Spurs vs Rockets Previews

[duncan228]

Game is Saturday, 7:30 CST.


Houston (22-26) at San Antonio (39-7) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011012924)
Tipoff: 8:30 pm EST Sat Jan 29, 2011
TV: FSH, KENS
By Brett Huston

The San Antonio Spurs haven’t lost at home since November, reeling off 17 straight victories to give themselves a healthy cushion atop the Western Conference standings.

They better get a good look at the AT&T Center on Saturday night.

San Antonio tries to extend its impressive home streak against the last-place Houston Rockets before heading out on a nine-game road trip leading up to the All-Star break.

This marks the Spurs’ lone home game in a stretch of more than a month, with the team’s annual rodeo trip kicking off Tuesday in Portland and spanning nine cities in 17 days leading up to the break.

San Antonio (39-7) has spent the last three games on the road as well, and bounced back from a 96-72 loss to New Orleans last Saturday with two solid victories. Manu Ginobili had a team-high 20 points in a 113-102 win at Golden State on Monday, then led the way again by scoring 26 in a 112-105 victory over Utah on Wednesday.

The Spurs’ 10th win in 11 games didn’t come without some concerns, though. San Antonio entered the game with a middle-of-the-pack defensive field-goal percentage of 44.9, and the Jazz hit 54.7 percent of their shots.

“We are better offensively this season than we were in our championship seasons. But we need to raise the defensive level to what we had then, and we will be very, very good,” Ginobili said.

At home during the streak, the Spurs have been excellent defensively. They’ve allowed 91.6 points per game and held opponents to 41.9 percent shooting in those 17 victories, their longest at the AT&T Center since a 21-game run from March 3-Dec. 3, 2004.

Both San Antonio home losses have come against Southwest opponents - New Orleans and Dallas - and Houston (22-26) nearly won there Nov. 6. But after rallying from a 13-point, late third-quarter deficit, the Rockets faded in overtime and lost 124-121.

San Antonio was just happy to avoid an embarrassing loss.

“We would be talking about it in three months, tomorrow, next week and in a month,” Ginobili said after finishing with 28 points.

The Rockets nearly engineered an even bigger comeback Thursday night in Dallas, but again, couldn’t finish. Houston recovered from a 25-point first-half deficit and got within one with under a minute to play, but the Mavericks held on to win 111-106.

Despite his team’s second-half resolve, Rockets coach Rick Adelman was not pleased with an opening 24 minutes that Shane Battier called “our worst half of the season.”

“There is no time for us not to be mentally engaged,” Adelman said. “I don’t know what the reason was. It was everybody. I put the second group in and it didn’t get any better. I don’t know why it took a while for us to wake up.”

While Ginobili is concerned the Spurs’ defense isn’t at a championship level, Houston’s is nowhere near it. Dallas shot 50.0 percent Thursday, dropping the Rockets to 9-22 when they allow opponents to shoot at least 45.0 percent.

Guard Kyle Lowry wasn’t around for the first meeting, and Houston will likely need he and Battier to contain Ginobili and Tony Parker to have a chance. Parker has averaged 22.4 points and 10.1 assists in his last five games against the Rockets.

Houston, meanwhile, could use a boost from Aaron Brooks, shooting 26.8 percent in his last seven games. Last season’s Most Improved Player has averaged 23.3 points - shooting 51.4 percent - in his last four games versus San Antonio.

*********************

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Kevin Martin Hou 23.3
Manu Ginobili SA 18.7

Rebounds
Luis Scola Hou 8.3
Tim Duncan SA 9.5

Assists
Kyle Lowry Hou 6.5
Tony Parker SA 6.9

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011012924

[jestersmash]

Remember years ago when Ginobili was the ultra efficient under the radar shooting guard who nobody talked much about but would silently wreck teams by virtue of his phenomenal efficiency?

Kevin Martin is that guy right now.

I figure I should give Spurs fans fair warning. He's going to shoot well from the field. He's going to go to the free throw line, a lot. Just... be prepared to be frustrated. I think it's easier if you know what's coming. Don't be surprised when he has 5-10 free throw attempts in a single quarter. The guy is a scoring machine.

[duncan228]

Hit the link for the whole piece.


Bonner out, Neal undetermined for Saturday’s game against Houston (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/bonner-out-neal-undetermined-for-saturdays-game-against-houston/)
Tim Griffin

The Spurs have announced that forward Matt Bonner will miss Saturday’s game against Houston as he continues to recover from a bone bruise on his right knee.


...It is undetermined if rookie guard Gary Neal will play against the Rockets after he sustained an injury to his rear end and his left knee late in the Spurs’ victory at Utah Wednesday night.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/bonner-out-neal-undetermined-for-saturdays-game-against-houston/

*********************

Just quotes, hit the link for the whole piece.


Spurs say Houston has adjusted well to Yao’s departure (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/spurs-say-houston-has-adjusted-well-to-yaos-departure/)
Tim Griffin

..." They suffered when Yao went down, and they missed Brooks, too. He’s a big part of what they do,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “Now they’ve got him back and they’ve got (Kyle) Lowry playing well. It’s a better set team and they know who they are and how they play, and they’re tough.”


..."He’s a huge body and I hope he gets better and has everything going on for him in a year,” Blair said. “But I’m pretty happy I don’t have to go up against him tomorrow.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/spurs-say-houston-has-adjusted-well-to-yaos-departure/

[duncan228]

Spurs seek sweet smell of pre-rodeo success (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/spurs-seek-sweet-smell-of-pre-rodeo-success/)
Mike Monroe

When the Spurs walk into the AT&T Center for their 27th home game of the NBA season, they will take a long, loving look at a setting they won’t view again for nearly a month.

Before departing after Saturday’s game against the Houston Rockets, each of the Spurs may want to take a deep breath. They know what awaits them the next time they walk through the doors after the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo takes over the building for its annual run.

“That first day in the arena,” said guard Manu Ginobili, “there is a very thick aroma hitting us when we get there.”

Keep Reading... (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/spurs-seek-sweet-smell-of-pre-rodeo-success/)

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/spurs-seek-sweet-smell-of-pre-rodeo-success/

*********************


Saturday: Rockets (22-26) at Spurs (39-7) (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/saturday-rockets-22-26-at-spurs-39-7/)
Jeff McDonald

...The Spurs own a 17-game home winning streak, their longest since the 1989-90 team won 20 in a row at HemisFair Arena. … In the past four meetings between the Spurs and Rockets, both teams scored in triple figures...

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/28/saturday-rockets-22-26-at-spurs-39-7/

[Ditty]

I forgot houston had a team :lol

weren't they predicted to be the 2nd seed to the lakers this year by many rocket fans :lmao

[Tp9gospursgo]

WTF happened to Neal?

[cutewizard]

spurs 110

rockets100

[Libri]

Hayes and Blair will be a good matchup.

[Fabbs]

WTF happened to Neal?
He had "an injury to his rear end."

I thought that only happened to Lakers esp Kobe.
Was it a misprint Duncan228?

[dbreiden83080]

Come in focused we got this

No problem..

[Ditty]

Hayes and Blair will be a good matchup.

I'm pretty sure Blair will get Scola.

If Blair plays aggressive, and get's under Scola's skin like he did with Amare. I think he could contain Scola, only really player that worries me now. I'm going to be loving if Martin, and Brooks are chucking up 3's all game. :king

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

I'm pretty sure Blair will get Scola.

If Blair plays aggressive, and get's under Scola's skin like he did with Amare. I think he could contain Scola, only really player that worries me now. I'm going to be loving if Martin, and Brooks are chucking up 3's all game. :king

Scola is similar to Duncan in some aspects of his personality. Never retaliates, keeps his cool. He'd probably get more frustrated with Adelman's coaching and some of his teammates.

I've watched around 20 or so Rockets games this season. They're a schizophrenic team. One night they look like playoff-bound, the next one seems like they belong in the Cavs lottery league.

As jestersmash mentioned, Kevin Martin will go to the line a lot. In the upside, he takes a lot of bad shots (contested running three-pointer with no teamate in the paint for the offensive rebound). He's also an awful defender, Battier will be on Manu, so RJ, Hill and Neal -if healthy- should make him pay.

Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier and Kyle Lowry are very streaky players. One night they can look like shit, the next one they can hit everything they shoot. Chase Budinger is nowhere near the player he looked last season, he is struggling.

Their greatest weakness is the interior defense. Scola can get in quick foul trouble and Brad Miller is a 7'0'' shooting guard. The only thing close a good paint defender is the Jordan Hill-Chuck Hayes duo, but as the rest of the team, they aren't very consistent.

I think most of this is Adelman's fault. He's not sure what to do with this crop of players, so there's no clear strategy. Sometimes they look like a running team, sometimes like a post-oriented one. They can play 30 pick-n-rolls one game and 4 the next one.

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

I don't think I've seen it posted here, so...

The game against the Rockets will be Manu's 600th. regular season game in a Spurs uniform. :toast

[Spursfanfromafar]

Remember years ago when Ginobili was the ultra efficient under the radar shooting guard who nobody talked much about but would silently wreck teams by virtue of his phenomenal efficiency?

Kevin Martin is that guy right now.

I figure I should give Spurs fans fair warning. He's going to shoot well from the field. He's going to go to the free throw line, a lot. Just... be prepared to be frustrated. I think it's easier if you know what's coming. Don't be surprised when he has 5-10 free throw attempts in a single quarter. The guy is a scoring machine.

Agree. Except Martin is a sieve defensively who lets in as many points and sometimes more than what he scores.

[jestersmash]

Coaches and other "higher ups" who have dealt with Martin have been just blown away by his work ethic over the years. The guy flat out practices his ass off. I've heard so much praise about his work ethic from people who have coached him in the past from podcasts and such.

This guy actively practices ways to greatly increase his chances of getting to the foul line.

It's really a shame he's never been voted onto the all star team.

[awktalk]

Coaches and other "higher ups" who have dealt with Martin have been just blown away by his work ethic over the years. The guy flat out practices his ass off. I've heard so much praise about his work ethic from people who have coached him in the past from podcasts and such.

This guy actively practices ways to greatly increase his chances of getting to the foul line.

It's really a shame he's never been voted onto the all star team.

How can you advocate a dude to make the AS team when he can't put together back-to-back seasons without injury? Dude is always on the sidelines. 46 games played last year, 51 before that, 61 before that. He will be sucking a teet soon.

[Ross Parrot]

Maybe he should play more games so he can't get injured.

[Indazone]

:lmao

Enjoy the win tomorrow!

[Indazone]

Adleman's strategy is to have no strategy. He runs a read and react motion offense. If you don't get into sets with good spacing, you don't react well on the other end defensively. In past years Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutumbo anchored the interior defense altering and blocking shots. The defense was geared to steer opposing players into the interior for a trap or directly into a big. Now we do not have that.

[Fireball]

If we are going to miss both Bonner and Neal, this one will be tough because its going to be a game with a focus on the ôffensive end ... the injury bug gets closer to the big three every day!

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Sat. Jan. 29
Houston @ San Antonio: Dick Bavetta; Curtis Blair; Michael Smith

[duncan228]

Neal likely to play tonight against Houston (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/29/neal-likely-to-play-tonight-against-houston/)
Tim Griffin

...Neal worked out at the team’s Saturday morning shootaround practice and will try to play against the Rockets, team officials said.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/29/neal-likely-to-play-tonight-against-houston/

[duncan228]

Blair excited about matching up with a rival center his own size for a change (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/29/blair-excited-about-matching-up-with-a-rival-center-his-own-size-for-a-change/)
Tim Griffin

..."DeJuan always takes any challenge,” McDyess said. “But when he sees a guy his size that he can be bigger and stronger than him, he always plays hard. He always plays well against guys like that.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/29/blair-excited-about-matching-up-with-a-rival-center-his-own-size-for-a-change/

[duncan228]

TONIGHT: ROCKETS AT SAN ANTONIO SPURS (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7403373.html)
Jonathan Feigen
Houston Chronicle

• Players to watch: Rockets guard Aaron Brooks - Brooks had 18 points in the first half when he sprained his left ankle at the halftime buzzer of the first meeting with the Spurs. He had 31 and 23 points in the two games in San Antonio last season but has made just 16 of 59 shots in his past five games. Spurs guard Manu Ginobili - Ginobili has scored in double figures in 42 of 46 games, with his average of 18.7 points per game an increase of 3.4 points from his career average.

• Rockets (22-26) update: The Rockets split their games in San Antonio the past two seasons but lost in San Antonio 124-121 in the fifth game of this season. The Rockets have averaged just 7.3 3-pointers in their past 10 games, making 32.3 percent. They are 11-2 this season when making 10 or more 3-pointers.

• Spurs (39-7) update: The Spurs have their best record through 46 games in franchise history and have a 17-game home winning streak. Their 8 • 1/2 • -game lead over Dallas and New Orleans is their largest in franchise history. The Spurs have come back to win 11 games after trailing by at least 10, five in which they trailed by 15 or more points.

• By the numbers:

104.5 Points per game averaged by the Spurs, their most since 1994-95, with San Antonio fifth in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7403373.html

[duncan228]

Advanced Scouting: Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets)
by Scott Sereday
48 Minutes of Hell

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets

[ManuTastic]

Oh
Christ
I
smell...







A Trap!

[jestersmash]

Perhaps most impressively, Martin draws free throws on 22.5% of his isolations. Kobe (12%), Carmelo (8.2%), Lebron (8.6%), Wade (15.4%) and Beasley (5.5%) pale in comparison.

Read more: http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets#ixzz1CSnAbGBd


Statistics backing up what I already knew. That's fucking mind boggling. 22.5%


Kevin Martin identifies poor defensive positioning, has a good hesitation and can explode to the hole. He will draw fouls by swinging his arms into you when you reach… and he will do it often. Even when he drives he seems more intent to draw the foul than score. This is evidenced in his low rate of old fashioned three point plays. He gives clever pump fakes and has an amazing sense of timing.

Read more: http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets#ixzz1CSncLSMC

[jjktkk]

Oh
Christ
I
smell...







A Trap!

:wakeup Every game the Spurs play against sub 500 teams can be a trap game.

[awktalk]

Several factors triggering spectacular start by Spurs (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7403501.html)
Improved play, solid bench, lucky breaks boost squad to top of the league
By MIKE MONROE
STAFF WRITER
Jan. 28, 2011, 11:11PM

SAN ANTONIO — To begin to understand how the San Antonio Spurs have reached tonight's game against the Rockets at AT&T Center with the best 46-game record in the history of a franchise that has won four NBA titles, you must flashback to the team's practice gym in the stifling South Texas heat in late July.

Then, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich worked with small forward Richard Jefferson, freshly re-signed to a contract his friends told him he had been a fool to accept.

Professor Popovich taught Basketball 101, from defensive slides to layups, a course a veteran player once voted to an All-Star starting lineup might have found demeaning.

Instead, Jefferson sopped up Popovich's teaching like a grade schooler with hoop dreams.

Now, his team so successful that he is guaranteed a spot as coach for the Western All-Stars in the Feb. 20 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Popovich cites Jefferson's improved play as one of several factors in a Spurs run to the top of the standings that ranks as the greatest surprise of the NBA season.

"Who knows totally why things happen," Popovich says, "but Richard is a factor. He did a great job this summer re-tooling his game.

"He's become a lot more efficient. He's not the sloppy player he was last year. He pays more attention to defense. He rebounds better. He gets rid of the ball quicker and makes decisions quicker."

Jefferson has made a career-best 40 percent of his 3-point shots. He averages 12.2 points, one of five Spurs in double figures for a team averaging 104.3 points per game, fifth in scoring in the NBA.
Contributing factors

Many factors have contributed to the Spurs' remarkable run. Some are easily identifiable:

Good health. The only team that has started the same lineup all season, the Spurs haven't had a major injury to a key contributor. Only rookie guard James Anderson has missed more than six games. Reserve forward-center Matt Bonner, the team's best 3-point shooter, hasn't played since Jan. 14 because of a deep bone bruise in his right knee and has been ruled out of tonight's game, as well.

Mostly, though, the Spurs have been remarkably injury-free.

A home-heavy schedule - 26 at home, 19 on the road - the Spurs have optimized by winning their last 17 at AT&T Center.

Good timing that afforded them one game against Denver when Carmelo Anthony was out; a second game against the Nuggets when Chauncey Billups was missing; two games against the Mavericks when Dirk Nowitzki was out; one game against the Hawks without Joe Johnson.

A bench that is one of the NBA's more productive units, with a scoring average of 34.6 points per game.

Six times this season, a Spurs reserve has been the leading scorer.

Undrafted rookie Gary Neal has been the top scorer four times.

Uncanny 3-point shooting - 39 percent - that ranks second in the league and has the dual effect of stretching defenses while putting points on the board.
Balanced attack

Popovich has groused about slippage in his team's defensive execution, warning that to "play with the big boys" its defensive field goal percentage must drop well below its current level of 45.1 percent, which ranks 12th.

Thus far, though, the Spurs' scoring has compensated for the defensive slippage, and the balanced offense has allowed Popovich to limit two-time MVP Tim Duncan's minutes to a career-low 29.4 per game.

"If you don't have to ask one guy to do it, night in and night out, not only does it keep us healthier, it reflects in our record," said Duncan, once asked to shoulder the bulk of the offensive load.

At no time since Duncan joined the team in 1997-98 has the team been less dependant on a "Big Three," whether the Duncan-David Robinson-Sean Elliott version or the Duncan-Tony Parker-Manu Ginobili edition that this season has a combined average of 49.8 points per game.

"Nobody cares about the stats," says Parker, whose average of 22 points per game led the Spurs in 2008-09. "Nobody cares who is taking the shots. If we're taking good shots, that's all we're looking for."