Cry Havoc
01-17-2011, 01:28 AM
We have arrived at the precipice. Despite the All-Star break being a month away, this is the game which delineates the first half of the season from the second. So while it might not be looked upon as the most significant game of the season come playoff time, the Spurs had to come into the game looking at it as an opportunity, since the Lakers lost to their Clipper brethren earlier in the day (thanks 21_Blessings! :toast ).
Enter the Nuggets. Despite the fact that several of their players might need a dictionary to spell defense (Yes, I'm looking at you, JR Smith), the Nuggets were a dangerous offensive team driven by one of the most versatile, explosive players in the game in Carmelo Anthony. Luckily, the Spurs went on a 22-2 run midway through the 2nd quarter to go ahead of the Nuggets, who never really threatened again. This was a fantastic Spurs performance after the first quarter, and saw some of the most active, smothering defense of the season to go with a very motivated offense.
Interesting/important stat of the game: At the end of the 3rd quarter, no Nuggets player had more than 5 rebounds. Credit to our post players for boxing out, all of them get a small boost in grade for this.
Starters
Tony Parker A+: How do you improve on a great performance on the 14th? Well, you go out and just decimate Chauncey Billups, formerly one of the best defensive point guards in basketball. Tony Parker was all over the court tonight, making decisive drives into the paint to the tune of 30 points, which include 2 big threes down the stretch that completely killed any momentum the Nuggets were trying to build. Perhaps the most shocking stat for Tony on this night is the fact that he outrebounded every Nuggets player, except for Nene, whose total he equaled. I cannot stress to anyone watching the Spurs play, especially this year, how much more lethal this team is when Tony has his foot on the gas. It is literally the difference between this team being great, and potential NBA Champions. When he is going, we are almost impossible to stop. Parker annihilated Billups so completely that Chauncey picked up a tech and nearly had a flagrant rang up after he took a swipe at Tony's head.
Manu Ginobili B: Yes, tonight was another poor shooting night for Manu. However, if you believe that he had an off-game, you shouldn't just check the box score to surmise his performance. In many ways, it was vintage Manu tonight, and he came within a couple of gentle touches of shooting 8-15, rather than the 5-15 he actually shot, as he got to the rim numerous times only to have unlucky rolls fall out of the hoop, shots that go down on any other night. Manu constantly found his way to the lane and to the line this evening, and went 7-7 at the line. Manu was all over the court on defense, and while he made some mis-rotations, I'll take this every night from Manu, because he was constantly forcing the Nuggets out of rhythm on offense. 7 assists highlight how well he moved the ball. If I have a complaint, it's that Manu needs to hit his 3s.
Richard Jefferson A-: I hope a certain stately gentlemen was watching this Spurs game. I hope that he nodded his bald head appreciatively watching Jefferson go to work tonight. I hope he pumped his fists or mentally cheered every time Jefferson forced Carmelo Anthony into a bad position on offense, or a bad shot as Anthony rose to release the ball. Most of all, I hope Bruce Bowen had a big, goofy, knowing grin on his face as he watched the Spurs shut down one of the most lethal scorers in the NBA. Jefferson's performance tonight has nothing to do with his box line, although the Nuggets definitely respected his threat from 3. No, tonight was about getting out of Tony Parker's way, and doing what he could on defense to help us get this win. Jefferson got his. If he hit his free throws, he'd have an even higher grade, stats be damned.
Anthony's line: 5-17 shooting, 12 points, 4 TOs, 3 assists, 0-0 from 3 point range.
Tim Duncan A-: Gone are the days when Tim Duncan needs to score 18+ points to have a really "good" game. However, Duncan was THE defensive force in this contest. Every time the Nuggets got around the rim, Duncan was swamping them with active hands and arms. He recorded only 3 blocks, but if shot alterations were a recorded stat, Duncan would have had a double double tonight to go with his suction cup-like 16 rebounds, and he picked up his usual 4 assists as well. Duncan could have scored 20 tonight, as usual, but when TP is so hot, it's nice to see the big man just focusing on shutting down the team on defense. From watching him move tonight, I have to think he's going to be ready to step up in the playoffs.
DeJuan Blair D: Part of this grade results in disappointment. I really thought Blair could have a great game against the Nugget front line. He started out well enough, getting an and-1 on the first play of the game. After that... he simply disappeared. Playing 14 minutes, he didn't score for the final 13:30 he played in or so, and actually got outplayed by Tiago Splitter, who was far more active tonight. Blair seemed to just be trying too hard tonight, and getting in his own way. Pop needs to find a way to get Beast to relax, because we need a lot more consistency out of him.
Bench
George Hill B-: In many ways, this is the kind of game we need from George Hill. He was extremely active on defense, and smothered the Nuggets with active hands. However, there were some lows for George in this game. Every shot he took was a 3, and he had 5 turnovers. We need Hill to get more penetration and to handle the ball better moving forward, although it seemed like a lot of Spurs were getting hacked pretty hard tonight. Hill did get 6 free throws during this contest, so that's a trend that would be nice to see continued.
Gary Neal A: Can you believe this guy? He's seriously a mini-SJax on offense, only way more consistent. After a horrid night shooting last game, Neal stepped it up and just crushed the Nuggets with huge buckets from both inside the paint and beyond the 3 point line. Neal might be finding a comfort zone in San Antonio -- all of his deep makes were from the left side of the court, while all his misses came from the right side of the 3 point line. Most importantly, I just trust seeing this guy with the ball in his hands, especially if he's open and rising to shoot from deep. He's just scary.
Antonio McDyess A-: This guy is rapidly becoming another reliable weapon to use night in, night out on offense. McDyess helped key a Spurs run in the 2nd quarter by stretching the defense, hitting that patented jumper from around 18 feet out that seems to go in every time he shoots it. Dice was also very active on the boards, inhaling 7 in just 19 minutes of play. If there is anything I would like to see, it's MORE DICE, because he was excellent tonight and probably only limited in minutes to keep him fresh and ready for the Rodeo Road Trip.
Tiago Splitter B: In 14 minutes, I actually really liked what I saw from Splitter tonight. He fought for a trio of rebounds, made some good pump fakes on offense, and had a fantastic swat on defense. I honestly believe Splitter has the talent to succeed and be a good player for us, he just needs to mentally click over to the NBA game. He has good speed and good moves for a big man, he just seems a little slow to adapt to the speed and power of the NBA. 14 minutes is not a dismissible contribution, and Tiago seemed to be fairly comfortable tonight. Make your FTs and maybe Pop gives you an even 20, Mr. Splitter.
Quinn and Owens Incomplete: Quinn and Owens amassed just 2 minutes a piece. I have to wonder if Quinn is on his way out of San Antonio, especially with Anderson coming back soon for the Spurs. I will say that Owens seems to have an NBA body -- the guy looked extremely strong for his size, and actually he did make a good pass in his first possession with the ball as a Spurs player.
The Ginger Factor: Matt Bonner did not play tonight for the Spurs, as he was nursing a sore knee. Presumably, he set his kneecap on fire when doing stretches, as the knee likely came into unfortunate contact with his hair.
********
Ze coach
Greg Popovich A: Pop gave minutes to the guys who deserved them tonight. I really like that he got Splitter on the floor for a stretch in the first half, and his lineup in the 2nd quarter spurred a 22-2 run and completely took the Nuggets out of the game mentally. I really have nothing to complain about from Pop in this game, so he gets an A for continuing to show why he's one of the best coaches in the history of the league.
Ninja edit for clarity and to change a couple of wordings.
Edit: Added a grade for Pop.
Enter the Nuggets. Despite the fact that several of their players might need a dictionary to spell defense (Yes, I'm looking at you, JR Smith), the Nuggets were a dangerous offensive team driven by one of the most versatile, explosive players in the game in Carmelo Anthony. Luckily, the Spurs went on a 22-2 run midway through the 2nd quarter to go ahead of the Nuggets, who never really threatened again. This was a fantastic Spurs performance after the first quarter, and saw some of the most active, smothering defense of the season to go with a very motivated offense.
Interesting/important stat of the game: At the end of the 3rd quarter, no Nuggets player had more than 5 rebounds. Credit to our post players for boxing out, all of them get a small boost in grade for this.
Starters
Tony Parker A+: How do you improve on a great performance on the 14th? Well, you go out and just decimate Chauncey Billups, formerly one of the best defensive point guards in basketball. Tony Parker was all over the court tonight, making decisive drives into the paint to the tune of 30 points, which include 2 big threes down the stretch that completely killed any momentum the Nuggets were trying to build. Perhaps the most shocking stat for Tony on this night is the fact that he outrebounded every Nuggets player, except for Nene, whose total he equaled. I cannot stress to anyone watching the Spurs play, especially this year, how much more lethal this team is when Tony has his foot on the gas. It is literally the difference between this team being great, and potential NBA Champions. When he is going, we are almost impossible to stop. Parker annihilated Billups so completely that Chauncey picked up a tech and nearly had a flagrant rang up after he took a swipe at Tony's head.
Manu Ginobili B: Yes, tonight was another poor shooting night for Manu. However, if you believe that he had an off-game, you shouldn't just check the box score to surmise his performance. In many ways, it was vintage Manu tonight, and he came within a couple of gentle touches of shooting 8-15, rather than the 5-15 he actually shot, as he got to the rim numerous times only to have unlucky rolls fall out of the hoop, shots that go down on any other night. Manu constantly found his way to the lane and to the line this evening, and went 7-7 at the line. Manu was all over the court on defense, and while he made some mis-rotations, I'll take this every night from Manu, because he was constantly forcing the Nuggets out of rhythm on offense. 7 assists highlight how well he moved the ball. If I have a complaint, it's that Manu needs to hit his 3s.
Richard Jefferson A-: I hope a certain stately gentlemen was watching this Spurs game. I hope that he nodded his bald head appreciatively watching Jefferson go to work tonight. I hope he pumped his fists or mentally cheered every time Jefferson forced Carmelo Anthony into a bad position on offense, or a bad shot as Anthony rose to release the ball. Most of all, I hope Bruce Bowen had a big, goofy, knowing grin on his face as he watched the Spurs shut down one of the most lethal scorers in the NBA. Jefferson's performance tonight has nothing to do with his box line, although the Nuggets definitely respected his threat from 3. No, tonight was about getting out of Tony Parker's way, and doing what he could on defense to help us get this win. Jefferson got his. If he hit his free throws, he'd have an even higher grade, stats be damned.
Anthony's line: 5-17 shooting, 12 points, 4 TOs, 3 assists, 0-0 from 3 point range.
Tim Duncan A-: Gone are the days when Tim Duncan needs to score 18+ points to have a really "good" game. However, Duncan was THE defensive force in this contest. Every time the Nuggets got around the rim, Duncan was swamping them with active hands and arms. He recorded only 3 blocks, but if shot alterations were a recorded stat, Duncan would have had a double double tonight to go with his suction cup-like 16 rebounds, and he picked up his usual 4 assists as well. Duncan could have scored 20 tonight, as usual, but when TP is so hot, it's nice to see the big man just focusing on shutting down the team on defense. From watching him move tonight, I have to think he's going to be ready to step up in the playoffs.
DeJuan Blair D: Part of this grade results in disappointment. I really thought Blair could have a great game against the Nugget front line. He started out well enough, getting an and-1 on the first play of the game. After that... he simply disappeared. Playing 14 minutes, he didn't score for the final 13:30 he played in or so, and actually got outplayed by Tiago Splitter, who was far more active tonight. Blair seemed to just be trying too hard tonight, and getting in his own way. Pop needs to find a way to get Beast to relax, because we need a lot more consistency out of him.
Bench
George Hill B-: In many ways, this is the kind of game we need from George Hill. He was extremely active on defense, and smothered the Nuggets with active hands. However, there were some lows for George in this game. Every shot he took was a 3, and he had 5 turnovers. We need Hill to get more penetration and to handle the ball better moving forward, although it seemed like a lot of Spurs were getting hacked pretty hard tonight. Hill did get 6 free throws during this contest, so that's a trend that would be nice to see continued.
Gary Neal A: Can you believe this guy? He's seriously a mini-SJax on offense, only way more consistent. After a horrid night shooting last game, Neal stepped it up and just crushed the Nuggets with huge buckets from both inside the paint and beyond the 3 point line. Neal might be finding a comfort zone in San Antonio -- all of his deep makes were from the left side of the court, while all his misses came from the right side of the 3 point line. Most importantly, I just trust seeing this guy with the ball in his hands, especially if he's open and rising to shoot from deep. He's just scary.
Antonio McDyess A-: This guy is rapidly becoming another reliable weapon to use night in, night out on offense. McDyess helped key a Spurs run in the 2nd quarter by stretching the defense, hitting that patented jumper from around 18 feet out that seems to go in every time he shoots it. Dice was also very active on the boards, inhaling 7 in just 19 minutes of play. If there is anything I would like to see, it's MORE DICE, because he was excellent tonight and probably only limited in minutes to keep him fresh and ready for the Rodeo Road Trip.
Tiago Splitter B: In 14 minutes, I actually really liked what I saw from Splitter tonight. He fought for a trio of rebounds, made some good pump fakes on offense, and had a fantastic swat on defense. I honestly believe Splitter has the talent to succeed and be a good player for us, he just needs to mentally click over to the NBA game. He has good speed and good moves for a big man, he just seems a little slow to adapt to the speed and power of the NBA. 14 minutes is not a dismissible contribution, and Tiago seemed to be fairly comfortable tonight. Make your FTs and maybe Pop gives you an even 20, Mr. Splitter.
Quinn and Owens Incomplete: Quinn and Owens amassed just 2 minutes a piece. I have to wonder if Quinn is on his way out of San Antonio, especially with Anderson coming back soon for the Spurs. I will say that Owens seems to have an NBA body -- the guy looked extremely strong for his size, and actually he did make a good pass in his first possession with the ball as a Spurs player.
The Ginger Factor: Matt Bonner did not play tonight for the Spurs, as he was nursing a sore knee. Presumably, he set his kneecap on fire when doing stretches, as the knee likely came into unfortunate contact with his hair.
********
Ze coach
Greg Popovich A: Pop gave minutes to the guys who deserved them tonight. I really like that he got Splitter on the floor for a stretch in the first half, and his lineup in the 2nd quarter spurred a 22-2 run and completely took the Nuggets out of the game mentally. I really have nothing to complain about from Pop in this game, so he gets an A for continuing to show why he's one of the best coaches in the history of the league.
Ninja edit for clarity and to change a couple of wordings.
Edit: Added a grade for Pop.