Game Blog: San Antonio Spurs VS Minnesota Timberwolves 12 April 2010

[L.I.T]

Hmmm - so which poster is really Pop? :lol

I'm gonna bet one of the trolls.

[Brazil]

Who cares? Ian is playing pretty good, getting more and more confidence and he's allowing Timmy to get some rest. It's all good!

I know but he could have done a long time ago. I really don't get Pop

[easy7]

I know but he could have done a long time ago. I really don't get Pop

Maybe he was saving him for the playoffs? Nahhhhhhhhhhhh

[Crookshanks]

I know but he could have done a long time ago. I really don't get Pop
Maybe not - maybe it's taken this long for Pop to be certain Ian knows the system and the plays. Putting him out there too early and having him play poorly could kill his confidence.

[BanditHiro]

terrible

[DPG21920]

Ian has taken a lot of FT's. A lot.

[Ya Vez]

crap.. somebody punch the custodian.... ugh

[Pauleta14]

why Pop is giving so many minutes to Ian so late in the season ?

I think he is giving him an opportunity to showcase himself so he gets a good deal elsewhere!

or he is going CIA Pop...

[siraulo23]

Just finish this game already

[DPG21920]

10 FT's in 16 minutes :wow

[ohmwrecker]

Maybe he was saving him for the playoffs? Nahhhhhhhhhhhh
Tony made a deal with Pop. He negotiated PT for his amie for agreeing to be the spark off the bench.

[Crookshanks]

Come on now guys - don't get complacent and let the Wolves get some confidence. You have to keep your foot on their throat.

[ManuTastic]

So if Spurs get 96+ points by end of 3rd quarter, correct way to fill in this blank is?

T'woves have the ___-est defense in the league.

[DPG21920]

Spurs FT shooting has me worried. They can't afford the bad nights at the line in the PO's.

[Ice009]

If Tony is going to continue to come off the bench and if he can embrace this bench role he could be the most LETHAL WEAPON in the entire NBA.

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs up 98-74 after the 3rd

[Crookshanks]

Just finish this game already

:lol at Bill Land. He said with the way the refs are blowing the whistle, the Portland game could end before this one! :lol

[CFH]

Good night for Manu and Tim to get a lot of rest.

[Brazil]

Maybe not - maybe it's taken this long for Pop to be certain Ian knows the system and the plays. Putting him out there too early and having him play poorly could kill his confidence.

I'm not sure about that, Ian played some good stretchs sooner in the season.

[Spurologist]

:lol

Confirmation that TP and TD was just joking at halftime.....TP tapped TD on the head and ran away like they were playing tag.

[dc_spursfan]

I can't watch the game but there is no way yahoo got this right with Ian having 13 pts and 6rebs

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

So if Spurs get 96+ points by end of 3rd quarter, correct way to fill in this blank is?

T'woves have the D'Antoni-est defense in the league.

[DesignatedT]

If Tony is going to continue to come off the bench and if he can embrace this bench role he could be the most LETHAL WEAPON in the entire NBA.

i really don't think it matters who's coming off the bench.. its pretty much the same thing... everybody can play with manu and everybody can play with tony and they can both play with eachother. everyone that was talking shit will be back riding the nuts of tony real soon.

[Crookshanks]

I'm not sure about that, Ian played some good stretchs sooner in the season.

Maybe Ian is Pop's secret weapon. The other teams haven't seen too much of him, and won't be expecting him to be much of a factor in the playoffs :downspin:

[Spurs Brazil]

Thunder up 28-22

[dbestpro]

Malik needs a better outside shot.

[Brazil]

my god they can't afford this kind of FTs% during the POs

[Brazil]

Maybe Ian is Pop's secret weapon. The other teams haven't seen too much of him, and won't be expecting him to be much of a factor in the playoffs :downspin:

if Ian is a factor during the PO it will be the biggest Pop surprise ever

[Chieflion]

my god they can't afford this kind of FTs% during the POs

It is mainly Hairston and Mahinmi going a combined 7 of 15 in the game.

[Spurs Brazil]

OMG Malik!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

[TIMMYD!]

Hairston dunk on Pavlovic!!!

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

Holy shit! Hairston!

[DesignatedT]

hairston and 1

[DPG21920]

It is mainly Hairston and Mahinmi going a combined 7 of 14 in the game.

Spurs have had plenty of poor FT shooting nights w/o Malik or Ian playing.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

malik can't shoot FT tho :lol

[Brazil]

Min is just horrible

[Ice009]

i really don't think it matters who's coming off the bench.. its pretty much the same thing... everybody can play with manu and everybody can play with tony and they can both play with eachother. everyone that was talking shit will be back riding the nuts of tony real soon.

Ahh Tony is one of the best penetrators on the planet.

If you put a fast Tony Parker on the bench he COULD ABSOLUTELY SHRED TEAMS.

The other team is tired and then you can let TP loose off the bench he could absolutely be insane and KILL teams. There's not many players as fast as TP that can do what he does.

So no, you can't just put anyone on the bench to do what Tony is capable of.

[Spurologist]

Malik dunk OVer pavlovic

Elliott: Pavlovic must not have cable.....Malik just put it in his mouth piece

:lol

[Spurologist]

.

[tothrowed]

roger mason sucks how the fuck do u get burnt after missin a 3, please let temple take masons spot in the playoffs

[Crookshanks]

Sean is so funny - "that's when you don't call home after the game because you know your family was watching." :lmao

[Brazil]

BTW I think very soon TP haters will eat their crow

[Chieflion]

Spurs have had plenty of poor FT shooting nights w/o Malik or Ian playing.

Law of averages. The Spurs usually shoot okay from the free throw line.

[DesignatedT]

Ahh Tony is one of the best penetrators on the planet.

If you put a fast Tony Parker on the bench he COULD ABSOLUTELY SHRED TEAMS.

The other team is tired and then you can let TP loose off the bench he could absolutely be insane and KILL teams. There's not many players as fast as TP that can do what he does.

So no, you can't just put anyone on the bench to do what Tony is capable of.

tony or manu whoever it is will bring a spark off the bench.. in there own way is what i meant. People were afraid that certain players can't play with tony or tony and manu cant play together but obviously this isn't the case. If Tony and Hill start or if Hill and Manu start... It shouldn't really effect the outcome of games.

From Manu's recent words coming from him saying that he is "exhausted" from play recently really probably makes tony starting an option. because george hill is not a point gaurd at all and obviously manu playing to much pg is taking a toll on him and the last thing we want is manu carrying too much of a load and running out of fuel. I don't care who starts but I understand if Tony moves back into the starting line-up.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

fcuk....bogans is gonna miss the next 10 threes in the few games

[Crookshanks]

Sean and Bill about Bavetta - just take his whistle away for awhile. Sean says just put him in the corner - isn't it past his bedtime? :lmao

[Brazil]

refs are horrible too

[DesignatedT]

fcuk....bogans is gonna miss the next 10 threes in the few games

:lol

[Spurs Brazil]

Malik and one!!

[Crookshanks]

These guys still need to play better defense. I realize we're up over 20 points, but it doesn't help these young guys to just trade baskets.

[DesignatedT]

well okc looks like they will win this game imo. puts a lot of pressure on us against dallas. could result in us being 6 or 8. and we dont want any part of 8

[Brazil]

meanwhile OKC with 9 pts lead

[Ice009]

tony or manu whoever it is will bring a spark off the bench.. in there own way is what i meant. People were afraid that certain players can't play with tony or tony and manu cant play together but obviously this isn't the case. If Tony and Hill start or if Hill and Manu start... It shouldn't really effect the outcome of games.

From Manu's recent words coming from him saying that he is "exhausted" from play recently really probably makes tony starting an option. because george hill is not a point gaurd at all and obviously manu playing to much pg is taking a toll on him and the last thing we want is manu carrying too much of a load and running out of fuel. I don't care who starts but I understand if Tony moves back into the starting line-up.

Yeah I understand what you are saying. I was just saying that TP's speed off the bench could be a huge asset. If he comes in off the bench fresh and the other team is tired that is really going to put the heat on whoever we are playing. Having Tony come in an penetrate like crazy again a tired team would shred them to pieces.

[blkroadrunners]

Malik!!

[benefactor]

Hairston owning the TPups scrub crew.

[siraulo23]

wow, malik dunk

[Ice009]

Nice pick pocket steal from Garrett Temple and HUGE SLAM FROM MALIK!

[CFH]

Maliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik JAM!!!

[DesignatedT]

throw it down malik!!

[TampaDude]

30-point lead...empty the bench, Pop...

[Libri]

Nice pick pocket steal from Garrett Temple and HUGE SLAM FROM MALIK!

Malik a candidate for the dunk contest?

[Crookshanks]

Woo-hoo Malik! Isn't it great to see all the smiles on the Spurs players. Does a fan's heart good!

[Chieflion]

8 players in double figures for the Spurs!

[Spurologist]

8 players in double figures.....5 off the bench

:tu

[blkroadrunners]

Ian's out.

[Brazil]

seeing the fouls Ian specialist having 12 Fts is quite weird tbh

[siraulo23]

thats it for mahinmi

[Spurs Brazil]

Ian is done

14pts 7rebs

[Crookshanks]

Just put the damn whistles away - this game is NEVER gonna end...

[DPG21920]

Sucks for Ian. He badly wants to play.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

f u ref ian wanted to play :(

[Brazil]

thats it for mahinmi

and pop isn't happy

[DesignatedT]

:lol RJ... trying to cheer up ian

[Chieflion]

14 points and 7 rebounds with 12 trips to the free throw line, even while fouling out in 19 minutes in a noteworthy showing for Ian.

[DesignatedT]

Yeah I understand what you are saying. I was just saying that TP's speed off the bench could be a huge asset. If he comes in off the bench fresh and the other team is tired that is really going to put the heat on whoever we are playing. Having Tony come in an penetrate like crazy again a tired team would shred them to pieces.

yeah i got you:toast

[Spurologist]

Ian was pissed about coming off....still don't know why pop didn't leave him in there till the end

[8FOR!3]

These guys still need to play better defense. I realize we're up over 20 points, but it doesn't help these young guys to just trade baskets.

When you put up 120 with your deep bench in the game you stop worrying about defense. If you watched the game then you know we played defense when we needed to.

[The Red Hood]

:lol @ RJ bumping Ian as if to say "Cheer Up", Ian's is like "GTFA"

[Chieflion]

Assuming Temple doesn't get taken out in the last few minutes, all active Spurs players would have played double digit minutes.

[TIMMYD!]

Bogans 3333333333333

[Crookshanks]

49 foul calls :wow That's just ridiculous

[TIMMYD!]

Ian was pissed about coming off....still don't know why pop didn't leave him in there till the end

Actually, he fouled out.

[TampaDude]

Bogans with the "FUCK YOU" 3!!! :lol

[tothrowed]

yo im tellin yall rite now TEMPLE>MASON and if temple dosent get more time in the playoffs then mason imma be mad

[siraulo23]

lmao tim

[CFH]

Parker and Duncan :lol

[bbarry]

mahinmi mad cuz he just fouled out knowing he just played his last minutes of the season. lol

[Ice009]

Sucks for Ian. He badly wants to play.

That foul that Ian got mad about, was that a foul on the Minnesota player or did Ian get frustrated? That's the kind of shit Pop is NOT looking for. He wants players to keep their cool.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

mahinmi mad cuz he just played his last minutes of the season. lol
:lol:depressed

[Crookshanks]

See - Timmy and Tony were just playing around and having fun.

[DesignatedT]

Ian was pissed about coming off....still don't know why pop didn't leave him in there till the end

he fouled out. but good try.

[td_tp_manu]

mahinmi mad cuz he just played his last minutes of the season. lol

or last minute with the Spurs

[DesignatedT]

spurs jokin around having too much fun on the sidelines :lol

[Spurologist]

Actually, he fouled out.

:wow sucks for him

:tu missed that

[TIMMYD!]

Look at this:

RJ- 11 pts
Tim- 16
Bonner-13
Parker-12
Mason-13
Mahinmi, Hairston, Bogans-14 each

That's what I call balanced scoring!

[td_tp_manu]

How did Hilll look like today? I'm not able to watch the game

[Libri]

Malik's career high is 16 points.

[Crookshanks]

or last minute with the Spurs
I sincerely hope not - he's showing some skill lately. We need another decent big.

[easy7]

The Spurs are a scary team period.

[siraulo23]

73 points off the bench

lol

[easy7]

Hill 6 points 3 assists

[TIMMYD!]

73 points off the bench

lol

Talk about stat stuffing. :lol

[Crookshanks]

74 points from the Spurs bench - that is awesome!

[easy7]

73 points off the bench

lol

We are ready for the Lakers bench...:lmao

[OrEmuN]

I am unable to watch the game but from the boxscore, Centrepiece looks good. 14pts, 2 reb and 5 ASSIST ! Woah ...

I am not hopeful but if he does it in the playoff, it looks good for the Spurs

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

blair being outplayed all night long :(

[TIMMYD!]

Bogans is feeling it tonight. 3333333333333333333333

[Ice009]

Fuck, malik is hurt.

[Spurs Brazil]

Malik hurt his ankle

[Spurologist]

Bogans.....a FLAMETHROWER

[siraulo23]

wtf bogans, he's gonna brick everything vs dallas if he plays major mins

[DesignatedT]

:lol bogans. leading team in scoring

[alchemist]

lol Mason

[blkroadrunners]

LOL Brian Cardinal

[TIMMYD!]

The Big 5-0.

[siraulo23]

50 wins babyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

[tothrowed]

damn malik got hurt and i will continue to say mason sucks. wow i would love to have hollison on our team next year

[Spurologist]

Land: ......Rambis
Elliott: he thought he had a 40 point play in the bag

[MagnusKrauss]

30 assists on 47 makes....hotdamn!

[TampaDude]

50 wins, bitches!!! That makes 11 seasons in a row. Suck it, Dallas!!! :lol

[tp2021]

30 assists on 47 makes....hotdamn!

Now that's Spurs championship offense

[Chieflion]

2-0 on game blogs.

[easy7]

2-0 on game blogs.

Start the Dallas one then...:hat

[duncan228]

Updated.

Spurs rout T-Wolves to stay out of 8th in West (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2010041224)
By Paul J. Weber

San Antonio’s 11th consecutive 50-win season will come with few—if any—postseason perks.

Keith Bogans scored 17 points and Tim Duncan had 16, and the Spurs kept some control over their playoff future in the close Western Conference race with a 133-11 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.

The Spurs’ latest 50-win campaign leaves them one short of tying the NBA record of 12 straight by the Lakers from 1979-91. But whereas San Antonio enjoyed high playoff seeds and home-court advantages in previous years, it will start this postseason on the road.

Where exactly, the Spurs still aren’t sure.

“You’d rather start at home, but I feel we have enough talent to win big games on the road,” Spurs guard Tony Parker said. “Lately we’ve been doing that.”

Another big road win Wednesday in Dallas will help their cause. The Spurs can clinch at least the No. 7 seed with a win in their regular season finale against the Mavericks—a game that could also be a playoff preview.

Oklahoma City and Portland are also jockeying to avoid the dreaded No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sasha Pavlovic had 16 points for the led the Wolves (15-66), who have just one chance left to avoid tying the franchise record for fewest wins.

Minnesota’s dreadful season ends Wednesday against Detroit. If the Timberwolves don’t win, they’ll tie the 1991-92 team for worst record in the 21-year history of the franchise.

“If it happens, it was just meant to happen,” said Wolves forward Al Jefferson, who scored 13 points. “That’s how I look at it. Of course we don’t want it to happen, but it’s life.”

The Spurs are coming up on a fewest-victory mark of their own. Regardless of what happens Wednesday in Dallas, the Spurs (50-31) will enter the playoffs with the fewest regular-season victories over a full season since Duncan came into the league in 1997.

But there are brighter spots.

San Antonio is playing its best basketball after a plodding start. The Spurs have won 19 of 27, including victories over five division leaders in a span of a little more than two weeks.

They can make it a sweep of all six with a win Wednesday over the Mavericks, who have wrapped up the Southwest. Dallas and San Antonio could also be headed to a rematch of last season’s first-round matchup depending on how the playoff seedings shake out.

“As much as people say we had a bad season, the race is still close,” Spurs guard George Hill said. “It’s just a couple games away from other people. I think we’re ready to battle anybody in the West.”

Hill scored six points in his first game back since spraining his ankle in a win over the Lakers on April 4. His return gives the Spurs their full roster back on the eve of the playoffs, after Parker returned earlier this month from a broken hand.

Malik Hairston and Ian Mahinmi had 14 points apiece for the Spurs, who had eight players in double figures.

Wayne Ellington scored 13 and Ramon Sessions had 13 points and 10 assists for the Wolves.

After the Wolves lost for the 22nd time in 23 games, coach Kurt Rambis said he’s “sure everybody’s fairly ready” for the season to be over.

“We’ve got one game left, and I hope for them to come out and give a positive showing. Leave with a good taste in their mouths for over the summer,” Rambis said. “This team was not built to win this year. We knew that.”

Notes: The Spurs finished the regular season with a 29-12 record at home. …The Spurs are 19-2 against the Timberwolves since the 2004-05, and haven’t lost at home to Minnesota in six years. …Minnesota finished 5-36 on the road and lost their final 12 away from home.

[senorglory]

The Spurs are coming up on a fewest-victory mark of their own. Regardless of what happens Wednesday in Dallas, the Spurs (50-31) will enter the playoffs with the fewest regular-season victories since Duncan came into the league in 1997.


That's an amazing mark for our franchise. We have been pretty luck sports fans. 50/51 wins will be our lowest since the Duncan era, and we've only missed the playoffs once going back to Robinson in '89.

[carina_gino20]

So Pop has now changed his tune:


“I did a little early, but anymore now I don’t pay attention,” Popovich said before the game. “You just have to take care of business, and wherever you land, you land.”

[TampaDude]

CIA Pop :hat

[duncan228]

Spurs take care of Wolves as playoff seeding heats up (http://www.nba.com/games/20100412/MINSAS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0020901208?ls=iref:nbahpt2)
By Tim Price, for NBA.com

While the Spurs have racked up some impressive wins in the final two months of the regular season, there also has been a clunker of a game that has almost shadowed the progress.

After beating Cleveland and Boston in consecutive games last month, the Spurs lost to league-worst New Jersey. And not long after going on the road to beat the Lakers by 19 a little more than a week ago, the Spurs lost at home to Memphis.

But just a couple of nights after another 19-point road win to one of the West's top seeds -- this time Denver -- the Spurs took a firm step over one of the league's banana peels. Tim Duncan missed only one of his seven shots and scored 16 points in 19 minutes, and the Spurs hit eight of their first 10 tries from 3-point land in a 133-111 victory over Minnesota on Monday night at AT&T Center.

The Spurs (50-31) cemented their 11th consecutive 50-win season, which puts them one season short of the Lakers' 50-win run from 1979-80 to 1990-91 as best in the history of the league.

"This is a game where we needed to come in, execute, take care of business. We did that," said Roger Mason Jr., who hit 3-of-6 3-pointers and was one of eight Spurs players in double figures. "We know we lost a disappointing one last home game [against Memphis]. We didn't want to come in here lackadaisical."

The Spurs kept their late-season momentum and might have added to it. They are healthy again.

George Hill, who had missed the last four games with a tendon strain in his right ankle, was in the starting lineup Monday.

Tony Parker, who has come off the bench in each of the games Hill has missed recently, played 23 minutes in another reserve role and had 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting along with seven assists.

"As much as people said we had a bad season, I think we're ready to battle anybody in the West," Hill said. "I think we'll be happy to be wherever [in the playoffs seeding]. I think our whole team is pretty confident we can go against anybody and give our best punch and take their best punch."

Hill only scored six points on 2-for-4 shooting in almost 17 minutes. But if there was any doubt whether Hill was an able body, it was clear when he rushed back on help defense and got a hand on a shot attempt by Kevin Love, resulting in a jump ball close to the two-minute mark of the second quarter.

That was part of a 29-8 run the Spurs used to take a one-point game four minutes into the second quarter and make it a 69-47 advantage at halftime.

"I don't think anyone in the Western Conference wants to see them in the first round," Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis said.

The Timberwolves (15-66) trailed by as much as 30 points and spent all but 45 seconds of the second half trailing by more than 20.

They allowed the Spurs to shoot 58 percent from the floor and 14-of-26 from 3-point territory (54 percent). Keith Bogans accounted for 5-for-7 from the 3-point line, and he led the Spurs with a season-high 17 points.

"I don't think this team doesn't care," Minnesota forward Al Jefferson said. "We go out every night and try to win as many games as possible. We go out every night and try to do our job. Games like tonight just happen."

Minnesota, led by Sasha Pavlovic's 6-for-7 from the floor and 16 points, needs to win Wednesday night at home against Detroit so to not equal the 1991-92 team for the worst record in franchise history.

The Spurs usually play a meaningless game in the regular-season finale -- and Wednesday night opponent Dallas has wrapped up the Southwest Division title. But there is seeding on the line for San Antonio. Though Popovich won't name a team he prefers to play, it sounds like he doesn't enjoy the idea of hooking up with the Lakers.

The Spurs, tied with Oklahoma City and Portland going into Monday night, may not have to go to LA in the first round. San Antonio has the tiebreaker on Oklahoma City, which lost Sunday to Golden State. The Thunder played at Portland late Monday.

It looked like the Spurs had their mind on the seedings early Monday. The Timberwolves hit 8-for-9 to open the game and led 20-13 though the first 5 ½ minutes.

But that's about all the offense the Timberwolves were able to generate the rest of the quarter because they hit just 1 of 11 shots and fell behind 33-26 heading into the second.

"I saw the same things I always see -- inconsistency," Rambis said. "I see sparks of light coming on, and that they're young and make mistakes."