Game Blog: Spurs @ Bobcats - Nov. 8

[EricB]

That was an old school spurs win there...

[jag]

I guess manu is trying to protect his nose by not driving too much.

It's smart to keep him out of the paint early in the season. I wish we could see the slashing all-out-effort ginobili right now, but i'd rather see it during the playoffs than see it now.

[NRHector]

It's smart to keep him out of the paint early in the season. I wish we could see the slashing all-out-effort ginobili right now, but i'd rather see it during the playoffs than see it now.exactly, there's no need for Manu to get hurt right now and start losing games and drop in the standings

[Leonard Curse]

first im very happy for my spurs to pull the (W) HOWEVER

what in the hell happened to tiago splitters minutes ? he was finally playing nearly 20 min then today he gets played 10min???? he put up 5pts/4reb 1stl with only 1turnover in 10 minutes and he gets pulled??

if blair is having trouble w/his game and dice/duncan are needed to b kept fresh 4 the playoffs can you tell me what the hell the point is to keep our old guys running out there risking injury to tim duncan when tiago can be getting valuable time (especially when hes being productive?)?.

afterall isnt he supposed to start? thats what pisses me off about pop those type of decesions make no sense whatsoever seeing that there comes a time whe you have to trust a new player

[jestersmash]

first im very happy for my spurs to pull the (W) HOWEVER

what in the hell happened to tiago splitters minutes ? he was finally playing nearly 20 min then today he gets played 10min???? he put up 5pts/4reb 1stl with only 1turnover in 10 minutes and he gets pulled??

if blair is having trouble w/his game and dice/duncan are needed to b kept fresh 4 the playoffs can you tell me what the hell the point is to keep our old guys running out there risking injury to tim duncan when tiago can be getting valuable time (especially when hes being productive?)?.

afterall isnt he supposed to start? thats what pisses me off about pop those type of decesions make no sense whatsoever seeing that there comes a time whe you have to trust a new player

He's asking to be pulled, his conditioning is awful at this moment in time, probably because he had 0 preseason "priming."

[ElNono]

It's important to win these games against average teams. If the west ends up packed like last season, it can mean a lot for seeding. If it doesn't, it can buy you resting time at the end of the season. The team hasn't laid any eggs so far in that department this season, something they did last season. Good win tonight.

[NASpurs]

It took the Spurs 24 games to get 4 games above .500 last year (14-10 Dec. 19th). Let's count our blessings the Spurs are 5-1 right now. :lol

[ElNono]

first im very happy for my spurs to pull the (W) HOWEVER

what in the hell happened to tiago splitters minutes ? he was finally playing nearly 20 min then today he gets played 10min???? he put up 5pts/4reb 1stl with only 1turnover in 10 minutes and he gets pulled??

if blair is having trouble w/his game and dice/duncan are needed to b kept fresh 4 the playoffs can you tell me what the hell the point is to keep our old guys running out there risking injury to tim duncan when tiago can be getting valuable time (especially when hes being productive?)?.

afterall isnt he supposed to start? thats what pisses me off about pop those type of decesions make no sense whatsoever seeing that there comes a time whe you have to trust a new player

The game was close throughout, except that stretch we had a 9 point lead, and honestly Dice has been playing at a really high level this season. Tiago is going to have to make strides in conditioning and especially rebounding.

[timtonymanu]

What I'm liking so far is that even though our team is losing, they find a way to take the lead and keep it. Unlike last year, if we were down by 10, we pretty much were gonna lose the whole game. Also we blew alot of leads where we were only up by 1 or 3 points. So far we've kept it like that or built it up.

[kaji157]

first im very happy for my spurs to pull the (W) HOWEVER

what in the hell happened to tiago splitters minutes ? he was finally playing nearly 20 min then today he gets played 10min???? he put up 5pts/4reb 1stl with only 1turnover in 10 minutes and he gets pulled??

if blair is having trouble w/his game and dice/duncan are needed to b kept fresh 4 the playoffs can you tell me what the hell the point is to keep our old guys running out there risking injury to tim duncan when tiago can be getting valuable time (especially when hes being productive?)?.

afterall isnt he supposed to start? thats what pisses me off about pop those type of decesions make no sense whatsoever seeing that there comes a time whe you have to trust a new player
Maybe what happened was that other than getting those offensive boards and putbacks he was LOST on offense and defense for long minutes.
Idk why? but on some playes George Hill had to change the play because he called for the screen twice and Tiago was hesitant to put it.
Just a bad game for a rookie that is still learning and today was obvious.
The game was close and pop had no room to toy with rookies.

[kaji157]

I hate to say this, but it seems that Pop is calling it a little risky at the end of game.
Today he repeated the same thing he did against the rox, by calling plays for Tony and TD down the stretch and only calling Manu once the team was in desperate mode.
You could have avoided all the heat by giving all the last 3 posessions to Manu and just let him seal it or control the tempo in the end. We all know he is cappable of it and not just give him the last shot.

[jestersmash]

I hate to say this, but it seems that Pop is calling it a little risky at the end of game.
Today he repeated the same thing he did against the rox, by calling plays for Tony and TD down the stretch and only calling Manu once the team was in desperate mode.
You could have avoided all the heat by giving all the last 3 posessions to Manu and just let him seal it or control the tempo in the end. We all know he is cappable of it and not just give him the last shot.

I disagree. All three of the big 3 (Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili) have earned the right to take critical shots near the end of the game.

To suggest that it's "risky" for Pop to call plays for the 2007 Finals MVP or a future hall of famer when the game is on the line is patently absurd

Edit: I had to increase the size because normal font doesn't emphasize the point well enough.

[duncan228]

San Antonio Spurs 95, Charlotte Bobcats 91: Gregg Popovich Alvin Gentrys Larry Brown (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Timothy Varner
48 Minutes of Hell

For the Spurs, it was their second ugly win in as many games (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/san-antonio-spurs-124-houston-rockets-121). The box score would tell you it was a classic Gregg Popovich vs Larry Brown duel: the Bobcats were leading the Spurs 48-44 at half and the pace of the game was closer to calcifying than blistering.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/san-antonio-spurs-95-charlotte-bobcats-91-gregg-popovich#more-11046)

[Leonard Curse]

you guys are right to a certain degree but that just means he needs to get him game minutes to learn the system theres no better way than to get minutes out there. especially during the 1st and 2nd quarter or when we need defense in the post.

@jester if thats the case then my fault but i dont see how thats possible after the previous game he logged more minutes in a more physical game.

@el nono i def. agree with the rebounding i see him being assertive on everything else but reb. I get what your saying and agree with dice being a big factor to why were winning, but when we have our scrubs in there dice isnt doing much tbh and these are good times for T.S to get used. afterall we need to make sure dice or duncan stay injury free.

@kaj yeah i saw that too, but thats what i mean hes not going to come in and play amazing because he didnt get that offseason trial period, so the ugly part has to be played through.
pop knows this but if we cant play him more than ten damn minutes pop better not expect this kid to be a difference maker. thats what he did last year to anyone trying to get in a rhythm. i know its not pretty but what i saying is its necessary and somewhat of a sacrafice that has to be made at some point

[duncan228]

Some post game quotes.


Ginobili scores 26, Spurs beat Bobcats 95-91 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2010110830)
By Mike Cranston

From Manu Ginobili to Tony Parker to DeJuan Blair and numerous others, the San Antonio Spurs have made a habit of turning overlooked players into major contributors.

Gary Neal may be next in line.

The surprising rookie hit five of seven 3-pointers and scored 15 points in Monday night’s 95-91 victory over the reeling Charlotte Bobcats. The Spurs needed the cushion he provided before Ginobili’s clinching layup with 4.9 seconds left ended Charlotte’s late comeback bid and secured the Spurs’ fourth straight win.

“Huge, huge. Those five 3s took a lot of pressure off us,” said Ginobili, who scored 26 points. “If you have a player that’s so reliable making those 3s, it feels really good to penetrate and kick or draw plays for him.”

So who is this guy?

The 26-year-old Neal started his college career at La Salle, but left after he was accused of rape, a charge for which he was acquitted. He transferred to Towson, went undrafted and spent three seasons playing in Italy, Spain and Turkey.

He was ready to take a break last summer when his agent called, saying the Spurs wanted him to come to their summer league minicamp.

“I was in Europe for 10 months and you kind of want to relax and rest your body,” Neal said. “But my agent told me that San Antonio is famous for bringing in guys and giving them contracts if they perform at a high level. That was a sign for me that this is a good opportunity.”

Neal scored 16 points in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers last week. Monday his consecutive 3s to put San Antonio ahead 88-82 with 5:48 left.

“He’s new to the league this year but he’s not impressed or intimidated by anything,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He just comes to play, he’s hard-nosed.”

Tim Duncan had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Tony Parker had 12 points and eight assists for the Spurs, who nearly blew a nine-point lead with under 3 minutes left.

Charlotte, which was 31-10 at home last season en route to the franchise’ first playoff berth, fell to 0-3 on its home floor thanks to 40 percent shooting from the field.

Tyrus Thomas had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench and Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw had 15 points apiece for the Bobcats. But Gerald Wallace was 2 of 11 from the field and D.J. Augustin 3 of 15 as Charlotte slipped to 1-6.

“D.J., Jack and Gerald going 9 of 39, I don’t care who you’re playing and you’re going to have a tough time,” coach Larry Brown said. “To be in the game with us shooting it that way and turning it over again, like we do, it’s a miracle we had a chance.”

The Spurs, who blew a big lead Saturday before hanging on to beat Houston in overtime, had a similar late meltdown before Ginobili bailed them out.

Thomas’ dunk and ensuing missed free throw was rebounded by Derrick Brown, whose layup with 26.8 seconds left cut Charlotte’s deficit to 93-91.

After a timeout, the Bobcats decided not foul.

“The goal was to eat all the clock possible, but at the same time you don’t want to take a really bad shot,” Ginobili said. “It was a miscommunication between Boris and Thomas and one left. I had a pretty good look.”

It wasn’t the start owner Michael Jordan envisioned when he declared the Bobcats should be better than last season’s 44-38 team that was swept by Orlando in the first round.

With Brown still trying to figure out a rotation after losing Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler in the offseason, the Bobcats continued to look disjointed on offense. And Brown wasn’t afraid to yank his starters.

Jackson, who had six of Charlotte’s 14 turnovers, played only 13 minutes in the second half.

“Some nights I may have six turnovers, some nights I may have none,” Jackson said. “Tonight was one of those nights where we weren’t getting it done and the young guys had our backs. Hopefully there won’t be too many like that.”

Notes: Jackson said he’s decided not to appeal his $50,000 fine for verbally abusing the officials last week. “I just want to go on with the season,” he said. … Bobcats C Kwame Brown went through an intense workout at the morning shootaround as he nears a return from a severely sprained left ankle. He said he needs to get into game shape and has some pain when he jumps off one leg. “The last thing to heal is the bone bruise,” Brown said. “Cutting and pivoting still bother me a little.” … Spurs G James Anderson had six points a night after missing a game for the birth of his daughter.

[duncan228]

Notes on a scorecard: Why Pop is glad he found Gary Neal in Glitter Gulch (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/08/notes-on-a-scorecard-why-pop-is-glad-he-found-gary-neal-in-glitter-gulch/)
by Tim Griffin

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/08/notes-on-a-scorecard-why-pop-is-glad-he-found-gary-neal-in-glitter-gulch/

[kaji157]

I disagree. All three of the big 3 (Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili) have earned the right to take critical shots near the end of the game.

To suggest that it's "risky" for Pop to call plays for the 2007 Finals MVP or a future hall of famer when the game is on the line is patently absurd

Edit: I had to increase the size because normal font doesn't emphasize the point well enough.

It may be absurd to you, but when you have one of the most complete players in the game on a hot streak it´s absurd not to go to him.
I am not calling for Manu finishing every play, but starting it. It may end with Tony, Tim or whoever is open, but i just don´t understand why we have to risk games for the sake of doing so when we have a player that can help us avoid it.
Not to say, Manu won´t always make the last shot as he did against Houston and today, so risking essencial posessions is simply dumb.
If Manu was not a good playmaker i would support what you say, but he is our best playmaker and he should always have the ball at the end when he is hot.

[kaji157]

you guys are right to a certain degree but that just means he needs to get him game minutes to learn the system theres no better way than to get minutes out there. especially during the 1st and 2nd quarter or when we need defense in the post.

@jester if thats the case then my fault but i dont see how thats possible after the previous game he logged more minutes in a more physical game.

@el nono i def. agree with the rebounding i see him being assertive on everything else but reb. I get what your saying and agree with dice being a big factor to why were winning, but when we have our scrubs in there dice isnt doing much tbh and these are good times for T.S to get used. afterall we need to make sure dice or duncan stay injury free.

@kaj yeah i saw that too, but thats what i mean hes not going to come in and play amazing because he didnt get that offseason trial period, so the ugly part has to be played through.
pop knows this but if we cant play him more than ten damn minutes pop better not expect this kid to be a difference maker. thats what he did last year to anyone trying to get in a rhythm. i know its not pretty but what i saying is its necessary and somewhat of a sacrafice that has to be made at some point
I think that Pop already knows what he is getting from Splitter, he already said that he has good feel for the system both defense and offense. Plus Ginobili knows him pretty well for playing him a lot of times internationally.
It seems that they are taking a no rush approach with Tiago, and i am fine with it.
You might want to check , but i am quite sure that while he has been cleared to play he is not fully healed yet.

[jestersmash]

It may be absurd to you, but when you have one of the most complete players in the game on a hot streak it´s absurd not to go to him.
I am not calling for Manu finishing every play, but starting it. It may end with Tony, Tim or whoever is open, but i just don´t understand why we have to risk games for the sake of doing so when we have a player that can help us avoid it.
Not to say, Manu won´t always make the last shot as he did against Houston and today, so risking essencial posessions is simply dumb.
If Manu was not a good playmaker i would support what you say, but he is our best playmaker and he should always have the ball at the end when he is hot.

:lmao

Not in the mood tonight, sorry. I'll let the emoticon speak for itself.

The way you throw around the word "risky" an "risk" so nonchalantly when talking about the likes of Tony Parker or Tim Duncan is nothing short of astounding.

We all know how good Ginobili is. That's why he's allowed to take 17+ shots per game whenever the fuck he wants to. When he calls for the ball, people give it to him.

1. We're not ignoring Ginobili. The team is not ignoring Ginobili. When he wants the ball, he gets it. He can shoot whenever he wants without fear of losing minutes or losing his starting roll or losing his spot as a finisher when the game is on the line. I'd say that's essentially the definition of what it means to be one of the 3 top dogs on a team.

2. It is patently absurd to suggest that it's "risky" to put the balls in the hands of Tony Parker or Tim Duncan when the game is on the line.

3. Kobe is not the primary playmaker for every single possession up till the end of the game. And yet, reasonable fans recognize that this is O.K. because they also have someone on the team named Pao Gasol who's plenty capable himself in pressure situations.

Kobe isnt the only playmaker on the Lakers. Ginobili isn't the only playmaker on the spurs. Giving the ball to Gasol down low in lieu of letting Kobe dictate the play is not risky. Giving the ball to Duncan and/or Parker in lieu of Ginobili is not "risky"

[duncan228]

View from the other side.


Spurs' core players outshine Bobcats' (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/11/08/1823569/bobcats-rally-falls-short-at-end.html)
Ginobili, Parker, Duncan outplay Wallace, Jackson and Augustin, who fade.
By Rick Bonnell
Charlotte Observer

Coach Larry Brown was looking to compliment the San Antonio Spurs, but what he said sounded like a description of why his Charlotte Bobcats lost.

"Ginobili, Parker, Duncan: There's a reason why they win,'' Brown said of the Spurs' three stars. "They know what they're getting every night.''

That was the contrast, particularly in the second half, between the Spurs and the Bobcats in San Antonio's 95-91 victory. The Bobcats' three core scorers - Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson and D.J. Augustin - shot a combined 2 of 15 after halftime, totaling five points.

No matter how well the reserves play - and they kept the Bobcats in the game - it's tough to win like that. The Spurs outscored the Bobcats by eight in the second half, and Manu Ginobili (26 points) finished on a perfect pick-and-roll drive to the rim with four seconds left.

Wallace and Jackson are paid to carry this team, and many nights they do. But Monday they combined to shoot 6 of 24. Jackson committed six of the Bobcats' 13 turnovers.

It was telling that neither one was on the court late in the game, when the reserves pushed the Spurs (5-1) to San Antonio's last possession.

"We're human,'' Jackson said. "Not everything is going to go well every night.''

The Bobcats are 1-6, but Jackson said he's not worried about the long-term ramifications of this bad start.

"We're not panicking,'' Jackson declared. "We're all right.''

Maybe so, but there seems added urgency to get things together entering a road trip to two likely lottery teams - Toronto and Washington - over the next four nights. This team needs momentum in the worst way.

They got some in the fourth quarter from reserves Tyrus Thomas, Derrick Brown and Gerald Henderson, particularly Thomas. He finished the game with 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and kept alive what became a four-point possession with 29 seconds left.

Thomas scored, missed a free throw, then grabbed in his own miss. He missed a layup, but Derrick Brown came in from the corner to score again and make it a two-point game.

That's when the Spurs did what they do, systematically breaking down Charlotte's defense on a Ginobili-Tim Duncan pick-and-roll for the final score.

"Now we've got to figure this out,'' Thomas said of the close losses, "so we're not clawing and scratching at the end of the season.''

[duncan228]

More post game quotes.


Ginobili delivers clinching basket against Bobcats (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/08/ginobili-delivers-clinching-basket-against-bobcats/)
By Mike Monroe

...There was no fear that Ginobili wouldn’t make the play the Spurs needed after the Bobcats sliced the lead to 93-91 with 26.8 seconds left.

“Manu creates,” Popovich said. “Everybody’s got somebody on their team they give the ball to and let them create. Manu might have shot a 3; he might have gone right; he might have gone left; he might have pulled up and shot a floater, like he did; he might have passed. He’s a great player, and those are the kinds of decisions great players make.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/08/ginobili-delivers-clinching-basket-against-bobcats/

[spurs50_]

Why is Blair still starting? Tiago kicks his ass, I know it's still early in the season but 4 PTs per game?

[dunkman]

The Spurs are doing fine, shadowing the Lakers while integrating new players and improving the defense.