Game Blog: Spurs @ Thunder, 3-22-2010

[Ice009]

Great rebound from Manu and good free throws from him too there at the end.

Great win. AWESOME game Spurs.

lol quick question - What did you all think of Pop putting Bogans on Durant for that last possession?

[urunobili]

it's a fucking win... against the fucking Thunder... 3-1 on the fucking season series... fuck KD, fuck Westbrook, Fuck E-Baka, fuck the Hawks, fuck the Refs, fuck Stern, the Mavs, the Lakers and the Suns... that's all folks...

[Russ]

This might be the biggest win of the season.

Might?

[easy7]

Spurs move up to 6th on the standings

[TDfan2007]

Great win. Can't blame Tim and Manu too much for going 0-a gazillion in the 4th. Second game of a b2b and they both logged major minutes in the first game. We got lucky this game, didn't last game. Sometimes it just comes down to that...

[DPG21920]

A win tonight would erase the sting of last night and be a motha f'ing huge surprise. Who knows, the Spurs have used OKC to obtain big wins before.

Believe.

[Refocus]

Wooooo

[widowmaker]

That was a big time foul they didnt call on for Duncan

[Brazil]

We deserved this one ! Great game great effort

oh and fuck you Ibaka my ass

[Chomag]

Good win!

[ezau]

whew! Feels good winning against a contender

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

The team has plenty of grit, can't help that Pop plays gives sub par players like Bogans and Bonner big minutes. Maybe if you had a brain you'd see that.

Yeah, I have no brain... uh-huh. Where was that grit last night when we handed the game to the Hawks? Or the 10 other games we've given away in the 4th. This team cannot get stops when it needs to, and it tends to choke. Open your fucking eyes.

Nice win on the 2nd of a b2b on the road after an OT game though. About the most fight they've shown all year, although we tried to give it away in the last 4 minutes.

[benefactor]

We said that last time we were in OKC.
Well I officially declare this one bigger. :)

[nbaman99]

dont get too excited, we didnt win this one. for some reason we won it after missing 6 shots at the end, which would of put the game away long time ago.

[urunobili]

lol quick question - What did you all think of Pop putting Bogans on Durant for that last possession?

:pop: said the centerpiece was a huge reason why we won there last time by denying the ball to Durant on the last play... :wakeup

[widowmaker]

Fuck those commentators, they have to be some of the worst.

[angelbelow]

Damn Ibaka with a few nice defensive plays..

[siraulo23]

Huge, huge win

I didnt think we would be able to stay close in this one~

and we won

[TJastal]

Great rebound from Manu and good free throws from him too there at the end.

Great win. AWESOME game Spurs.

lol quick question - What did you all think of Pop putting Bogans on Durant for that last possession?

:flipoff

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

whew! Feels good winning against a contender

They are a playoff team, not a contender. There's a vast difference between the two.

[DPG21920]

Yeah, I have no brain... uh-huh. Where was that grit last night when we handed the game to the Hawks? Or the 10 other games we've given away in the 4th. This team cannot get stops when it needs to, and it tends to choke. Open your fucking eyes.

Nice win on the 2nd of a b2b on the road after an OT game though. About the most fight they've shown all year, although we tried to give it away in the last 4 minutes.

You do realize we have no Parker though? If you take Either JJ, Horford or Smith off the Hawks, Spurs probably win.

[easy7]

Great win...

[CFH]

Great game, great win. Now the Spurs and Thunder have the same record.

[blkroadrunners]

Gotta give the men in black and silver credit. Great win tonight for a b2b.

[Death In June]

Now, rest Tim and Manu for the lakers game. 43 and 35 min on a BB is worrying. Hope Pop doesn't lose sight of the big picture.

[DPG21920]

Ibaka is a "swagger" player. Young, cocky and athletic as hell.

[tothrowed]

nice win spurs we really needed this if we would have won yesterday we would have been oh so close to 5th place

[siraulo23]

Huge fucking win... to all those who said we'd get blown out tonight... EAT IT!

my bad

[Spursox]

Nice Win....Tim needs to dunk that ball instead of getting swatted like a fly....

[easy7]

Like the fat chick after having sex - I am going to go and smoke a ham.

[austN Spur]

spurs giving me gray hairs dammit. but what a game. Bring kobe ON

[Brazil]

Big props to Hill !!! I have been harsh with him but tonite he responded with a monster game

[DesignatedT]

They are a playoff team, not a contender. There's a vast difference between the two.

a good win regardless coming off a b2b without tony parker.

[DAF86]

We are better than what our record suggests right now, please flying spaghetti monster let Parker come back at a 90%, that's all I'm asking.

[Johnny RIngo]

lol quick question - What did you all think of Pop putting Bogans on Durant for that last possession?

Not very optimistic since it's going to set a precedent for Pop to use Bogans further.

[Quiet Strength]

dont get too excited, we didnt win this one. for some reason we won it after missing 6 shots at the end, which would of put the game away long time ago.

We didn't win but we won?

[Bartleby]

We didn't win but we won?
:lol

[FeZZy]

Who was saying that they'd like Gino at the line in the clutch. Damn Gino. Made that a bit closer than it needed down the stretch. Oh well, Spurs still get the win.
who do you want tim duncan?

[Johnny RIngo]

You do realize we have no Parker though? If you take Either JJ, Horford or Smith off the Hawks, Spurs probably win.

We lost to the Cavs without Lebron, Blazers without Roy, and Lakers without Kobe.

[TD 21]

I've never been happier to be wrong. I thought this had early blow out written all over it and it did...except Mason, left for dead, caught fire and from there the team, seemingly resigned to their fate, seemed to realize that this, already an important game, would also be a winnable one.

[ezau]

They are a playoff team, not a contender. There's a vast difference between the two.

why don't you just shut the fuck up and enjoy the win?

[TJastal]

Yeah, I have no brain... uh-huh. Where was that grit last night when we handed the game to the Hawks? Or the 10 other games we've given away in the 4th. This team cannot get stops when it needs to, and it tends to choke. Open your fucking eyes.

Nice win on the 2nd of a b2b on the road after an OT game though. About the most fight they've shown all year, although we tried to give it away in the last 4 minutes.

I disagree. The team has plenty of grit, its the players Pops is putting on the floor. Tonight, we saw less Bogans and more RMJ and Hairston and immediately there's a noticeable improvement. Now if we could just substitute a shotblocking presence for Bonner to help Duncan patrol the middle so Duncan isn't burned the fuck out by the end of every game the spurs would be set.

[Nathan Explosion]

who do you want tim duncan?

It was ironic how someone was talking about how much they trust Gino at the line in the clutch and then he missed a FT. I didn't bad mouth Gino, just pointing at the irony.

Man, some Gino lovers get really butt hurt at the mere hint of a criticism of him.

[alchemist]

Great rebound from Manu and good free throws from him too there at the end.

Great win. AWESOME game Spurs.

lol quick question - What did you all think of Pop putting Bogans on Durant for that last possession?
:lmao I thought ST would have server issues from all hell breaking loose.

[Budkin]

dont get too excited, we didnt win this one. for some reason we won it after missing 6 shots at the end, which would of put the game away long time ago.

Makes up for last night then...

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You do realize we have no Parker though? If you take Either JJ, Horford or Smith off the Hawks, Spurs probably win.

Parker hasn't been as good as any of those guys this year. Parker at his best makes us a much better team, no doubt, but the Parker we've seen for most of this season makes us worse (I will add that it's mostly not his fault - he is exhausted from too much ball, and has been banged up continually)

And as for adding him we probably win, you really believe that? We've been choking away games in the 4th all year, and almost did it again tonight. For whatever reason (damned if I can figure it out, although I think it might be RJ's bad karma), this year's Spurs don't believe in each other enough. And nothing has changed as far as our inability to string together stops when we need to check the other team's momentum.

Don't get me wrong, nice, gutsy win tonight, but I don't think it changes the big picture.

[DPG21920]

We lost to the Cavs without Lebron, Blazers without Roy, and Lakers without Kobe.

And? Spurs are playing much, much better now.

[Bartleby]

So? I don't undertand how some fans complain about a win. We aren't going to win a title this year, but let us enjoy a win without all the bitching from people!

A lot of Spurs fans here aren't happy unless they're bitching about the Spurs.

[santymrc]

Manu made 3-4 at the clutch, and took a HUGE RB, well some spurs fans just don't get it. Hey Ducks, you there?

[alchemist]

A lot of Spurs fans here aren't happy unless they're bitching about the Spurs.
sig worthy :toast

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

why don't you just shut the fuck up and enjoy the win?

Why can't you be more precise with the language? Or do you really think the Thunder can beat the Fakers, Mavs, Nuggets, etc., then the Cavs or Magic? :lmao

[Killakobe81]

GREAT win ...
No way I go down with Durant NOT taking that last shot ...

But you split 2 tough games ...liek i said last night i saw some good things ...tonight confirmed it. The Spurs may not win it all but will not roll-over and die either ...

[ezau]

Why can't you be more precise with the language? Or do you really think the Thunder can beat the Fakers, Mavs, Nuggets, etc., then the Cavs or Magic? :lmao

whatever you say, whiner

[Ice009]

whew! Feels good winning against a contender

I don't think OKC is a Championship contender. Still a great win against a very good team.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

whatever you say, whiner

So now I'm a "whiner" because I pointed out to you that the Thunder aren't "contenders"? :lmao

Go drown in a shallow pool, retard.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I don't think OKC is a Championship contender. Still a great win against a very good team.

Watch out! You'll get labeled a "whiner" for pointing that out! :lmao

[Chomag]

whew! Feels good winning against a contender

LOL! Umm, ya...

[Ice009]

Not very optimistic since it's going to set a precedent for Pop to use Bogans further.

Maybe it was a good play as another poster replied by telling me Pop thought Bogans' ball denial was great in the last game at OKC.

What is even better though is that Hairston got court time and Bogans didn't play in the second half at all apart from that one play? Unless I missed him being in before that OKC possession?

[Spurs7794]

I just gotta give major props to something Manu does ALL the time but its sort of lost in the shuffle amongst all the clutch things he does...he gets INSANELY clutch rebounds. The one against when Thabo missed the three, he somehow felt Westbrook comin, sorta blocked him out in the air as he was turning around and deflecting the ball to himself so that he could get the rebound and BARELY stay in bound. Its the kinda play i usually don't notice cause the game was INTENSE but that is such a difficult play. Props to Manu and the Spurs.

[alchemist]

whatever you say, whiner
don't sweat it, these queers will say the same thing if they beat the Lakers or Cleveland. Apparently nobody is a contender if the Spurs beat them

[Dex]

Great win. Good to see some heart out of the team. The Spurs owe Mason for digging them out of the hole in the first half, but there were several gutty performances down the stretch to stay in it.

Still, lots of late mistakes. The elite teams will make you may for those every time.

[Ice009]

Manu made 3-4 at the clutch, and took a HUGE RB, well some spurs fans just don't get it. Hey Ducks, you there?

That's why I said great rebound and free throws from Manu at the end of the game. Good play from Manu to help us win this game.

[Stringer_Bell]

I love watching the Spurs win close games, sweet justice is never so sweet as the sweetness of beating a good team in the last sweet minute. It's great for their mental game and it showed that, even though b2b's have been feared, the Spurs can handle them when they need to. We needed this, and it's a good win.

[Bartleby]

I just gotta give major props to something Manu does ALL the time but its sort of lost in the shuffle amongst all the clutch things he does...he gets INSANELY clutch rebounds.

I bet it wasn't lost on OKC. Manu has come up big against them this year and I won't be at all surprised if they try to lure him (and Ian) away.

[santymrc]

don't sweat it, these queers will say the same thing if they beat the Lakers or Cleveland. Apparently nobody is a contender if the Spurs beat them

+1... But OKC i don't know if they are contenders tho, next year for sure. But they have beaten great teams, play great at home, and we were in a b2b (they were too) on the road having played an OT at ATL. It's a huge win, props to all of them, including Pop for not playing Bogans.

[santymrc]

That's why I said great rebound and free throws from Manu at the end of the game. Good play from Manu to help us win this game.

I know ^^ :flag:

[Chomag]

Pop just said that Bogans did a great defencive job. Was he watching the same game that I was?

[TDomination]

Pop sure does look happy lol

[duncan228]

Updated.

Spurs beat Thunder to forge tie for 6th (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2010032225)
By Jeff Latzke

Even without Tony Parker, the San Antonio Spurs are making up ground in the playoff race.

George Hill stepped into Parker’s starring role and scored a career-high 27 points, and the Spurs overcame Kevin Durant’s 45 to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-96 on Monday night and forge a tie between the teams for sixth place in the Western Conference standings.

“Every game right now is important and big,” said Hill, who surpassed 20 points for the eighth time this season. “The playoff race is close and we need every win that we can possibly (get) knowing that we have a tough stretch.

“And it gets even tougher coming up these next couple games. I think tonight was a great win, a great team win, and very much needed.”

The game could be a pivotal one in the race for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. The teams entered with only a game separating them in the standings, and each ends the season with a brutal schedule, facing 11 opponents with winning records in their final 14 games.

Next up for San Antonio: visits from the West-leading Los Angeles Lakers and East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Spurs have won 10 of 13 heading into the homestretch, despite playing without three-time All-Star Parker for the last nine games. That has thrust Hill, who cracked the starting lineup at midseason, into a bigger role in the backcourt alongside Manu Ginobili.

“Someone has to step up in that Tony Parker role,” Hill said. “We know it’s going to take a team effort but if we get two guys to do it, then it’s going to help us.”

Ginobili made two free throws with 32.8 seconds left to break a 96-all tie after the Thunder had scored the previous six points to tie it on Durant’s 13-foot jumper. Russell Westbrook then turned the ball over by stepping on the sideline on his inbounds pass, but Serge Ibaka came up with a big stop to give Oklahoma City a chance for the win.

Ibaka, a rookie, swatted away Tim Duncan’s layup try to give the Thunder a chance with 8.8 seconds left, but Thabo Sefolosha missed a 3-pointer from the left wing with 5 seconds remaining after he was left open because of a double-team against Durant.

“I was going to shoot a 3 and they doubled me. I definitely don’t want to force anything in a game on a bad shot or a fadeaway out of bounds,” Durant said. “I trust Thabo. … If it happens to me 1,000 more times, I’m going to make the same play every time.”

Ginobili then hit one of two free throws with 2.3 seconds left, and Westbrook couldn’t connect on a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to tie it for the Thunder—who were out of timeouts.

Oklahoma City had a six-game home winning streak snapped and lost back-to-back games for the first time in a month. The Thunder were coming off a 121-101 loss at Indiana that Durant called a “disgrace.”

“There’s no moral victories but I’m proud of how we bounced back from not bringing anything last game to bringing that energy,” said Durant, who matched his highest scoring output of the season and fell two points shy of tying his career best. “It’s something you’ve got to feel good about.”

Ginobili added 21 points, Duncan scored 14 and reserve Roger Mason Jr. had 13 points for San Antonio, which clinched a tiebreaker over the Thunder with a 3-1 advantage in the season series.

Jeff Green had 16 points, Westbrook 12 and Ibaka 10 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder built an early 14-point lead with a hefty advantage at the foul line but saw it evaporate less than 90 seconds into the second half.

Hill had 14 points in the third quarter, including two free throws and a three-point play in an 8-0 run that put the Spurs up 81-74.

“The last few games, he has been deferring the basketball,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We want him to be a killer.

“In the second half tonight, he did that. He was aggressive for us from a shooting standpoint and created a lot for us also.”

Durant kept the Thunder even for a while after starters Green and Westbrook headed to the bench with four fouls early in the second half. Durant scored Oklahoma City’s next eight points, but then San Antonio put together an 8-0 run that featured back-to-back three-point plays by Hill and Matt Bonner to go up 81-74 late in the third quarter.

NOTES: Several Thunder players attended a Jay-Z concert in Indianapolis on Saturday night before Oklahoma City gave up its most points of the season in a 121-101 loss to the Pacers in a matinee game the following afternoon. But coach Scott Brooks said all the players were back at a reasonable hour and he doesn’t enforce a firm curfew. “I trust our guys. They’ve given me no reason not to trust them,” Brooks said. “Our guys are very professional and they really take their jobs serious and they have a lot of pride in our team. If it ever became a problem, which I don’t see it, then I would address it. But no issues with that whatsoever.” … Oklahoma City finished 28 for 32 at the foul line.

[Ice009]

This game should give George Hill a confidence boost. Solid game from Hill tonight on offense, defense still needs more consistency though, but other than that pretty good game from Hill. Stay confident in your shot at all times.

[TPnumber1]

i didnt see the game, he played pg tonight ? 0 assist on the boxscore

[santymrc]

i didnt see the game, he played pg tonight ? 0 assist on the boxscore

Not really, Manu and Mason were the PG's tonite. But 0 As. is wrong even if your playing SG. But Hill played outstanding tonite, his 3's were huge.

[TD 21]

Not really, Manu and Mason were the PG's tonite. But 0 As. is wrong even if your playing SG. But Hill played outstanding tonite, his 3's were huge.

But you see now (not you specifically) why Mason is vital with Parker out? The Spurs need a third guard who can handle the ball, create some and score and even though Mason isn't very good at two of those three things, he's the third best available option on the roster. As well as Ginobili's playing, he doesn't have the legs to play that role for around 40 minutes a game, particularly with the amount of games in such a short time.

Hopefully this wasn't a one-off (he didn't make a shot or score in the 2nd half) and Mason can actually start shooting the ball better and play regular minutes until Parker's back, because the Spurs could really use him right now, but if he's going to play as awful as he's been playing, it's difficult to continue to play him. Nevertheless, it's the right move.

[santymrc]

But you see now (not you specifically) why Mason is vital with Parker out? The Spurs need a third guard who can handle the ball, create some and score and even though Mason isn't very good at two of those three things, he's the third best available option on the roster. As well as Ginobili's playing, he doesn't have the legs to play that role for around 40 minutes a game, particularly with the amount of games in such a short time.

Hopefully this wasn't a one-off (he didn't make a shot or score in the 2nd half) and Mason can actually start shooting the ball better and play regular minutes until Parker's back, because the Spurs could really use him right now, but if he's going to play as awful as he's been playing, it's difficult to continue to play him. Nevertheless, it's the right move.

Well I'd rather have him and not Bogans. Manu's looked tired, exhausted tonite.

[Johnny RIngo]

Highest scorers against the Spurs from 1986 onwards:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.cgi?id=nS6LJ

48 pts, 06 rbs, 3 asts, 6 stls, 3 blks, 1 TOs 1991-11-24 Clyde Drexler 29yrs W 40min 17-28 FGs .607, 11-13 FTs
48 pts, 11 rbs, 4 asts, 2 stls, 0 blks, 3 TOs 1988-01-13 Dominique Wilkins 28yrs W 42min 15-27 FGs .556, 18-18 FTs
47 pts, 10 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stls, 3 blks, 7 TOs 1995-01-13 Hakeem Olajuwon 31yrs W 45min 21-35 FGs .600, 5-7 FTs
47 pts, 07 rbs, 8 asts, 1 stls, 0 blks, 2 TOs 1988-01-09 Dale Ellis 27yrs W 43min 18-31 FGs .581, 9-10 FTs
46 pts, 07 rbs, 6 asts, 1 stls, 0 blks, 3 TOs 1999-02-12 Allen Iverson 23yrs L 40min 14-26 FGs .538, 5-17 FTs
45 pts, 10 rbs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 1 blks, 0 TOs 1995-04-02 Charles Barkley 32yrs L 45min 17-27 FGs .630, 7-10 FTs
45 pts, 14 rbs, 1 asts, 4 stls, 2 blks, 2 TOs 1993-04-10 Hakeem Olajuwon 30yrs W 47min 16-30 FGs .533, 13-13 FTs
45 pts, 10 rbs, 3 asts, 1 stls, 1 blks, 4 TOs 2001-05-19 Kobe Bryant 22yrs W 47min 19-35 FGs .543, 6-8 FTs

45 pts, 08 rbs, 1 asts, 0 stls, 3 blks, 3 TOs 2010-03-22 Kevin Durant 21yrs L 42min 15-24 FGs, .625 14-15 FTs

[santymrc]

Against the Spurs from 1986 onwards:

48 pts, 06 rbs, 3 asts, 6 stls, 3 blks, 1 TOs 1991-11-24 Clyde Drexler 29yrs W 40min 17-28 FGs, .607 11-13 FTs
48 pts, 11 rbs, 4 asts, 2 stls, 0 blks, 3 TOs 1988-01-13 Dominique Wilkins 28yrs W 42min 15-27 FGs, .556 18-18 FTs
47 pts, 10 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stls, 3 blks, 7 TOs 1995-01-13 Hakeem Olajuwon 31yrs W 45min 21-35 FGs, .600 5-7 FTs
47 pts, 07 rbs, 8 asts, 1 stls, 0 blks, 2 TOs 1988-01-09 Dale Ellis 27yrs W 43min 18-31 FGs, .581 9-10 FTs
46 pts, 07 rbs, 6 asts, 1 stls, 0 blks, 3 TOs 1999-02-12 Allen Iverson 23yrs L 40min 14-26 FGs, .538 15-17 FTs
45 pts, 10 rbs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 1 blks, 0 TOs 1995-04-02 Charles Barkley 32yrs L 45min 17-27 FGs, .630 7-10 FTs
45 pts, 14 rbs, 1 asts, 4 stls, 2 blks, 2 TOs 1993-04-10 Hakeem Olajuwon 30yrs W 47min 16-30 FGs, .533 13-13 FTs
45 pts, 10 rbs, 3 asts, 1 stls, 1 blks, 4 TOs 2001-05-19 Kobe Bryant 22yrs W 47min 19-35 FGs .543 6-8 FTs

45 pts, 08 rbs, 1 asts, 0 stls, 3 blks, 3 TOs 2010-03-22 Kevin Durant 21yrs L 42min 15-24 FGs .625 14-15 FTs

I thought A. Stoudamire had a couple 40+ against us.

[TD 21]

Well I'd rather have him and not Bogans. Manu's looked tired, exhausted tonite.

As would I. If Pop doesn't stick with Mason for extended minutes (I'm not talking first half when he was on fire, but second half when he didn't make a shot), the Spurs don't win this game. He allowed Ginobili to get more rest down the stretch than he had the previous game and kept Hill from having to play the entire second half, two things that wouldn't have happened had Bogans or Hairston been in his spot, because neither of them can handle the ball.

[timtonymanu]

Well i got to say to myself: Eat crow.

That was an impressive win. What was good was that 3rd quarter. I thought the Spurs would come out flat and OKC would end the game there but the Spurs played defense and outscored the Thunder in that quarter.

Good win and nothing else.

[Johnny RIngo]

I thought A. Stoudamire had a couple 40+ against us.

He did but I filtered the basketball reference search for game over 45+ points(what Durant scored tonight).

[santymrc]

He did but I filtered the basketball reference search for game over 45+ points(what Durant scored tonight).

Ok, nvm. Durant is incredible. He's getting phantom calls and such, but the guy is a monster, he's packed with thouse loooooooong arms, he's very hard to guard and very active on D.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

don't sweat it, these queers will say the same thing if they beat the Lakers or Cleveland. Apparently nobody is a contender if the Spurs beat them

Ah, no. Those are legitimate contending teams.

Yet another person who thinks the Thunder could win the NBA championship this year!? :lmao

[GhosTown]

its a good thing Hill had a good game because his last game against Atlanta was pathetic. No Defense or offense he sucked.

He is no TP, thats for sure.

[TJastal]

Ah, no. Those are legitimate contending teams.

Yet another person who thinks the Thunder could win the NBA championship this year!? :lmao

So you're saying the spurs have absolutely no hope of a championship either then since both teams have the same record now.

[alchemist]

Ah, no. Those are legitimate contending teams.

Yet another person who thinks the Thunder could win the NBA championship this year!? :lmao
uh no, but I see you debbie downers getting your list of excuses ready just in case they get a W against either team. :wakeup

[santymrc]

uh no, but I see you debbie downers getting your list of excuses ready just in case they get a W against either team. :wakeup

Don't worry, they are ready to cheer for LA just to be right and bitch all they want.

[urunobili]

CROFL ESPN: "Durant's 45 wasted" whatta bunch of douches... lol

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

So you're saying the spurs have absolutely no hope of a championship either then since both teams have the same record now.

Yup, I said we weren't contenders about 2 months ago and the big picture has not changed since then. That is clear to all but the blind. We can't stop anyone, and nor are we quite good enough to outscore them consistently. The window has closed and we are irrelevant right now. It is time to rebuild.

That is not to say that the team isn't playing better lately, because it is, but not to the point where we're a shot to go all the way.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

uh no, but I see you debbie downers getting your list of excuses ready just in case they get a W against either team. :wakeup

No, if we beat the Cavs or Fakers then we beat a contender.

Today, we beat the Thunder. They are not a contender. They are possible second round fodder, probably first round, depending on matchups and Durant.

Is this really so hard to understand?

Moron.

[jimo2305]

No, if we beat the Cavs or Fakers then we beat a contender.

Today, we beat the Thunder. They are not a contender. They are possible second round fodder, probably first round, depending on matchups and Durant.

Is this really so hard to understand?

Moron.

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/THISGONBGUD.gif

[alchemist]

No, if we beat the Cavs or Fakers then we beat a contender.

Today, we beat the Thunder. They are not a contender. They are possible second round fodder, probably first round, depending on matchups and Durant.

Is this really so hard to understand?

Moron.
I'm pretty much predicting the usual bullshit if the Spurs catch a W.

"No Bynum. No Shaq. Odom is hurt. Fisher is hurt...etc...."

"Melo wasn't motivated" :lmao

[santymrc]

No, if we beat the Cavs or Fakers then we beat a contender.

Today, we beat the Thunder. They are not a contender. They are possible second round fodder, probably first round, depending on matchups and Durant.

Is this really so hard to understand?

Moron.

If we beat them (LA, Cavs)... Then what? In your book... Are we contenders then? Or we simply suck and no matter what we do, we just suck?
You want us to win or lose?

"Melo wasn't motivated" :lol:downspin: That was a good one.

[spurs10]

I just watch and wonder if people realize what it takes to win the championship. I sure as hell don't know, but Tim, Manu, Tony, Pop, and plenty of others in the organization do. Tonight's win was big, almost last night inverted, and you have to hand it to the team for the win. It might be highly unlikely that one of the top teams don't go all the way....still if TP comes back, Manu keeps playing insanely great, and Tim *^%% Duncan shows up....wouldn't you be a little concerned that these badass champions could spoil all our and the NBA's best laid plans???... I think something crazy could happen if Manu, Tim, TP, and team show up!!! GSG!

[rascal]

This is screwing up the draft pick.

[rascal]

I just watch and wonder if people realize what it takes to win the championship. I sure as hell don't know, but Tim, Manu, Tony, Pop, and plenty of others in the organization do. Tonight's win was big, almost last night inverted, and you have to hand it to the team for the win. It might be highly unlikely that one of the top teams don't go all the way....still if TP comes back, Manu keeps playing insanely great, and Tim *^%% Duncan shows up....wouldn't you be a little concerned that these badass champions could spoil all our and the NBA's best laid plans???... I think something crazy could happen if Manu, Tim, TP, and team show up!!! GSG!

Not going to happen. OKC is not going to win a title anytime soon. The spurs can get out of the 1'st round but not much more.

[rascal]

If we beat them (LA, Cavs)... Then what? In your book... Are we contenders then? Or we simply suck and no matter what we do, we just suck?
You want us to win or lose?

"Melo wasn't motivated" :lol:downspin: That was a good one.

Not happening this year. A high draft pick is better for the spurs for next year.

[rascal]

So you're saying the spurs have absolutely no hope of a championship either then since both teams have the same record now.

Thats right.

[timtonymanu]

The hopes of a championship are pretty much out the door but it's nice to see this team is making something out of this season. If they play well in this final stretch, it gives me a little hope that we can see a better team next year.

[timtonymanu]

I agree with people like Ruff. The win was nice but it doesnt mean we're a title contender. We do look better lately but we're facing a tough schedule and a low seed. I know alot of people in here like to believe we're gonna beat the odds but be realistic at the same time.

[J_Paco]

Obviously, this team isn't winning a title based on this win or any other. But, this was still a great win especially coming off of a back-to-back where Timmy and Manu played heavy minutes. A couple of observations I had.....

- Manu continues to play at an all-star level and has revert back to his play of two seasons ago. Hopefully, this signifies that he's got more left in the tank and can perform at this level at least for another season or two.

- George Hill continues to do his best Tony Parker impression circa 2001-2005 with his up-and-down play. I believe that George has a ton of upside remaining, but he's gotta learn to bringing these sorts of performances more often.

- The Spurs need to find a 6'8' or taller player that can defend, badly. It's becoming more and more glaring that our team is lacking a tall, defensive presence at the SG/SF/PF position. Even if they need to sign a stop-gap player (Travis Outlaw, Matt Barnes, Dominic McGuire or James Singleton) the team needs a competent defender to guard the Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Granger and Joe Johnson's that litter the modern NBA.

- Serge Ibaka maybe raw and unpolished for a NBA big man, especially since he's garnering minutes in Brook's late-season rotation, but he's got a ton of potential as a Theo Ratliff clone. The young man isn't afraid to fight in the paint for position and blocks everything in sight. Even though Timmy was on tired legs, Ibaka guarded him like a season veteran (he got away with some stuff though).

- Malik Hairston needs to be given more opportunities to play. This game was the perfect time with scheduling and the match-up to play Hairston, but Pop choices to give Hairston spot minutes. He played well while in the game and continues to show promise as defensive player, but Pop needs to play him more to build his confidence up.

- The Zombie Sonics' broadcast team is absolutely the worst I've heard all season (League Pass). Apparently, the Spurs won their title with Manu in the 90's, the Houston Rockets traded for "that guy in Sacramento," and countless other mistakes were made by these two idiots. The franchise robbers in Oklahoma should know to build credibility they need quality in every aspect of their organization, but then again they might just steal another team's broadcast team.

[alchemist]

The hopes of a championship are pretty much out the door but it's nice to see this team is making something out of this season. If they play well in this final stretch, it gives me a little hope that we can see a better team next year.

I agree with people like Ruff. The win was nice but it doesnt mean we're a title contender. We do look better lately but we're facing a tough schedule and a low seed. I know alot of people in here like to believe we're gonna beat the odds but be realistic at the same time.
Nothing is promised for tomorrow, Ginobili might not even be on the team next season. The urgency is there, the odds of them winning the big prize isn't with them but is it hard to do something other than shit the bed every time they beat a decent team?

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs 81, Zombies 76

12:00 remaining, fourth quarter: Allow me to set the stage. I watch a ton of Zombies basketball because of Kevin Durant (my favorite non-Celtic), enough that I'm starting to feel guilty about refusing to call them by their name out of respect for the people of Seattle. A few weeks ago, they played the Spurs in San Antonio in what quickly evolved into an old guard-new guard battle. The Spurs pulled out all their cagey/savvy/sneaky veteran tricks and stole the game down the stretch. Great learning experience for the Zombies. Or so I thought. Because we're about to see whether they learned anything.


[+] EnlargeLarry W. Smith/NBAE/Getty Images
And just think: Kevin Durant could be a senior in college.
11:37: Off a Manu Ginobili miss, Durant (37 points already!) goes coast-to-coast for a layup. He's a starter on the "That Guy's Moving a Lot Faster Than You Realize" team. The captain, obviously, is LeBron: the only guy in the league who actually makes the court shrink in size when he's going full speed.

11:21: Matt Bonner for three … bang. I'm embarrassed to say that we have the exact same jump shot. Or, maybe he should be embarrassed. One of us should be embarrassed.

11:02: Durant misses a 3. Rebound, DeJuan Blair. On the other end: basket in traffic, DeJuan Blair. Spurs by eight. I don't care, I'd still take Christian Eyenga over him.

11:02: That was a joke.

10:17: Jeff Green sinks one in Bonner's mug. How 'bout Sam Presti snaring two of the best four rookies in that 2007 draft? I'd rank Durant first, Horford second, Joakim Noah third and Green fourth.

(Note: I'd give you a top 12, but then we'd have to discuss Greg Oden … and Rip City is already on edge enough thanks to the firing of assistant GM Tom Penn and the subsequent "Kevin Pritchard might be next" rumors. Which is really what separates Portland from any other basketball city: NOBODY ELSE would care this much about an assistant GM getting fired unless he got canned because he was plowing into his assistant on a Xerox machine or something. In Portland, this saga is being analyzed like President Obama's health care package. There is no other NBA city like it. And I mean that as a compliment.)

9:50: Ginobili snakes into the middle, gets swallowed up by Serge Ibaka and whips the ball out of bounds. I love Serge: He's a mortal lock to start at center for the Bill Simmons All-Stars this year (for random guys I like who haven't hit the big-time yet). Reminds me of a young … Theo Ratliff? Somebody. I can't decide. Love those long runner/leaper centers.

9:05: Russell Westbrook runs a serviceable high screen with Green, who finishes it by making an 8-footer. That play is called, "Take a Breather on This One, KD, We'll Shoot It." Zombies down by four. Timeout, Spurs.

9:05: Coming out of the timeout, we see Kyle Weaver (just came back from a three-month layoff after shoulder surgery) shaking his head on the bench after getting pulled. Sitting next to him, a yawning Kevin Ollie plops a hand on Weaver's shoulder and pats him a couple of times. Just another "here's an example of how much these guys like one another" Zombies moment. I'd love to see them in a Chemistry Contest. If one Zombie got married, I think he'd have the other 11 guys as ushers.

8:48: Tim Duncan bowls over Green (no call!) for a kickout to Bonner, Bonner misses, Ginobili chases down the rebound, George Hill (playing superbly in Tony Parker's absence) gets a wide-open 3 … swish. That one hurts. Spurs by seven. The refs make up for it by whistling Hill for a touch foul on Durant (two free throws) as Gregg Popovich (dressed like Sean Connery as always) complains on the sideline. Fun sequence.


[+] EnlargeLarry W. Smith/NBAE/Getty Images
Fear the Serge! Tim Duncan was scoreless in the fourth quarter.
7:58: Duncan just posted up Ibaka three straight times on two different possessions: missed twice, had the ball poked away once. You don't challenge the Serge! (He's officially a playoffs X factor.) Westbrook hits a 20-footer on the other end. Spurs by three.

6:47: Hill travels as the crowd gets loud. (Really good crowds in Oklahoma City for the most part. You gotta hand it to them.) Durant takes advantage on the other end with a twisting 20-footer over Hill for points 40 and 41. Of all the things that make him special as a scorer, it's his decision-making that stands out for me -- he knows what he wants to do right away, never hesitates and just does it. The defense never has time to prepare for him; he's already going. Spurs by one.

5:57: Duncan hits Richard Jefferson on a cut for a three-point play. Which raises the question, "Richard Jefferson was out there?"

5:33: Teardrop runner for Eric "They Stole Me Because Utah Was Afraid to Pay the Luxury Tax" Maynor gets quickly answered by another runner from Hill (a career-high 27). That's followed by Green missing a drive, then Duncan committing an offensive foul on a rebound and making the Tim Duncan Bulging Eyes "How Could You Call That?" Face. It's like seeing an old friend at this point. Sloppy game down the stretch. Can't tell whether it's good defense or bad offense.

4:25: Durant misses a 20-footer. The Spurs are unabashedly double-teaming him now -- this time, they defended him with Jefferson and Duncan lurking behind him like a safety providing deep help. (He'll be receiving a steady diet of that in the playoffs.) That's followed by a Spurs turnover, a Zombies turnover and then Jefferson getting a fast-break layup. Timeout. I gotta be honest: We need to see OKC win a few of these physical/sloppy slugfests before we can take it seriously as anything more than a Round 1 patsy.

3:39: Westbrook plows into the paint for a reverse layup. Spurs by four. He makes four plays every game that make you say, "That guy could have played any sport he wanted."

2:50: After the Zombies get a stop, Westbrook takes a bad 20-footer with a hand in his face. Brick. He also makes four plays every game that make you say, "Man, I'm not sure he's a point guard."

2:25: Manu misses a layup in traffic, quickly followed by Durant keeping it all the way and draining a stop-and-pop 12-footer. Spurs by two, crowd alive … and Serge draws a charge from Jefferson! Right as I'm typing the words "Coming-out party for Serge!" he botches an easy pass from Durant for a turnover. Damn.

Quick tangent: Ric Bucher and I argued for two weeks about whether Presti did the right thing by not trading for Marcus Camby in February. The positives: He kept a young team together, allowed Serge to get his reps (such as in a game like this), kept his chemistry intact and didn't give up anything. The negatives: a game like right now. Again, I'm a huge Ibaka fan and think he has a ton of potential. But this is a 50-win team with a chance to steal a playoff round. Isn't that great for the progress of the Durant-Westbrook-Green nucleus? Don't you want those guys to get those reps? I would have gone for it. But it's hard to argue against Presti, who basically threw a no-hitter these past three years with one exception: The increasingly polarizing James Harden over Tyreke Evans, Ricky Rubio or Stephen Curry draft pick.

(Follow-up note: The more I watch Curry, I wonder whether he should have been the play there. Can you Imagine him with Westbrook, Durant, Ibaka and Green? Good golly. It's also tough to say that someone made the right move when he could offer Harden for Curry or Evans and both Sacramento and Golden State would quickly hang up. And yet … chemistrywise, and stylewise, it still might have been the right pick. Let's give it a year. At the very least, Harden's beard has been phenomenal.)

1:28: Manu and Westbrook exchange misses. And then … Duncan versus Serge: The Rematch! This time, Serge pokes the ball away twice and forces a hurried Duncan air ball for a shot-clock violation. Are you kidding me? This is either Serge's breakout party or the end of Duncan's career. Maybe both. Timeout, OKC.

0:45: Nice play for Durant, who curls off a screen to loft a jumper over Duncan. He has only 45 points. Tie game.

(Crucial note: The secret best TV night of the season will be April 14, Game 82, when Durant tries to become the youngest scoring champ ever in a home game against Memphis. LeBron will play at the same time, but the Cavs will have clinched home-court advantage by then, so LeBron probably will take a breather that night. So Durant will go into that night knowing exactly how many points he needs to earn the title. Thirty-three? Thirty-eight? Forty-three? Forty-nine? And the Zombies might be playing for a sixth or seventh seed to boot. Wild horses couldn't drag me away from the TV that night.)

0:32: Ginobili draws a foul from Serge that got called two seconds after it happened. The ref was apparently hypnotized by Manu's renegade bald spot and forgot to blow the whistle. Whatever. Manu drains both freebies. Spurs by two.

0:32: Unforced errors -- the death of a young team. Westbrook just stepped on the sideline trying to throw an inbounds pass. This is why you can't pick the Zombies in Round 1. They just aren't ready yet. These things take time. Hell, even Scotty Brooks' suit choices aren't ready yet. Today he looks as if he came right from a car insurance convention.


[+] EnlargeLarry W. Smith/NBAE/Getty Images
Thabo Sefolosha missed his wide-open shot to win it for the Thunder.
0:08: I know, I know. … I've been Serge-bonkers in this column. But he just made his best play yet: a swooping, Westbrook-like block of what seemed to be an easy Duncan layup (off a perfectly executed pick-and-roll with Ginobili) to save the game. Zombies ball, timeout. Incredible play. By the way, Duncan was blanked in the fourth. No points. He might be nearing the De Niro/Pacino "88 Minutes" phase of his career. I sure hope not.

0:03: Can't say I liked this do-or-die play: Thabo Sefolosha (ice-cold, took one shot all game) inbounds to Durant, who draws the double-team and kicks it back to Sefolosha … who fires up a wide-open 3 that rims out. Huh???? Rebound, Ginobili. I think that play was diagrammed by Mike Dunleavy. Is he in the building? MY GOD, I THINK HE'S IN THE BUILDING! SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM ON SIGHT!

0:00: Manu misses the first one, makes the second, then Westbrook air-balls a half-court shot. Ballgame. Spurs 99, Zombies 96. A predictable result: One team might be long in the tooth but knows how to win; the other team is still getting those winning reps. Eventually, there will be a day when the Zombies (A) don't step on the baseline during big inbounds passes and (B) will realize that their best player should always shoot the biggest shot of the game unless he's being assaulted by a two-by-four. They'll get there.

Either way, I can't believe I spent a night enjoying competitive playoff basketball in Wisconsin and Oklahoma. The wonders never cease.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100323&sportCat=nba

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I'm pretty much predicting the usual bullshit if the Spurs catch a W.

"No Bynum. No Shaq. Odom is hurt. Fisher is hurt...etc...."

"Melo wasn't motivated" :lmao

Well, it wasn't me that said things like that. Stop trying to put words on me that I never said.


If we beat them (LA, Cavs)... Then what? In your book... Are we contenders then? Or we simply suck and no matter what we do, we just suck?
You want us to win or lose?

"Melo wasn't motivated" :lol:downspin: That was a good one.

If we beat one of those teams then we beat a contender. I've explained that twice already in this thread. Exactly how dense are you?

Does beating a contender make us a contender? No. To contend you have to win 4 7-game series, and I don't see us doing that because we don't have a team identity, nor sufficient team chemistry. Our identity used to be defense - we could lock the game down and stop teams from scoring for long periods. That's how we won 4 rings. We were also good enough offensively in 2005 and 2007 to play helter-skelter with teams like the Suns.

Now, what has the team proven this year? 1. It can't stop anyone consistently or for long periods. 2. It can't consistently outscore opponents. So, how exactly are we going to win 4 7-game series? Sadly, this team has not found the chemistry or identity to be a champion. You can bury your head in the sand if you like, but that doesn't change the evidence at hand.

[santymrc]

Well, it wasn't me that said things like that. Stop trying to put words on me that I never said.



If we beat one of those teams then we beat a contender. I've explained that twice already in this thread. Exactly how dense are you?

Does beating a contender make us a contender? No. To contend you have to win 4 7-game series, and I don't see us doing that because we don't have a team identity, nor sufficient team chemistry. Our identity used to be defense - we could lock the game down and stop teams from scoring for long periods. That's how we won 4 rings. We were also good enough offensively in 2005 and 2007 to play helter-skelter with teams like the Suns.

Now, what has the team proven this year? 1. It can't stop anyone consistently or for long periods. 2. It can't consistently outscore opponents. So, how exactly are we going to win 4 7-game series? Sadly, this team has not found the chemistry or identity to be a champion. You can bury your head in the sand if you like, but that doesn't change the evidence at hand.

We will see... Keep wishing for L... "Spurs fan".

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

We will see... Keep wishing for L... "Spurs fan".

Oh, for fucksake, GROW UP. I am not "wishing for a loss" dipshit, I am assessing the evidence with regards to what this team is capable of.

If I had a wish it would be that we would miraculously start playing like we did to end the 2007 playoffs, and we'd sweep through 16-0 to put the 5th ring on Duncan's finger and end any discussion about who has been the team of the decade. Unfortunately, all indications point to that not happening, so I'm being realistic about what the team is capable of.

I don't have a problem with you living in Dream Land with the fairies and unicorns, just don't paint me as a bad fan. I've put more effort and sacrifice into my Spurs fandom than most, having followed the team for 20 years and traveled from Australia twice to see them play a total of 18 games live. If you'd been here more than 5 minutes you'd know that.

In conclusion... :flipoff

[NFGIII]

Oh, for fucksake, GROW UP. I am not "wishing for a loss" dipshit, I am assessing the evidence with regards to what this team is capable of.

If I had a wish it would be that we would miraculously start playing like we did to end the 2007 playoffs, and we'd sweep through 16-0 to put the 5th ring on Duncan's finger and end any discussion about who has been the team of the decade. Unfortunately, all indications point to that not happening, so I'm being realistic about what the team is capable of.

I don't have a problem with you living in Dream Land with the fairies and unicorns, just don't paint me as a bad fan. I've put more effort and sacrifice into my Spurs fandom than most, having followed the team for 20 years and traveled from Australia twice to see them play a total of 18 games live. If you'd been here more than 5 minutes you'd know that.

In conclusion... :flipoff

Bottle this Ruff - this can be applied to many a thread here. A lot of posters knee jerk based on reading a sentence or two, if that. Context and content seems to some not to be very important.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Bottle this Ruff - this can be applied to many a thread here. A lot of posters knee jerk based on reading a sentence or two, if that. Context and content seems to some not to be very important.

Indeed sir! The quality of the board is highly variable.

It's okay though, sometimes it's a nice way to let off some steam! :lol

BTW, kudos on being Frogger champion. :toast I played it for a while but got to a point where I just couldn't go any further.