timvp
04-13-2009, 06:10 AM
http://spurstalk.com/box1apr12.jpg
http://spurstalk.com/box2apr12.jpg
I'll take it.
With the game tied and less than four seconds remaining, Michael Finley drained a three-pointer . . . after the shot clock had expired. Thankfully, the refs didn't notice that technicality and allowed the three points to be put on the scoreboard. After the Kings missed on the other end following a timeout, the Spurs were able to escape Sacramento with a 95-92 victory.
Even though the Kings have the worst record in the NBA, this win was notable on multiple levels. First of all, winning any game without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili is an accomplishment. Secondly, the Kings were obviously amped up in their final home game of the season and they were playing very well. The Spurs had to overcome multiple deficits and kept fighting and fighting until they got the job done. And third but not least, the Spurs had to win this game if they wanted to realistically have a chance at home-court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs.
As for the Kings, I thought they played well. Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are a bigman duo that could grow into one of the best duos in the league. Andres Nocioni helps infuse some needed toughness and Beno Udrih, well, he helped out his former mates with a 1-for-12 outing.
Overall, the toughness, grit and determination illustrated by a lot of different players was very good to see. No matter what happens from here on out, heart doesn't appear to be an characteristic a Spurs fan will have to question.
-Tony Parker didn't have one of those spectacular games he's produced many times in the last few months, but I thought he played very well. His effort level in the final three quarters of the game was off the charts. He defended very well and he single-handedly kept the offense in gear for much of his time on the court. Parker had a few rough patches but he worked at it and brought victory to his team. It should be noted that Parker made the pass on Finley's three-pointer. In an instant, Parker went from the goat who passed it without enough time to the hero who made the timely assist.
-Michael Finley's stats don't look too impressive but I thought he had an outstanding game. Defensively, his energy was as high as I've ever seen out of him. He also ran the floor, slashed into the paint and, of course, hit the game-winner. Finley didn't shoot well, especially on shots within the confines of the shot clock, but he earned each minute of playing time. Hopefully this is the level of energy Spurs fans can expect out of Finley.
-Another player who deserves a huge amount of credit is Kurt Thomas. His work on the glass was just beautiful. Thomas oftentimes fought against two and three Kings trying to box him out and he used his headiness and determination to grab 13 rebounds, eight of which were offensive. With the Spurs struggling for points, Thomas looked at the room more often than usual. Defensively, he was very good and finished with three of the team's four blocks. Fantastic effort.
-Roger Mason, Jr. continues to look like a totally different player with Ginobili out. He's taken it upon himself to carry a bigger load and he's doing good work in that role. Mason struggled at times within the three-point arc but his outside shooting was very important. He hit a number of big shots and when it was his turn to run point guard, Mason once again looked decent enough. Defensively, I really like what he's doing and he showed a good amount of versatility in this game in terms of the positions he was able to defend.
-Matt Bonner played hard but the results weren't too special. His rebounding was a little bit better but his defense was suspect. Bonner looks like he's a little bit gimpy, which is limiting him even more on the defensive end. The best thing about Bonner on the night was the fact that the Kings respected his jumper and that provided room for other players to operate.
-Ime Udoka had his second straight very good outing. He shot the ball well and his offense really helped early on when the Spurs appeared headed to a low scoring affair. Rebounding-wise, Udoka pulled down a few very impressive boards. On defense, he was good and thrived especially in transition defense. Hopefully these last two games are a sign that Udoka is peaking at the right time.
-Drew Gooden didn't do much good. He had been playing well recently but this game wasn't one to remember. Defensively, Gooden looked lazy a few times. He wasn't running hard back down the court and appeared to either be tired or disinterested. Offensively, he rushed a few shots and forced a couple of other ones. All that said, getting to the line nine times was very helpful and he at least gave the Spurs someone to go to when the bench unit was on the court. And in true Spurs fashion, the guy who was shooting 87% at the line prior to joining San Antonio finished 5-for-9 at the charity stripe.
-Bruce Bowen made a few mental mistakes -- and that in itself is uncharacteristic. Over the last few games, Bowen hasn't done nearly enough to earn more playing time. His defense has been solid but his tenacity isn't at his normal level. Let's hope that the postseason is when Bowen steps up his intensity.
-Fabricio Oberto played in his first game since his latest heart issue. It was good to see him out on the court but it was obvious that he was very rusty in his five minutes of court time.
-Pop gambled in sitting Duncan this game to have him available against the Warriors and it paid off . . . just barely. To secure this win, Pop basically used an eight-man rotation that leaned heavily on the starters. There's not much to complain about; Pop had his players playing hard and they kept at it even when it seemed like they would never be able to climb the mountain.
Now to make this Kings win meaningful, the Spurs have to take care of business against Golden State.
Believe.
http://spurstalk.com/box2apr12.jpg
I'll take it.
With the game tied and less than four seconds remaining, Michael Finley drained a three-pointer . . . after the shot clock had expired. Thankfully, the refs didn't notice that technicality and allowed the three points to be put on the scoreboard. After the Kings missed on the other end following a timeout, the Spurs were able to escape Sacramento with a 95-92 victory.
Even though the Kings have the worst record in the NBA, this win was notable on multiple levels. First of all, winning any game without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili is an accomplishment. Secondly, the Kings were obviously amped up in their final home game of the season and they were playing very well. The Spurs had to overcome multiple deficits and kept fighting and fighting until they got the job done. And third but not least, the Spurs had to win this game if they wanted to realistically have a chance at home-court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs.
As for the Kings, I thought they played well. Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are a bigman duo that could grow into one of the best duos in the league. Andres Nocioni helps infuse some needed toughness and Beno Udrih, well, he helped out his former mates with a 1-for-12 outing.
Overall, the toughness, grit and determination illustrated by a lot of different players was very good to see. No matter what happens from here on out, heart doesn't appear to be an characteristic a Spurs fan will have to question.
-Tony Parker didn't have one of those spectacular games he's produced many times in the last few months, but I thought he played very well. His effort level in the final three quarters of the game was off the charts. He defended very well and he single-handedly kept the offense in gear for much of his time on the court. Parker had a few rough patches but he worked at it and brought victory to his team. It should be noted that Parker made the pass on Finley's three-pointer. In an instant, Parker went from the goat who passed it without enough time to the hero who made the timely assist.
-Michael Finley's stats don't look too impressive but I thought he had an outstanding game. Defensively, his energy was as high as I've ever seen out of him. He also ran the floor, slashed into the paint and, of course, hit the game-winner. Finley didn't shoot well, especially on shots within the confines of the shot clock, but he earned each minute of playing time. Hopefully this is the level of energy Spurs fans can expect out of Finley.
-Another player who deserves a huge amount of credit is Kurt Thomas. His work on the glass was just beautiful. Thomas oftentimes fought against two and three Kings trying to box him out and he used his headiness and determination to grab 13 rebounds, eight of which were offensive. With the Spurs struggling for points, Thomas looked at the room more often than usual. Defensively, he was very good and finished with three of the team's four blocks. Fantastic effort.
-Roger Mason, Jr. continues to look like a totally different player with Ginobili out. He's taken it upon himself to carry a bigger load and he's doing good work in that role. Mason struggled at times within the three-point arc but his outside shooting was very important. He hit a number of big shots and when it was his turn to run point guard, Mason once again looked decent enough. Defensively, I really like what he's doing and he showed a good amount of versatility in this game in terms of the positions he was able to defend.
-Matt Bonner played hard but the results weren't too special. His rebounding was a little bit better but his defense was suspect. Bonner looks like he's a little bit gimpy, which is limiting him even more on the defensive end. The best thing about Bonner on the night was the fact that the Kings respected his jumper and that provided room for other players to operate.
-Ime Udoka had his second straight very good outing. He shot the ball well and his offense really helped early on when the Spurs appeared headed to a low scoring affair. Rebounding-wise, Udoka pulled down a few very impressive boards. On defense, he was good and thrived especially in transition defense. Hopefully these last two games are a sign that Udoka is peaking at the right time.
-Drew Gooden didn't do much good. He had been playing well recently but this game wasn't one to remember. Defensively, Gooden looked lazy a few times. He wasn't running hard back down the court and appeared to either be tired or disinterested. Offensively, he rushed a few shots and forced a couple of other ones. All that said, getting to the line nine times was very helpful and he at least gave the Spurs someone to go to when the bench unit was on the court. And in true Spurs fashion, the guy who was shooting 87% at the line prior to joining San Antonio finished 5-for-9 at the charity stripe.
-Bruce Bowen made a few mental mistakes -- and that in itself is uncharacteristic. Over the last few games, Bowen hasn't done nearly enough to earn more playing time. His defense has been solid but his tenacity isn't at his normal level. Let's hope that the postseason is when Bowen steps up his intensity.
-Fabricio Oberto played in his first game since his latest heart issue. It was good to see him out on the court but it was obvious that he was very rusty in his five minutes of court time.
-Pop gambled in sitting Duncan this game to have him available against the Warriors and it paid off . . . just barely. To secure this win, Pop basically used an eight-man rotation that leaned heavily on the starters. There's not much to complain about; Pop had his players playing hard and they kept at it even when it seemed like they would never be able to climb the mountain.
Now to make this Kings win meaningful, the Spurs have to take care of business against Golden State.
Believe.