is an actual good team
good, then the lakers fans will totally feel happy to see TD replicate tmac's tragedy.

[Brazil]

Time to Mase and George to shine, I don't see TP repeating 37 5 12 tonight, he will need major help against the Blazers.

[tlongII]

Duncan needs to rest that knee to make sure he's healthy for the PO's.

[Solid D]

“It was strange,” Popovich said. “He was good this morning, but this evening he couldn’t move on it.”

Wii knee?

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Wed. Feb. 25
Portland @ San Antonio: M. Callahan, T. Brothers, Z. Zarba

[Dex]

CIA Pop in full effect.

Reports trickle in later today from Dr. FaykNaym that Tim's knee is, in fact, a knee.

Tim plays tonight and posts 40 on the tail end of the B2B.

:downspin:

[HORNSWOGGLE]

Theyre still shitty, as you mentioned earlier :lol

[duncan228]

Hobbling Spurs resume homestand against Portland (http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4215171)

(Sports Network) - The Southwest Division-leading San Antonio Spurs resume a three-game homestand Wednesday, when they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to the AT&T Center.

The Spurs won Tuesday's opener of the residency as Tony Parker put on a show, scoring 37 points with 12 assists as San Antonio comfortably downed Dallas, 93-76, in the Alamo City.

Michael Finley added 16 points, Matt Bonner scored 11 and Kurt Thomas finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds for San Antonio, which toiled without two of its biggest stars, All-Star power forward Tim Duncan and the reigning sixth man of the year, Manu Ginobili.

Duncan missed the game with a sore right knee and the severity of the injury is unknown at this point. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Duncan would be evaluated by doctors Wednesday morning. Ginobili, who has been out since the All-Star break, is expected to miss a few more weeks with a right ankle injury.

San Antonio, which has now won five straight home games, is 19-7 at the AT&T Center this year. The team will finish its current homestand against Cleveland on Friday.

The Blazers, meanwhile, dropped the opener of a three-game road trip Tuesday in Houston, where Ron Artest poured in 21 points and Luis Scola recorded his fifth consecutive double-double to help the Rockets stave off a late Portland rally and record a 98-94 victory at the Toyota Center.

Brandon Roy had a game-best 24 points to go with five boards and five assists for the Blazers, who saw their three-game win streak end. LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

Travis Outlaw chipped in 15 points for Portland and Nicolas Batum went 3-of-3 from behind the arc to tally 14 points.

The Blazers snapped an ugly 12-game skid to the Spurs with a thrilling 100-99 win in Portland on Halloween night. Portland has lost 10 straight in San Antonio, however, last winning in the Alamo City on November 9, 2002.

[Flux451]

Duncan needs to rest that knee to make sure he's healthy for the PO's.

:toast

[Manufan909]

I like seeing Matt try to dry every game since the Celtics, that will be huge since everyone knows his skills from deep now. Hope Phil lets him shoot and Bonner shows him what a crap strategy that is next time they meet. I'd be happy with 40-45%, which is subpar for The Red Rocket.

[Manufan909]

I guess Tim is playing then, since he's listed as the starting PF.

[duncan228]

I guess Tim is playing then, since he's listed as the starting PF.

He's listed, but read underneath his name:


Duncan will have sore right knee examined by doctors today to determine status.

And, under Injuries:


Duncan (sore right knee) is questionable.

I'd be surprised if he plays tonight.

[TampaDude]

I doubt Duncan will play tonight.

[Spursmania]

Sounds like the starting line-up has come out? If so, Timmy the man is on for tonight! This would be great news for the Spurs.:flag:

[PDXSpursFan]

Will Oden play? I heard that he was already cleared by the docs to play when he feels ready.

[djohn2oo8]

No, he won't. He returns to practice thursday

[Spursmania]

Thanks Duncan 228. You're right looks like we won't know until tonight.:wakeup

[duncan228]

Just for clarification, even though the previews say Starting Lineups, it's just projected. The Starting Lineup isn't final until close to game time, I think it's an hour or an hour and a half before tip.

Maybe even closer, does anyone know for sure?

[superbigtime]

I wouldn't be surprised if Pop pulls a Denver and sits Tony down if Tim doesn't play tonight. Then hopefully Tim will be able to play against Cleveland, along with Tony.

[Spurlady]

I don't want Duncan to play if there is any question about his knee. It is far more important for him to heal correctly than for the Spurs to win--even though I think we can win again anyway. And I'd also rather beat Cleveland than Portland so if Duncan sits out one more, it's okay by me.
W/O Tim
Spurs 94
Portland 89
With Tim
Spurs 104
Portland 85