timvp
01-22-2010, 05:10 PM
Since the San Antonio Spurs started winning championships, they have dominated the Utah Jazz. Until this season. With a 105-98 victory, the Jazz swept the four-game season series with the Spurs.
This was a game of amazing runs. To begin the contest, the Jazz scored the game's first 12 points. Soon after, the Spurs went on a 25-0 run of their own to take control. San Antonio held the lead until the middle of the third quarter, at which point the Jazz went on a 10-2 run to regain an advantage. From that point on, the Jazz never trailed again and the Spurs were left trying to figure out what went wrong.
In the four games against the Spurs this season, the Jazz have played great basketball. Carlos Boozer was amazing and the team's passing was superb. In this game, Andrei Kirilenko looked more like Larry Bird as he finished with 26 points and eight rebounds on 11-for-15 shooting. Utah definitely deserves credit for being far and away the better team over the course of the four matchups.
For the Spurs, this was a very disappointing way to begin their vital six-game homestand. They are finding it difficult to make consistent forward progress this season.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
35:42 minutes, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers
5-for-15 from the field, 4-for-6 at the line
Needing 15 points for 20,000, Tim Duncan instead had one of his worst games of the season and finished one point short. After a 1-for-8 start in the first half, Duncan slowly started getting better. However, once he got close to hitting his stride, foul trouble altered the way he had to play. As a result, he was passive for most of his fourth quarter minutes -- until he fouled out. I'm not sure if the pending 20,000th point celebration had anything to do with Duncan's down night but he just didn't have it going this game.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
35:38 minutes, 22 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers
7-for-13 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 7-for-8 at the line
If Manu Ginobili's value is ever questioned, just look at this game. As he entered the game, the Spurs were down 12-0. Over the next ten minutes, Ginobili helped the Spurs outscore the Jazz by 24 points. Right when he sat down, the Jazz went on a 5-0 run, which forced Pop to put Ginobli back into the game. Although he was by far the best player for San Antonio on the night, his impact waned near the end of the contest -- likely due to the excessive minutes. That said, it was great seeing Ginobili playing at such a high level.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
36:57 minutes, 20 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
7-for-16 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
Tony Parker had about as bad a game as possible for a player who put 20 points on the board. He began the game as if he were sporting leg shackles. Not only was his slow, he ran the offense poorly and was lacking on the defensive end. He got better later in the game, but the improvement was from "horrible" to "very bad". If Parker doesn't turn it around, there's no way this Spurs team is a championship contender.
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Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
11:31 minutes, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers
0-for-6 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers
Keith Bogans may be playing himself out of the starting lineup. By my count, this was his seventh straight sub par outing. This time around, Bogans couldn't hit an open shot, didn't play good defense and was loose with the ball. To begin the second half, Bogans wasn't on the floor. That may be a sign of things to come.
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DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
28:34 minutes, 4 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks
2-for-6 from the field
In his first stint, DeJuan Blair's poor play aided Utah's run. As the game went on, Blair got better but was still making mistakes. Instead of playing solid defense, he was going for too many steals and blocks. His rebounding was again impressive but Blair needs to realize he's a role player who is best when he's playing consistent, unspectacular defense.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
32:50 minutes, 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers
6-for-12 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
In his second straight start, George Hill once again played well. He was one of the few players who played with conviction on the offensive end. Additionally, his defense against Deron Williams was noteworthy. On the other hand, Hill's trio of three-point misses in the fourth quarter were costly. With Richard Jefferson healthy again, we'll see if Hill did enough to remain in the starting five.
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Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
26:44 minutes, 12 points, 2 blocks
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
After missing a game due to back spasms, Richard Jefferson was back in the lineup -- but came off the bench for the first time this season. He hit two three-pointers to help spark the 25-0 run and played relatively well for the rest of the first half. However, come the second half, Jefferson was invisible. He once again got benched for bad defense and Pop seems to be getting tired of his sloppy ways.
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Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
21:49 minutes, 4 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
2-for-6 from the field
Although Antonio McDyess struggled from the floor, his passing was good and he rebounded the ball with a lot of energy. Against a very physical Jazz squad, McDyess was one of the few players who fought back. One thing McDyess desperately needs to work on is being ready for passes from Ginobili. At this point, when Ginobili passes it to McDyess, it is almost always a turnover.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
7:04 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds
1-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Considering that the Spurs were desperate for outside shooting, it was rather odd that Roger Mason, Jr. played so few minutes. In fact, he played only three seconds in the first half and didn't re-enter the game until the Spurs were down ten points in the fourth quarter. Mason seemed to spark the Spurs a little bit once he finally got on the court, but it was too little, too late.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
3:11 minutes, 3 points
1-for-3 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner played three minutes to finish the second quarter. He looked better than the first game of his return from injury ... but he still has a ways to go to reach his previous level.
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Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
I thought Pop coached a poor game. First of all, Bogans should have played even fewer minutes. He was a wreck on offense and wasn't needed on defense. Pop also went to a very questionable lineup that featured Ginobili at power forward in the fourth quarter. Playing Ginobili so many minutes in the first half doomed the team late because the team's best player on the night was running on fumes by the fourth. And finally, bringing Jefferson off the bench hurt the already struggling cohesiveness of this team.
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Offense
The offense continues to sputter. The Spurs shot 39.3% from the floor and hit only 6-of-21 three-pointers. Their 19-16 assist-to-turnover ratio also wasn't good. The Spurs were able to put 98 points on the board thanks to 15 offensive boards and a 22-for-26 showing from the free throw line.
Defense
The Spurs held the Jazz to 45 points in the first half. In the second half, the Jazz exploded for 60 points. Overall, Utah shot 46.8% from the floor and had 30 assists -- a season-high for a Spurs opponent. The Spurs sent the Jazz to the line too many times (28-for-32) and allowed way too many easy shots at the rim -- especially in the fourth quarter.
Drive to Five
The Jazz game was another tough loss to stomach. That said, the Spurs don't have any time to feel sorry for themselves. Against the Houston Rockets on Friday night, the Spurs really, really need to put a W on the board.
Believe.
This was a game of amazing runs. To begin the contest, the Jazz scored the game's first 12 points. Soon after, the Spurs went on a 25-0 run of their own to take control. San Antonio held the lead until the middle of the third quarter, at which point the Jazz went on a 10-2 run to regain an advantage. From that point on, the Jazz never trailed again and the Spurs were left trying to figure out what went wrong.
In the four games against the Spurs this season, the Jazz have played great basketball. Carlos Boozer was amazing and the team's passing was superb. In this game, Andrei Kirilenko looked more like Larry Bird as he finished with 26 points and eight rebounds on 11-for-15 shooting. Utah definitely deserves credit for being far and away the better team over the course of the four matchups.
For the Spurs, this was a very disappointing way to begin their vital six-game homestand. They are finding it difficult to make consistent forward progress this season.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
35:42 minutes, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers
5-for-15 from the field, 4-for-6 at the line
Needing 15 points for 20,000, Tim Duncan instead had one of his worst games of the season and finished one point short. After a 1-for-8 start in the first half, Duncan slowly started getting better. However, once he got close to hitting his stride, foul trouble altered the way he had to play. As a result, he was passive for most of his fourth quarter minutes -- until he fouled out. I'm not sure if the pending 20,000th point celebration had anything to do with Duncan's down night but he just didn't have it going this game.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
35:38 minutes, 22 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers
7-for-13 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 7-for-8 at the line
If Manu Ginobili's value is ever questioned, just look at this game. As he entered the game, the Spurs were down 12-0. Over the next ten minutes, Ginobili helped the Spurs outscore the Jazz by 24 points. Right when he sat down, the Jazz went on a 5-0 run, which forced Pop to put Ginobli back into the game. Although he was by far the best player for San Antonio on the night, his impact waned near the end of the contest -- likely due to the excessive minutes. That said, it was great seeing Ginobili playing at such a high level.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
36:57 minutes, 20 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
7-for-16 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
Tony Parker had about as bad a game as possible for a player who put 20 points on the board. He began the game as if he were sporting leg shackles. Not only was his slow, he ran the offense poorly and was lacking on the defensive end. He got better later in the game, but the improvement was from "horrible" to "very bad". If Parker doesn't turn it around, there's no way this Spurs team is a championship contender.
-------------------------------
Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
11:31 minutes, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers
0-for-6 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers
Keith Bogans may be playing himself out of the starting lineup. By my count, this was his seventh straight sub par outing. This time around, Bogans couldn't hit an open shot, didn't play good defense and was loose with the ball. To begin the second half, Bogans wasn't on the floor. That may be a sign of things to come.
-------------------------------
DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
28:34 minutes, 4 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks
2-for-6 from the field
In his first stint, DeJuan Blair's poor play aided Utah's run. As the game went on, Blair got better but was still making mistakes. Instead of playing solid defense, he was going for too many steals and blocks. His rebounding was again impressive but Blair needs to realize he's a role player who is best when he's playing consistent, unspectacular defense.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
32:50 minutes, 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers
6-for-12 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
In his second straight start, George Hill once again played well. He was one of the few players who played with conviction on the offensive end. Additionally, his defense against Deron Williams was noteworthy. On the other hand, Hill's trio of three-point misses in the fourth quarter were costly. With Richard Jefferson healthy again, we'll see if Hill did enough to remain in the starting five.
-------------------------------
Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
26:44 minutes, 12 points, 2 blocks
4-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
After missing a game due to back spasms, Richard Jefferson was back in the lineup -- but came off the bench for the first time this season. He hit two three-pointers to help spark the 25-0 run and played relatively well for the rest of the first half. However, come the second half, Jefferson was invisible. He once again got benched for bad defense and Pop seems to be getting tired of his sloppy ways.
-------------------------------
Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
21:49 minutes, 4 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
2-for-6 from the field
Although Antonio McDyess struggled from the floor, his passing was good and he rebounded the ball with a lot of energy. Against a very physical Jazz squad, McDyess was one of the few players who fought back. One thing McDyess desperately needs to work on is being ready for passes from Ginobili. At this point, when Ginobili passes it to McDyess, it is almost always a turnover.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
7:04 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds
1-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Considering that the Spurs were desperate for outside shooting, it was rather odd that Roger Mason, Jr. played so few minutes. In fact, he played only three seconds in the first half and didn't re-enter the game until the Spurs were down ten points in the fourth quarter. Mason seemed to spark the Spurs a little bit once he finally got on the court, but it was too little, too late.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
3:11 minutes, 3 points
1-for-3 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner played three minutes to finish the second quarter. He looked better than the first game of his return from injury ... but he still has a ways to go to reach his previous level.
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Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
I thought Pop coached a poor game. First of all, Bogans should have played even fewer minutes. He was a wreck on offense and wasn't needed on defense. Pop also went to a very questionable lineup that featured Ginobili at power forward in the fourth quarter. Playing Ginobili so many minutes in the first half doomed the team late because the team's best player on the night was running on fumes by the fourth. And finally, bringing Jefferson off the bench hurt the already struggling cohesiveness of this team.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offense continues to sputter. The Spurs shot 39.3% from the floor and hit only 6-of-21 three-pointers. Their 19-16 assist-to-turnover ratio also wasn't good. The Spurs were able to put 98 points on the board thanks to 15 offensive boards and a 22-for-26 showing from the free throw line.
Defense
The Spurs held the Jazz to 45 points in the first half. In the second half, the Jazz exploded for 60 points. Overall, Utah shot 46.8% from the floor and had 30 assists -- a season-high for a Spurs opponent. The Spurs sent the Jazz to the line too many times (28-for-32) and allowed way too many easy shots at the rim -- especially in the fourth quarter.
Drive to Five
The Jazz game was another tough loss to stomach. That said, the Spurs don't have any time to feel sorry for themselves. Against the Houston Rockets on Friday night, the Spurs really, really need to put a W on the board.
Believe.