Turning point?

[Halberto]

I don't know how many people caught this, but the Spurs just beat two winning teams on back to back nights.

Nobody is consistently putting up stellar numbers (except Duncan who sat out last night), but it looks like it doesn't matter. It looks like we're finally seeing this team gel together :toast

[alchemist]

The Portland game was rock bottom. It's been a steady climb since.

[The_Game]

I don't know how many people caught this, but the Spurs just beat two winning teams on back to back nights.

Nobody is consistently putting up stellar numbers (except Duncan who sat out last night), but it looks like it doesn't matter. It looks like we're finally seeing this team gel together :toast

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.

[bobby4germany]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.

It means that we are now 3rd in the west and creaping up on the fakers! :p:

[The_Game]

:lobt2:
It means that we are now 3rd in the west and creaping up on the fakers! :p:

i expect to see you in the WCF

[Muser]

:lobt2:

i expect to see you in the WCF

Just stay healthy enough to get there first.

[jb4g]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.

its still a win, we all know what happens when you underestimate a shorthanded team.

[spurspokesman]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.
This same laker team beat the mavs with kobe playing even less. It means something. Also the big east beast is coming up in the game. Big up to blair.

[K-State Spur]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.

The Spurs were outplaying them when Kobe was in (-6) and they got a great performance out Bynum, so I don't think you can ready nothing from it either.

Actually, most encouraging was the fact that it's been Odom who has given us the biggest matchup problems down low in the past, and our bigs handled him rather easily on Tuesday.

[TimmehC]

The last two games the Spurs have shown something that was lacking previously. No matter what you call it(backbone, grit, etc.), it's a welcome sight.

[Chomag]

Although I wouldn't be completely sold on the Spurs yet. However they have been playing with heart and intensity the last couple of game and that's something they have really lacked so far this year.

[widowmaker]

:lobt2:

i expect to see you in the WCF

Na Kobe Bryant is due a major injury. You guys cant go anywhere with out him.

[JR3]

The last two games the Spurs have shown something that was lacking previously. No matter what you call it(backbone, grit, etc.), it's a welcome sight.

I agree.. It was a breath of fresh air watching parker/ginobili/jefferson all make clutch plays at OKC without duncan. Things are on the up.. BLAIR! Thats all I gotta say.

[JR3]

Na Kobe Bryant is due a major injury. You guys cant go anywhere with out him.

I agree! Its about time the Lakers suffer some injuries! Everyone is concerned about the old spurs and them being injured and thats why the lakers will win it again... but look where we are right now, the old Spurs are healthy and the lakers are not. (i know bonner and finley are out, but i'm on the side that says we don't need them and they slow us down defensively).

[I Heart Ginobili]

I agree that they are playing with a lot more intensity now as opposed to before where it seems that the team was just going through the motions.

Although, the one thing that frightens me are these large droughts without points. I think last night there were multiple 3 minute droughts without scoring where we couldn't even get a play together.

[The_Game]

Na Kobe Bryant is due a major injury. You guys cant go anywhere with out him.

Why is he? Kobe has had plenty of injures over the years...he just plays through it.

no shit lakers will go nowhere without him it's the same for any team

[silverblackfan]

The Portland game was rock bottom. It's been a steady climb since.

I feel this way too. Been a slow, but steady uphill climb since then. Lots of improvement to go, but look better every game.

[The_Game]

I agree! Its about time the Lakers suffer some injuries! Everyone is concerned about the old spurs and them being injured and thats why the lakers will win it again... but look where we are right now, the old Spurs are healthy and the lakers are not. (i know bonner and finley are out, but i'm on the side that says we don't need them and they slow us down defensively).

lakers will offically be healthy tomorrow when Pau returns.

Lakers have suffered injures the past two years in the playoffs...bynum, ariza and bynum not completely healthy last year.

People said Lakers would win it all again wether spurs were healthy or not it wasn't just down to them being healthy.

[silverblackfan]

Why is he? Kobe has had plenty of injures over the years...he just plays through it.

no shit lakers will go nowhere without him it's the same for any team

Actually, I think all the other teams will be fine if Kobe is injured. :lol

[The_Game]

Actually, I think all the other teams will be fine if Kobe is injured. :lol

:lol Yes that made me laugh.

[Chomag]

I agree that they are playing with a lot more intensity now as opposed to before where it seems that the team was just going through the motions.

Although, the one thing that frightens me are these large droughts without points. I think last night there were multiple 3 minute droughts without scoring where we couldn't even get a play together.

The droughts don't frighten me, I think we have enough offencive players to drown that out. However the weakness in Spurs paint defence is pretty worrisome.

[Baseline]

I agree that they are playing with a lot more intensity now as opposed to before where it seems that the team was just going through the motions.

Although, the one thing that frightens me are these large droughts without points. I think last night there were multiple 3 minute droughts without scoring where we couldn't even get a play together.

Exactly - this is when Jefferson needs to take it to the rack and get to the line. Slash already. That's one of the main reasons he's here anyway.

And now we have Blair, who can eat up space and draw fouls as well. There's no reason for us to go into such scoring droughts...it only means that we're shooting too many long jumpers.

Against the Lakers, a 22 point lead was cut to 6, and I only remember LA hitting one three the whole time - and that three was countered by one from Manu. They cut our lead down because we made so many ridiculous turnovers that it was humiliating. And all they did was dump it into Bynum, and of course Pop refused to double him.

With our offensive firepower and slashers such as RJ, Manu, and TP, there's no excuse to have long scoring droughts. In those circumstances we need to get ourselves to the line.

[TJastal]

I defenitely think this game was a turning point. Unfortunately, it was a turning point in the wrong direction.

Pop's over-shortened & confusing lineups, Duncan MIA's, and substitution patterns are gonna catch up to this team eventually. There is no flow or consistency that the players can get used to. This is going to take its toll as we head into the 2nd half of the season.

Not developing Mahinmi and/or getting Ratliff involved on a regular basis is going to be very costly as well. That goes for Hairston to a lesser degree, moreso if Keith Bogans can't get his shooting act together. Haislip I would have imagined as a situational player, but there doesn't appear to be any situation Pop thinks he is suitable for.

The real shame in all this is this team has what it takes to win another championship with some halfway decent coaching.

We'll see

[I Heart Ginobili]

I defenitely think this game was a turning point. Unfortunately, it was a turning point in the wrong direction.

Pop's over-shortened & confusing lineups, Duncan MIA's, and substitution patterns are gonna catch up to this team eventually. There is no flow or consistency that the players can get used to. This is going to take its toll as we head into the 2nd half of the season.

Not developing Mahinmi and/or getting Ratliff involved on a regular basis is going to be very costly as well. That goes for Hairston to a lesser degree, moreso if Keith Bogans can't get his shooting act together. Haislip I would have imagined as a situational player, but there doesn't appear to be any situation Pop thinks he is suitable for.

The real shame in all this is this team has what it takes to win another championship with some halfway decent coaching.

We'll see

No. Not at all. It seems to me that these inconsistencies are the reason why all of our top players are healthy (besides parker). The fakers and celtics are hurt because their top players play a lot more minutes than ours do. This strategy is definitely going to pay dividends in the long run imo.

[Xevious]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.
I agree. It proves Lakers have no depth more than anything.

[temujin]

Why is he? Kobe has had plenty of injures over the years...he just plays through it.

no shit lakers will go nowhere without him it's the same for any team

Bryant is 32.

He is getting old and it shows.

Back problems.

That's old men stuff.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

For mine, it's not about a "turning point" so much as a slow and steady improvement since losing to Denver and Boston early in December. Sure, there have been hiccups along the way like the Portland game, but team chemistry has improved greatly in that time and some players (like RJ) have become more comfortable in their roles. All of that has led to this fantastic b2b... that, and the Fakers at 3/4 strength.

[temujin]

I defenitely think this game was a turning point. Unfortunately, it was a turning point in the wrong direction.

Pop's over-shortened & confusing lineups, Duncan MIA's, and substitution patterns are gonna catch up to this team eventually. There is no flow or consistency that the players can get used to. This is going to take its toll as we head into the 2nd half of the season.

Not developing Mahinmi and/or getting Ratliff involved on a regular basis is going to be very costly as well. That goes for Hairston to a lesser degree, moreso if Keith Bogans can't get his shooting act together. Haislip I would have imagined as a situational player, but there doesn't appear to be any situation Pop thinks he is suitable for.

The real shame in all this is this team has what it takes to win another championship with some halfway decent coaching.

We'll see

I think a 9-10 men rotation is the maximun, at this stage.
Haislip, Mahinmi and Haislip are nonsense.
So is Finley, except in very limited occasions, in which he doesn't have to show up on defense.

I am finally liking what I am seeing.

Even Jefferson can hit a clutch shot!

[TJastal]

No. Not at all. It seems to me that these inconsistencies are the reason why all of our top players are healthy (besides parker). The fakers and celtics are hurt because their top players play a lot more minutes than ours do. This strategy is definitely going to pay dividends in the long run imo.

Yah, and you know why the Lakers and celtics' starters are succumbing to injury? Because of their benches being lackluster. Spurs' bench has been best in the league so far this year and is the reason Pop has been able to keep the big 3's minutes down. And so far its been working like a charm! So of course Poop has to go and mess around with something that is working perfectly.

Not playing Duncan on B2B's is not a good idea at all unless the spurs are playing like a sub .400 team.

This type of strategy may insure Duncan is 100% for the playoffs, but this puts other spurs at significant risk of injury such as Parker's planar fascitis becoming worse or Manu overdoing it and reinjuring a foot. McDyess could go down easily trying to fill the void in the middle. And this not only puts our "at risk" players in jearpordy it puts all the guys (even the ones who are younger) at risk.

[alchemist]

Yah, and you know why the Lakers and celtics' starters are succumbing to injury? Because of their benches being lackluster. Spurs' bench has been best in the league so far this year and is the reason Pop has been able to keep the big 3's minutes down. And so far its been working like a charm! So of course Poop has to go and mess around with something that is working perfectly.

Not playing Duncan on B2B's is not a good idea at all unless the spurs are playing like a sub .400 team.

This type of strategy may insure Duncan is 100% for the playoffs, but this puts other spurs at significant risk of injury such as Parker's planar fascitis becoming worse or Manu overdoing it and reinjuring a foot. McDyess could go down easily trying to fill the void in the middle. And this not only puts our "at risk" players in jearpordy it puts all the guys (even the ones who are younger) at risk.
Injuries will happen in any situation, they could be off for a 5 days and in the first minute anyone can go down, I do agree that Pop should've played at least 9 guys yesterday. Let's see what happens in Memphis.

[pjjrfan]

Yes spurs did but the Lakers without Gasol and Kobe playing hurt doesnt mean a great deal.

That may be, but what I'm seeing is a team that is beginning to believe in it's abiilty to play good hard defense and in themselves.

[TJastal]

Injuries will happen in any situation, they could be off for a 5 days and in the first minute anyone can go down, I do agree that Pop should've played at least 9 guys yesterday. Let's see what happens in Memphis.

Injuries happen most frequently when a player is in a state of fatigue. By a long shot. I'm thankful nothing bad happened in the thunder game and the spurs squeaked out a win.

I just think there is really no practical need to hold Duncan out of any games with the spurs bench playing head and shoulders above everyone else in the league and affording the starters to play limited minutes.

[Wildcat67]

But, I'm sure Parker and Ginobili will ALSO get games off at some point in the season. So it's not gonna be a big deal.

Bottom line

Duncan -32 minutes from his average

Why would Parker and Ginobili having a couple extra minutes in one game (wouldn't of if it didn't go to overtime anyways) have more of a negative effect then Duncan getting a three straight days off?