Spurs vs. Clippers Previews

[duncan228]

Los Angeles (25-41) at San Antonio (38-25) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2010031324&prov=ap)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Sat Mar 13, 2010
TV: FSPT, FSSW
By Brett Huston

With their No. 1 draft pick sidelined for the season, their second-leading scorer nursing a leg injury and their general manager recently shown the door, it’s no surprise the Los Angeles Clippers are mired in a six-game losing streak.

What would be stunning is if they can snap it Saturday night.

The Clippers’ 15-game skid against the San Antonio Spurs is the league’s longest current drought against a single opponent, and they’ll also be looking for their first-ever win in 15 visits to the AT&T Center.

The last time Los Angeles (25-41) played San Antonio was in Kim Hughes’ interim coaching debut Feb. 6 at Staples Center. Hughes was taking over for Mike Dunleavy, who stepped down as the team’s on-court leader two days earlier after 6 1/2 seasons on the sidelines.

Hughes didn’t have any better luck than Dunleavy against the Spurs in the 103-87 loss. San Antonio (38-25) has won three meetings this season by an average of 19.3 points, the past 15 overall in the series by 15.5 points per game and all 14 games versus the Clippers at the AT&T Center by an average of 13.4 points since the facility opened in 2002.

“It’s going to take us a while before we see results,” All-Star center Chris Kaman said after the Clippers’ latest loss to the Spurs. “It’s a work in progress right now.”

There haven’t been many positive signs in the past month. Los Angeles has dropped 13 of 17 under Hughes, and on Tuesday the organization relieved Dunleavy - still serving as general manager - of his remaining duties.

Added to the front office uncertainty is a six-game losing streak that’s tied for the team’s longest of the season.

The absence of Eric Gordon, who at 17.2 points per game is the team’s second-leading scorer behind Kaman, hasn’t helped. Gordon has missed the first four games of this road trip with a sore leg and is likely out for Saturday’s finale as well.

The Clippers had their best shooting performance since Hughes took over Friday in Charlotte, but it wasn’t enough. Baron Davis scored 24 points and Los Angeles shot 57.5 percent, but 23 turnovers were costly in a 106-98 loss.

“We don’t share the ball enough,” Hughes said. “I think when they double-teamed us, we held the ball too long. We have to be more unselfish when we get trapped.”

While the Clippers are struggling without Gordon, the Spurs hardly seem fazed by a broken right ring finger that may cost Tony Parker the rest of the regular season.

Manu Ginobili followed his 38-point performance in a Monday loss to the Cavaliers by scoring 28 in a 97-87 win Wednesday against the New York Knicks, then fellow guard George Hill had 19 points and eight assists Friday in a 103-85 rout at Minnesota.

San Antonio has won six of seven.

“We’re right in the mix of things, and we’re trying to move up and try to jockey for some position so every win is a good win right now,” Tim Duncan said.

The Spurs’ new starting backcourt has kept Duncan from having to carry the offensive load, as he’s averaged just 15.0 points and 6.8 rebounds over his past five games.

It’s possible coach Gregg Popovich could rest Duncan Saturday in the second night of a back-to-back, but he only played 25 minutes Friday and has averaged just over 20 in the last four meetings with Los Angeles.

San Antonio is 4-4 when playing the second of a back-to-back, while the Clippers - also playing their fourth game in five nights - are 4-13.

*********************

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Chris Kaman LAC 19.3
Tim Duncan SA 18.9

Rebounds
Chris Kaman LAC 9.3
Tim Duncan SA 10.6

Assists
Baron Davis LAC 8.0
Tony Parker SA 5.7

[DesignatedT]

another blowout please.

[Ditty]

I hope gooden gets a standing ovation this time around :p:

[timtonymanu]

another must win.

228, dont forget you cant post articles from "the gods of spurs news" anymore. and yes i know this preview isnt from them.

[BillMc]

Thanks for posting!!!

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Sat. Mar 13
L.A. Clippers @ San Antonio: Tom Washington; Curtis Blair; Eric Lewis

[Johnson]

4cc is the size of my brain

[Bruno]

Spurs' schedule will soon be very difficult with a lot of games in few days against good teams. They need to win these games to have a quite good margin on the 9th spot.
Spurs are currently at 38-25 while Memphis is at the 9th spot with a 35-31 record.

[biba]

Los Angeles Clippers (25-41) at San Antonio Spurs (38-25), 8:30 p.m.
By Sports Network

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527707/los-angeles-clippers-25-41-at.html

There are quite a few rivalries in the NBA but don't count the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers among them.

A rivalry generally contains a little give-and-take or back-and-forth. When the Spurs and Clippers get together, it's as one-sided as it gets. San Antonio shoots for its 16th straight win in the series tonight when they play host to the Clips in the Alamo City.

LA hasn't beaten the Spurs since a 91-83 triumph in Hollywood on Dec. 1, 2003 and has lost 23 of the past 24 games in the series, including 14 consecutive in San Antonio.

In fact, the Clippers' 15-game skid against San Antonio is the league's longest current drought against a single opponent and LA has never won in the AT&T Center.

The Spurs, who currently stand seventh in the Western Conference standings, continued their march to the postseason last night with a 103-85 rout in Minneapolis. Richard Jefferson and George Hill each scored 19 points in that one as San Antonio beat Minnesota for the 11th straight time.

Tim Duncan posted 15 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Jefferson had nine boards and Hill dished out eight assists for San Antonio, which hasn't lost to the Timberwolves since January 3, 2007. Hill started in place again for Tony Parker, who sat out his third straight contest with a broken right ring finger.

"We know he's a very capable scorer," San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said of Hill. "We've been doing it behind Tony a lot of games. Now he's taking over, playing more minutes. He's playing with more confidence."

The Clippers, meanwhile, dropped their sixth straight game in Charlotte on Friday after Stephen Jackson poured in 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter while dishing out six assists, as the Bobcats continued their stellar play at home with a 106-98 victory over Los Angeles.

Baron Davis finished with 24 points, seven assists and five steals for the Clippers, who have dropped nine straight on the road to fall to 7-27 as the guest this season.

"We couldn't get stops, turnovers," said Davis. "We just have to play better together that's all. On the defensive end and the offensive end."

Rasual Butler chipped in 18 points, while Travis Outlaw and Drew Gooden each tallied 16 points. Chris Kaman added 13 points and 11 boards for Los Angeles.

[duncan228]

Clippers at San Antonio - Game Preview (http://www.clipsnation.com/2010/3/13/1370965/clippers-at-san-antonio-game)
by Steve Perrin
Clips Nation

The Back Story:

• December 13 in Los Angeles - San Antonio 115, Clippers 90 - Recap Box Score
• December 21 in San Antonio - San Antonio 103, Clippers 87 - Recap Box Score
• February 6th in Los Angeles - San Antonio 98, Clippers 81 - Recap Box Score

The Big Picture:

In the history of the Clips Nation blog, the Clippers have never beaten the Spurs. Think about that for a minute. Since the beginning of the 2006-2007 season, when I started writing previews and recaps of every single game, the Clippers have played the Spurs 14 times and lost every damn one of them. I have no idea what it would feel like to write a recap for a win over the Spurs. Of course, the Spurs dominance of LA has been going on for even longer than that. They've won 15 straight overall, and they're 42-5 in the Tim Duncan era. And it's worse in San Antonio, where they have literally never won in the AT&T Center. (Their dominance in that building is so complete that the Clippers actually got excited about winning a pre-season game there - we're talking about pre-season.) So if the Clippers are hoping to avoid a winless road trip, they've gone to the wrong place. At least they seemed to find their shooting touch last night in Charlotte. If they can manage to shoot well AND not turn the ball over 20 times, they might have a chance. Wait. What am I saying? They have no chance.

The Antagonist:

The Spurs could actually miss the playoffs this year. They are currently in the seventh spot in the West, but they also just lost Tony Parker for most if not all of the rest of the regular season. They've won six of their last seven, including two straight without Parker, and of course they'll likely win tonight, but those wins have been against the likes of New York and Minnesota. After tonight they play eight out of nine against top quality opponents, five of them on the road. The Spurs currently have a six game cushion over the Grizzlies in the loss column, so they're probably safe with only 19 games left on the schedule. But it's amazing that it's even a possibility, given the unbroken string of excellence in San Antonio over the last dozen or so seasons. Of course, if the Spurs have lost a step against the rest of the league, they're as good as ever against the Clippers. In the first three meetings this season, the Spurs have dominated from wire to wire.

The Subplots:

• Please, please, please, please let Duncan play the fourth. The first three meetings between the Clippers and the Spurs have been so lopsided that Tim Duncan did not play a minute in the fourth quarter of any of them. Three games, three early showers for Duncan. And Tony Parker. And two early showers for Ginobili. Even if the Clippers can't win, it would be nice to keep it competitive. You owe it to the rest of the league to put some more miles on Duncan and Ginobili.

• Ugly losing streak. The last time the Clippers won in San Antonio was almost eight years ago, January 2002. In October of that year, the AT&T Center opened as the new home of the Spurs, and the Clippers have never won there - 14 consecutive losses.

• Manu Ginobili - starter. With Parker out with a broken hand, Gregg Popovich is doing something he doesn't like to do - starting Manu Ginobili. Pop says he needs the scoring and playmaking in that first unit without Parker, but obviously it hurts the second unit. I've never much understood the seemingly stubborn insistance to bring Manu off the bench. He's obviously a star, he's obviously important to the team - he should start and he should play more minutes.

• Speaking of the bench. You may need a program to recognize some of the guys playing on the Spurs second unit tonight. Malik Hairston, Ian Mahinmi and Cedric Jackson all figure to get some minutes. I'm pretty sure they all spent time in the D-league this season. But with Parker hurt and Michael Finley in Boston after being waived, the Spurs aren't as deep as the old days.

• Could it happen? Could they win? Sure. And Monkeys could fly out of my butt. OK, it's not as unlikely as the whole butt-monkey thing, but it seems pretty unlikely. The Clippers are playing a back-to-back, with a LONG flight from Charlotte to San Antonio. (The Spurs also played last night, in Minnesota, so that's kind of a wash I guess.) More importantly, the Clippers just aren't playing well right now, not to mention that the Spurs own them. Then again, we do get pleasantly surprised from time to time.

• Movie Quote:


School Counselor: I think it's a good opportunity to share the... feelings that this suicide has spurred in all of us. Now, who would like to begin?
Tracy: I heard it was really gnarly. She sucked down a bowl of multi-purpose deodorizing disinfectant, and then SMASH.
School Counselor: Now Tracey, let's not rehash the coroner's report. Let's talk emotions.

Heathers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097493/) (1988). Man, I can't believe that Heathers was 22 years ago. I like that movie. I should watch it again.

[Rick18]

Dare I say it...all of these previews are light years better than 'those' previews :p: