Game Blog: Spurs @ Celtics - Jan. 5

[Budkin]

it amazes me how much the Spurs suck. we are the laughing-stock of the league.

Ok we get it. :rolleyes

[ploto]

So, is the East better than people give them credit for?

[polandprzem]

I think Neal really forced his shot in the Knicks game. Looking to score, rather than just laying in the cut, and executing when the ball comes to him.

Otherwise, Spurs seem tentative on offense, with outside shooters catching, pumping, then needing to dribble and pass away from coverage, rather than just catching and shooting, like they had been doing.

Spurs are not creating new passing lanes like they used to earlier this year and that leads most to a half court O that sucks

[ploto]

If Manu's 3-pointer had fallen, we'd all be calling Pop a genius.

Was a 2.

[peskypesky]

Ok we get it. :rolleyes

i know. we all get it. we all come here to share our opinions of how sucky the Spurs are. and if anyone comes around here and roots for them when they are losing, i will join in and bash him.

[LnGrrrR]

So, is the East better than people give them credit for?

The East? No.

Miami, Boston and Orlando get the credit they deserve. Orlando, maybe a little too much credit.

[mexicanjunior]

You think pop cared about seeding the past two years? Really?

I could have sworn there were some articles about the Spurs and Pop realizing they needed HCA to compete in the West...I'll have to look into that, I don't see how they would prefer to play on the road in the playoffs...

[DPG21920]

So, is the East better than people give them credit for?

No. Like usual, no.

Boston is great. No one disputed that. Overall, the East inferior, but not at the top.

[MeesterMarcus]

Well we do need some drama for the championship dvd otherwise it will be boring.

:toast

[peskypesky]

gnight, peeps. and remember, we lost, so we suck!

[mexicanjunior]

it amazes me how much the Spurs suck. we are the laughing-stock of the league.

Defensively, they probably are...how many other teams consistently give up 50-60% shooting...

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

I dont really get Bonner, Mcdyess and Duncan all being in the game at the end...

[LnGrrrR]

Defensively, they probably are...how many other teams consistently give up 50-60% shooting...

Again, while it's never good to give up 50-60% shooting, many of the C's players are shooting at a % higher this year than their usual avg.

[ShoogarBear]

The East? No.

Miami, Boston and Orlando get the credit they deserve. Orlando, maybe a little too much credit.


Yeah, what about the KNICKS, huh? The KNICKS >>>> Celtics. Just ask Pop. Don't ask RJ, though.

[HarlemHeat37]

So, is the East better than people give them credit for?

The 2 best teams in the NBA play in the East..other than that, meh..

[LnGrrrR]

Yeah, what about the KNICKS, huh? The KNICKS >>>> Celtics. Just ask Pop. Don't ask RJ, though.

I was tempted to put the Knicks in my post, but I'm not sure exactly what level they're at. I think if they were in the West, they'd be a 7th or 8th seed by the time the season was over.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Disappointing to see Spurs didn't win either of these games......

[TampaDude]

Was a 2.

Really? Okay...I didn't have the game on TV, just followed it on ESPN.com, and they said it was a 24-footer that was blocked. 24-footers are 3s.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Shit, I just watched the highlights, and Dice was wide open in the end. What the hell Manu?

[TampaDude]

Disappointing to see Spurs didn't win either of these games......

Yeah, it sucks, but I figured we'd lose to the Mavs and beat the Knicks, so I said we'd go 3-2 over this 5-game stretch...hopefully, we'll rip off several wins in a row now and forget about the last two nights.

[Ice009]

Well, at least we played defense in this game. Nothing big to whine about after this loss. Move on to the next game and hopefully Gino will get his groove back with the break

60% shooting for the other team I would never call even decent defense.

[MeesterMarcus]

peskypesky = troll

[KaiRMD1]

We actually did NOT play defense.. at least GOOD defense, and Manu was about the only reason why we were able to keep it close.

Better than yesterday at least. I'm just glad at least this time I wasn't in the crowd to watch them lose. I ain't even mad tho.

[Libri]

Spurs are not creating new passing lanes like they used to earlier this year and that leads most to a half court O that sucks

This was evident in the last play. Tim said after the game that it was supposed to be an isolation play for Manu and somehow they got jumbled and got in the way.

[Basketball Power]

Spurs are not close to a title team, sooner the FO realizes this the better

[Ice009]

I told you that you guys would start losing once your schedule got harder, its been a joke until recently.

Beat with With the zebras helping you and with no kg.... Can't beat Boston Orlando Miami or Dallas (when healthy, with or without caron)

Yep Dallas fans surely are as stupid as I recall.

See this :lobt2: get one then start talking shit.

[Capt Bringdown]

I'm disappointed that the Celtics were able to exploit our weaknesses (Glen Davis with a near career high) while we could not capitalize on Garnett & Perkin's absence. We should have had a game plan that attacked the paint - instead, it was the usual jump shooting drill.

And the game was another reminder that Blair, Bonner & Dice aren't good enough to truly compete for a title.

[Sean Cagney]

Spurs are not close to a title team, sooner the FO realizes this the better

With that D hell no they aren't, I knew this all year but the hot start made me quiet because I figured the threes would slow down and the D would come along slowly, sadly it has not.

This is a second round team at best, if they meet LA right now in the Western Semis or WCF (LUcky if they get there) it will be a wrap.

High scoring teams who shoot alot of threes and don't play D never get far, we are one now.

[Basketball Power]

Yep Dallas fans surely are as stupid as I recall.

See this :lobt2: get one then start talking shit.


he has a point though, and it's lame to bring up those past titles, Spurs were a VERY different team those 4 titles


This team has no damn center and they expect to win a title, Duncan is a shell of himself, Spurs are deep but without D we are the 05 suns

[Sean Cagney]

Shit, I just watched the highlights, and Dice was wide open in the end. What the hell Manu?

Manus shot selection alot this year is horrible IMO!~ He will force a shot rather than pass! I especially hate when he takes 8 threes in a game like a few nights back.

[ohmwrecker]

What's good for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Daddy-O, you got Rondo'ed. And I mean big time.:lmao

Don't I know it.

[TampaDude]

None of that movin' on marlakey. We're gonna wallow in this shit for a spell.

Bend over and take it like a trooper.:lmao

Just one regular season game...we can lose 30 games and still make the playoffs.

[TampaDude]

he has a point though, and it's lame to bring up those past titles, Spurs were a VERY different team those 4 titles


Doesn't matter...the Mavs have shuffled players around Dirk for years and are still ringless...probably always will be, too.

[Basketball Power]

Doesn't matter...the Mavs have shuffled players around Dirk for years and are still ringless...probably always will be, too.

but so what? Spurs still not wining shit this year, if the Spurs had someone like Chandler at C we'd easily be champs and win 67 or so games. Instead we have a C that can be posted up by the likes of melo and LBJ and a backup C who is softer then Tmac and only can chuck 3s. Did I mention another undersized old C with busted knees we rely on?

[Ice009]

he has a point though, and it's lame to bring up those past titles, Spurs were a VERY different team those 4 titles


This team has no damn center and they expect to win a title, Duncan is a shell of himself, Spurs are deep but without D we are the 05 suns

There's a lot of teams that have had weak schedules and I don't see him calling out all those other teams. He just wants to rub it in. That's the main point of his post. Lakers fans can talk shit, but that always gets me when Dallas fans talk so much shit and act like they've numerous titles.

You don't think I know what our weaknesses are? It's obvious and a lot of people can see it, but for some reason the Mavs fan thinks he knows more than us and wanted to come in with a told you so.

[weebo]

There's a lot of teams that have had weak schedules and I don't see him calling out all those other teams. He just wants to rub it in. That's the main point of his post. Lakers fans can talk shit, but that always gets me when Dallas fans talk so much shit and act like they've numerous titles.

You don't think I know what our weaknesses are? It's obvious and a lot of people can see it, but for some reason the Mavs fan thinks he knows more than us and wanted to come in with a told you so.

Mav fan should worry about their own sinking ship.

[duncan228]

Some post-game quotes.


Rondo’s triple-double leads Celtics past Spurs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011010502)
By Jimmy Golen

Rajon Rondo had already played two games since returning from a sprained ankle. It wasn’t until Wednesday night, though, that he really returned.

The Celtics point guard had 22 assists, 12 points and 10 rebounds for his 11th career triple-double, adding six steals to help Boston beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-103 in a matchup of the NBA’s top two teams.

“I felt a lot better in the past couple of games,” said Rondo, who also played 43 1/2 minutes just three games after missing two weeks with an injury. “I’m in a little better rhythm, and I’m able to push off push off a little bit more on my ankle.”

Ray Allen scored 31 points and Glen “Big Baby” Davis had 23—one short of a career high—playing in place of the injured Kevin Garnett. Manu Ginobili scored 24 points with eight rebounds for the Spurs (29-6), who still have the best record in the NBA despite losing back-to-back games for the first time all season.

“We’re not satisfied with where we are, and honestly I don’t really care what our record is,” San Antonio forward Tim Duncan said. “(With) the kind of defense we’re playing, we’re definitely not satisfied with where we are right now.

Allen made 13 of 16 shots to help the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics (27-7) shoot 61 percent from the floor as a team. But he also missed a pair of free throws with 8.1 seconds left and the Celtics up by two.

After a timeout, Ginobili worked down the clock and put up a shot that Pierce blocked and Rondo pulled down for his 10th rebound.

Rondo’s 22 assists were the second-most in his career; he had 24 in an Oct. 29 game against the New York Knicks that was his only other triple-double this season. His six steals were a season-high and one off his career-high, and he scored eight points in the fourth quarter when the Spurs began playing him to pass.

“He did it all,” Pierce said. “Rebounded. Assisted. Doc’s kind of been on him about taking that shot there. And he steps up when he needs to and knocks down those shots confidently.”

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker had 18 points apiece for the Spurs, who were coming off a 128-115 loss to the Knicks in New York on Tuesday in which coach Gregg Popovich pulled his three stars with more than three minutes left, down by just 11.

“This is a different game than New York,” Ginobili said. “New York, we went out there and they beat us in every single area of the game. Today was different.”

And it turned out the Spurs needed the extra rest in a game against Boston that went down to the wire.

Boston’s 61.3 percent shooting percentage was the highest for a Spurs opponent since 1988, according to STATS LLC.

“The fact that we shot 61 percent … and won by two is a scary number, when you think about it,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “It took a 61 percent effort from us tonight to win a basketball game at home. That tells you how good that team is.”

Popovich joked that Allen dragged the team down by missing three shots.

“If it was practice … I don’t know if anyone in the league would hit 13 out of 16. He does it in a game,” Popovich said. “I think he’s pretty good.”

San Antonio took a 70-67 lead on Duncan’s hook shot with 3:37 left in the third quarter, but they did not score again until George Hill beat the buzzer with a bank shot. In the meantime, Boston scored 10 straight points, including a 3-pointer from Pierce to tie it and his slamming, swinging-from-the-rim dunk that made it 77-70.

But it was 96-all when Rondo grabbed his ninth rebound and worked the ball down to Marquis Daniels for a layup, then Pierce found Allen for a 3-pointer that made it 101-96 with 97 seconds left. After Davis drew an offensive foul on Richard Jefferson, Rondo drove into the lane and floated one over Duncan to make it 103-96.

Allen stripped the ball away from Hill and went in for the layup and Boston’s biggest lead of the game.

But Ginobili hit a 3-pointer, Parker drove for a layup and then Jefferson hit a pair of free throws to cut the Spurs’ deficit to two points. With Boston still leading 105-103, Pierce missed a jumper but Nate Robinson pulled down the rebound and got the ball to Allen, who was fouled.

He missed both free throws. It’s just the second time in 50 weeks that Allen, a career 89 percent foul shooter, has missed two free throws in a game.

Notes: The Spurs waived backup swingman Ime Udoka during the day. Udoka played sparingly in 20 games after being signed in November. It was his second stint with the Spurs after spending two seasons in San Antonio following the team’s last championship in 2007. … San Antonio rookie James Anderson is expected back soon after missing the last two months with a stress fracture in his foot. … Jermaine O’Neal fouled out with 3:13 left. … Pierce was called for a technical foul with 4:55 left for complaining about a foul non-call. That helped the Spurs tie it at 90…. Boston is 3-1 since Garnett went out with a right calf injury.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011010502

[timaios]

Boston’s 61.3 percent shooting percentage was the highest for a Spurs opponent since 1988, according to STATS LLC.


Knicks' 128 points on Tuesday night were the most scored against San Antonio since Tim Duncan joined the Spurs in 1997.



Back 2 back records for a Duncan's team ! :bang:bang:bang

[duncan228]

...“They made more plays than we did,” said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, whose 29-6 team is now on its first losing streak of the season. “And we made more mistakes than they did.”


...Spurs coach Gregg Popovich left the arena bemoaning his team’s defensive letdown, but marveling at Allen.

“If it was practice, I don’t know if anyone in the league would hit 13 of 16,” Popovich said. “He does that in a game.”


...“We looked like we were out for a walk in the park,” Popovich said.


...This time, Ginobili misread a pick-and-roll with Antonio McDyess. He upfaked Daniels but could not shake Pierce.

“I didn’t see, in the heat of the moment, that I had two defenders,” Ginobili said.

Spurs run out of magic (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/05/spurs-run-out-of-magic/)
Jeff McDonald

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/05/spurs-run-out-of-magic/

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Back 2 back records for a Duncan's team ! :bang:bang:bang

Dude you have made me more depressed than that time when mookie2001 chopped his dick off after the Red River Shootout of 2002

[Slippy]

“I didn’t see, in the heat of the moment, that I had two defenders,” Ginobili said.
`

Manu taking a lot of heat for this play. Something to keep in mind. It takes great vision and adequate passing ability to make that pass. The only guy on this team that's good enough to do it and regularly get's it right when commanding that sort of attention is Manu.

[elec99]

I'd have been happier if manu ran that play with bonner (pops decision). Doesnt that make more sense? They do it regularly, pick n pop with bonner at the 3, force the help D to stay at home on bonner or else. Instead it was Dice who wasnt planted and instead made a dash for the rim, maybe not enough time to get a layup.

The clock was busted for the viewers at home btw, i saw six seconds left when the announcers said it was over, now I'm wondering if the clock was busted for the players too. Make or miss, I just wished he wouldve gotten the shot off to give us a chance.

[carina_gino20]

This was evident in the last play. Tim said after the game that it was supposed to be an isolation play for Manu and somehow they got jumbled and got in the way.

Confused with his quote about this. If the play was for an iso, why didn't he pass the first time Manu was open?

[duncan228]

Boston Celtics 105, San Antonio Spurs 103: The executioners’ errors (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/boston-celtics-105-san-antonio-spurs-103-the-executioners-errors#more-12233)
by Graydon Gordian
48 Minutes of Hell

TD GARDEN — I’ll go on the record as saying no two teams in the National Basketball Association execute better during the final two minutes of a close game than the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs. I’d rather have Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan out on that floor in a tight game than practically any duo in the league, but if I had to chose a replacement, I would pick Ray Allen and Paul Pierce without hesitation.

However, in order for me to make this argument effectively, I ask that you completely ignore the final two minutes of the Celtics 105-103 victory over the Spurs in Boston Wednesday evening.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/boston-celtics-105-san-antonio-spurs-103-the-executioners-errors#more-12233)

[Dex]

Views from the Other Side:



http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/01/06/stop_sign_ignored/

Stop sign ignored
Allen, Celtics race past shoddy defense of Spurs
By Julian Benbow
Globe Staff / January 6, 2011

It was one of those can’t-miss nights for Ray Allen. He was 13 of 16 from the floor, and when he sprung free for a 3-pointer from in front of the Spurs’ bench with 1:37 remaining last night, he seemed to all but bury the team with the best record in the NBA.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sat amazed — if also aggravated — by Allen’s accuracy.

“If it was practice and you did pindowns and you came off that, I don’t know if anyone in the league would hit 13 of 16,’’ Popovich said.

So when Allen wound up at the free throw line with 8.1 seconds left and the Celtics nursing a 105-103 lead, the game was essentially in a Brink’s truck. He with the picture-perfect shooting form let the first one go.

Clang.

“I don’t know how I missed it,’’ Allen said. “It was where it needed to be, and felt the way I always feel, only I missed it.’’

Still, if he made the back end the Celtics would be up by 3, and at the worst the Spurs could tie it and send it to over time. Same shot, same form.

Clang.

Two straight misses from the stripe, and each time the TD Garden crowd sounded as if it had taken a collective punch in the gut. Allen was equally dazed.

“Those are the ones that are always perplexing to me,’’ he said.

Doc Rivers immediately flashed back to the first season of the Big Three era. The Celtics were in Cleveland, the game was tied at 92 with 23 seconds left, and Allen was at the line. He missed them both.

“I think that was the only time that’s happened,’’ Rivers said.

The only difference was the Cavaliers went on to win that game in overtime. Last night, the Celtics held on for a 105-103 win.

Even without the free throws, Allen’s 31 points represented a game high, and he found a handful of ways to do it, coming off picks, getting to the hoop, and knocking down a pair of threes.

“I was just trying to find my spots,’’ Allen said. “I was trying not to predetermine where I was going to shoot it and how I was going to shoot it.’’

It was an unlikely shootout. The Celtics came in with the league’s best field goal percentage defense. Despite a lapse in New York Tuesday night, the Spurs had answered Popovich’s challenge this season to be better than “mediocre’’ defensively.

But last night, they were racing each other to 100.

Rajon Rondo was running around the floor picking up assists like Easter eggs (he wound up with his second triple-double of the season, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 22 assists). The Spurs had six players in double figures, the Celtics four. The Celtics finished the night shooting 61.3 percent.

“Two great defensive teams tonight, huh?’’ Rivers said, sarcastically. “The fact that we shot 61 percent and won by 2 is a scary number when you think about it. That tells you how good they are, how well they’re coached. It took a 61 percent effort from us tonight to win a basketball game at home.’’

The Celtics were the first to dig in on defense, holding the Spurs to 9-of-23 shooting in the third quarter, but they couldn’t pull away until late, and even when they did, the Spurs made one last burst.

Allen drove the lane to put the Celtics up, 105-96, giving them their largest lead. But Manu Ginobili drained a 3-pointer from 25 feet, the first of 7 straight points for the Spurs.

“The game is never over when that freakin’ Ginobili’s on the floor,’’ Rivers said.

After Allen missed the two free throws, the Spurs put the ball in Ginobili’s hands, but with Paul Pierce draped over him, he couldn’t get a clean look. Pierce swatted the shot to seal the win.

“We knew it was going to be a nip-tuck game pretty much all night,’’ said Pierce, who got his 18 points efficiently (7 of 10), despite the Spurs trying to take him out of the offense. “You look up and it’s hard to look away from them until the stretch when we put together a nice little defensive run. Then we do that and they come right back. So, you’ve got two heavyweights battling.’’

With his team in the midst of one of its toughest weeks of the season (five games in seven days), Rivers gave the Celtics today off. But Allen likely will be in the gym.

“I will shoot 100 free throws at some point,’’ he said.


Shouldn't 100 free throws be pretty routine for these guys?

[duncan228]

Finals preview? Don’t count on it (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Andrew A. McNeill
48 Minutes of Hell

When you pair the team with the best record in the Western Conference with the team with the Eastern Conference’s best record, the temptation is to bill the matchup as a preview of the NBA Finals.

But with the Boston Celtics’ 105-103 win over the San Antonio Spurs (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/boston-celtics-105-san-antonio-spurs-103-the-executioners-errors) last night, previewing the Finals based this game would be a lost cause. Forget the fact that this game was played in January, even if both the Celtics and Spurs end up in the Finals this June, you’d be better off using NBA 2K11 to preview the series instead of this particular game.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/san-antonio-spurs-defense-versus-boston-celtics#more-12255)

[Manudona]

Well, Doc gave a very nice sig :)

[Slippy]

San Antonio sees teams shoot off of screens about 5% of the time, but Allen and the Celtics effectively shot off of screens 15% of the time on Wednesday night and scored an astonishing 1.86 PPP. If the Spurs were able to hold to a still-fantastic 1.5 PPP, they probably win this game. But alas, Ray Allen went all Pop-A-Shot on the Spurs and it was just enough to put Boston over the top



Interesting article by Mcneill. Thanks for posting Duncan 228.

Boston not only set picks, they free up Allen with big of amount screens. It's really up to the bigs to step in and impede when your teammates have that many screens to run around. The Celtics have always been a bad match-up for Manu on defense, this game was no different. He's never been very good at chasing players like Allen to begin with, having to deal with Glen Davis screens just beats you up even more. Then switching on to Pierce who's literally twice the body-size of Manu and likes to post up is recipe for getting worn out quickly. It's been happening way too often of late when Pop wants Manu, Hill and Parker at the same time or goes smallball.

Not making excuse for Manu or blaming Pop. You gotta go with your best guns . Just saying , you want to get the best out of him on offense consistently, gotta figure how to conserve some of that energy on D. James Anderson can't come back soon enough.