benefactor
02-01-2011, 12:20 AM
Better late than never. I've been busy or I would have gotten this up a couple of days ago.
It's February again in San Antonio. For a team that plays for the playoffs, it's one of the few months in the regular season that the Spurs and their fans view as an important part of the direction of the team...as most of this month is spent on the road while the rodeo is in town. It is seen as a time of coming together. Up to this point, the team has usually spent much of their season focusing on regulating minutes, avoiding injuries and trying to figure out what they have from a depth perspective. They would go through times of brilliance where they truly looked like a championship contender and they would have had times of extreme uncertianty where they'd wonder if they even belong in the same conversation with the elite. Many times, they have come into this trip praying it is the magic potion that pulls the team together.
But this year is very, very different. Armed with a brand new offensive philosophy and a NBA best 40-7 record, the Spurs are in uncharted territory on the eve of the RRT. They are usually staring at twice as many losses or more and thinking about spring boarding into a second half push that will improve their seeding as they head into playoffs. That's not a problem this year, as they are a comfortable 7.5 games ahead of the Lakers for the top seed in the West. They seem to be playing the type of basketball that most Spurs fans expect to see in March. The Big 3 are all healthy and playing at a high level...to the point where Tim Duncan is not the offensive focal point and no longer needs to put up 20/10 on most nights in order for the Spurs to win games. In fact, none of the Big 3 needs to play extended minutes to get this done either. Between the revitalization of Richard Jefferson, the beasting of Dejuan Blair, the great sixth man work from George Hill, the steady hand of Antonio McDyess and the revelation that is Gary Neal the Spurs are staring at a supporting cast that is arguably the deepest they have ever had. There is also promising rookie James Anderson who is scheduled to return during the trip.
So all is roses and dandelions, right? Not so fast. Though the Spurs are an offensive juggernaut that no one has experienced in the Tim Duncan era, there are still defensive issues that the trained basketball eye recognizes. It makes one wonder...if the playoffs started today, could the Spurs stay disciplined enough defensively to make up for their lack of size and beat the best teams in the league in a seven game series? I can't say with absolute confidence that they could. So all things considered, there are definitely issues that can be addressed on this trip and hopefully the Spurs come out the other side focused and ready to make a second half push that will take the team to the level needed in order to bring trophy number five to San Antonio.
Here is a small preview of each team that the Spurs will be facing this year. With three back to backs and a stretch of four games in five nights, it will be no easy task even though six of the nine teams have under .500 records. It will certainly test the Spurs ability to fight through fatigue and gut out wins.
Portland Trailblazers
“I'm kind of numb to guys getting hurt. Seems like every game we have an MRI.”
-LaMarcus Aldridge
This statement not only personifies the Blazers season, it seems to be their legacy. With their star Brandon Roy added to the now historic list of players that can seem to stay healthy while playing pro basketball in Oregon, the seemingly snake bitten Blazers are just trying to find a way to win enough games to secure a playoff spot. They are 8-6 since the beginning of the year, but not a single one of those wins was against a team with a winning record. After losing Batum in their last game against the Celtics with a bruised knee, the Blazers are really going to be thin Tuesday night. If the Spurs play with purpose, they should have no problem starting out the RRT with a win.
EDIT: Per Blazersedge, Batum will play. One still has to wonder how effective he will be though.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are beginning to look like a dynasty in its twilight. Though they are still the most imposing team in the league from a size standpoint, they no longer have the depth or athleticism to keep teams with more horses from running them out of the building. That said, they are still a team coached by Phil Jackson and led by Kobe Bryant. Couple that with the fact that they are still a talented enough team to flip the switch and you have a Lakers team that is impossible to write off. In their previous meeting on Dec. 28th, the Spurs handled the Lakers in a game where they held the Lakers to 35% shooting while not even really needing Tim Duncan's help. I fully expect a different result this time. This game begins a stretch of games for LA that will be defining for them. Will they look like the dynasty of the past few years, or will they sink further, fueling more questions as to whether or not they have enough left for one more run? Like this game, it could easily go either way.
Sacramento Kings
With a lot of talent on paper and year of the NBA under Tyreke Evans belt, the Kings had high hopes coming into the season. Those hopes got wiped out pretty quickly. The Kings went 3-1 in their first four games then managed only two wins in their next 24 games, effectively erasing themselves from relevance in the Western Conference. But that talent on paper has started to show itself lately, as the team with only 12 wins has won three of it's last four games...beating the Lakers in LA and snapping the Hornets 10 game win streak. DeMarcus Cousins has beasted in both of those games, going for 27/10 against the Lakers and going for 25/12 with 7 assists against the Hornets. It will be interesting to see if they continue their hot play against Boston tomorrow night. If they do, the Spurs could find themselves on the second night of a back to back against a Kings team that is playing with more confidence then they've had all year.
Detroit Pistons
After a few days off, the Spurs begin their four out of five with the Pistons...a team that was not expected to do much this year in a top heavy Eastern Conference. They have lived up that expectation, as they are sitting at 11th place and are 14 games below .500. They have lost three straight and show no signs of righting the ship anytime soon. There's not a whole lot else to say about this game except that the Spurs have no excuse for losing it...especially after three days rest.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are a best case scenario for the Spurs on a back to back. They are in the middle of a rather staggering losing streak that started Jan. 12th and could still be going when they meet the Spurs on Feb. 9th. The Spurs were responsible for one of the L's in this current 12 game skid, beating them 104-95 in a game where the Spurs basically slept through the first half. Upon awakening, they outscored the Raptors 62-42 in the second half(33-16 in the 3rd quarter) to cruise to the victory. Even on a back to back, the only way the Raptors win this game is if the Spurs play for four quarters like they did in the first half of that game on Jan. 19.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are playing better basketball then their record suggests. They have proven they are a tough draw at home as they are 14-4 in thier last 18 home games. They have lost some games recently where they had the games well in hand and became complacent, giving the games away. This will be one of those games where the Spurs will need to play disciplined basketball and force the Sixers to make mistakes, as Philly has shown a tendency lately to allow things to snowball once they start going bad. If the Spurs come in with the least bit of carelessness, they could be in for a real fight.
Washington Wizards
Gut check time. Fourth game, fifth night. Luckily, the Wizards are an absolutley horrible defensive team. They have allowed teams to ring up triple digits on them in 11 of thier last 13 games, so it's not a surprise they won only four of those games. This game will come down to just how tired the Spurs legs will be. If they wind up in a dog fight in Philly the night before then this game could wind up much closer than is should be. That said, I expect the Spurs to dig deep and find a way to win this one. It winds up an ugly win, with the game somewhere in the high 80's or low 90's.
New Jersey Nets
The Nets are similar to the Wizards record-wise, but their problem is on the other end of the floor. They can't score enough points to beat anyone. At 92ppg, they are second to last in the East in scoring. To thier credit though, they are 4-1 in their last five games at home and have help opponents to 40% shooting during that stretch. The Spurs could wind up in a low scoring, grind it out type game if tired legs play a role in the shots not falling. The Spurs should focus on attacking the rim in this game and not settling for too many jumpers. This game winds up closer than it should be, but the Spurs win.
Chicago Bulls
After a couple days of rest, the Spurs will end the trip with what I feel will be their toughest game. The Bulls are 8-1 in thier last nine game and boast a 23-4 home record. Only the Celtics and Spurs are better in their own building. Their most recent list of home victims includes Miami, Dallas and Orlando. The big thing is that they are winning with defense. They are near or at the top of the league in opponents PPG, FG% and 3FG%. Combine all of this with Derrick Rose and Carlos "I love to beast on the Spurs" Boozer and it could make for an unhappy ending. This is the only game on the trip I feel the Spurs will lose...and it would be a huge win against a quality opponent that is very good at home if they can find a way to pull it out.
It's February again in San Antonio. For a team that plays for the playoffs, it's one of the few months in the regular season that the Spurs and their fans view as an important part of the direction of the team...as most of this month is spent on the road while the rodeo is in town. It is seen as a time of coming together. Up to this point, the team has usually spent much of their season focusing on regulating minutes, avoiding injuries and trying to figure out what they have from a depth perspective. They would go through times of brilliance where they truly looked like a championship contender and they would have had times of extreme uncertianty where they'd wonder if they even belong in the same conversation with the elite. Many times, they have come into this trip praying it is the magic potion that pulls the team together.
But this year is very, very different. Armed with a brand new offensive philosophy and a NBA best 40-7 record, the Spurs are in uncharted territory on the eve of the RRT. They are usually staring at twice as many losses or more and thinking about spring boarding into a second half push that will improve their seeding as they head into playoffs. That's not a problem this year, as they are a comfortable 7.5 games ahead of the Lakers for the top seed in the West. They seem to be playing the type of basketball that most Spurs fans expect to see in March. The Big 3 are all healthy and playing at a high level...to the point where Tim Duncan is not the offensive focal point and no longer needs to put up 20/10 on most nights in order for the Spurs to win games. In fact, none of the Big 3 needs to play extended minutes to get this done either. Between the revitalization of Richard Jefferson, the beasting of Dejuan Blair, the great sixth man work from George Hill, the steady hand of Antonio McDyess and the revelation that is Gary Neal the Spurs are staring at a supporting cast that is arguably the deepest they have ever had. There is also promising rookie James Anderson who is scheduled to return during the trip.
So all is roses and dandelions, right? Not so fast. Though the Spurs are an offensive juggernaut that no one has experienced in the Tim Duncan era, there are still defensive issues that the trained basketball eye recognizes. It makes one wonder...if the playoffs started today, could the Spurs stay disciplined enough defensively to make up for their lack of size and beat the best teams in the league in a seven game series? I can't say with absolute confidence that they could. So all things considered, there are definitely issues that can be addressed on this trip and hopefully the Spurs come out the other side focused and ready to make a second half push that will take the team to the level needed in order to bring trophy number five to San Antonio.
Here is a small preview of each team that the Spurs will be facing this year. With three back to backs and a stretch of four games in five nights, it will be no easy task even though six of the nine teams have under .500 records. It will certainly test the Spurs ability to fight through fatigue and gut out wins.
Portland Trailblazers
“I'm kind of numb to guys getting hurt. Seems like every game we have an MRI.”
-LaMarcus Aldridge
This statement not only personifies the Blazers season, it seems to be their legacy. With their star Brandon Roy added to the now historic list of players that can seem to stay healthy while playing pro basketball in Oregon, the seemingly snake bitten Blazers are just trying to find a way to win enough games to secure a playoff spot. They are 8-6 since the beginning of the year, but not a single one of those wins was against a team with a winning record. After losing Batum in their last game against the Celtics with a bruised knee, the Blazers are really going to be thin Tuesday night. If the Spurs play with purpose, they should have no problem starting out the RRT with a win.
EDIT: Per Blazersedge, Batum will play. One still has to wonder how effective he will be though.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are beginning to look like a dynasty in its twilight. Though they are still the most imposing team in the league from a size standpoint, they no longer have the depth or athleticism to keep teams with more horses from running them out of the building. That said, they are still a team coached by Phil Jackson and led by Kobe Bryant. Couple that with the fact that they are still a talented enough team to flip the switch and you have a Lakers team that is impossible to write off. In their previous meeting on Dec. 28th, the Spurs handled the Lakers in a game where they held the Lakers to 35% shooting while not even really needing Tim Duncan's help. I fully expect a different result this time. This game begins a stretch of games for LA that will be defining for them. Will they look like the dynasty of the past few years, or will they sink further, fueling more questions as to whether or not they have enough left for one more run? Like this game, it could easily go either way.
Sacramento Kings
With a lot of talent on paper and year of the NBA under Tyreke Evans belt, the Kings had high hopes coming into the season. Those hopes got wiped out pretty quickly. The Kings went 3-1 in their first four games then managed only two wins in their next 24 games, effectively erasing themselves from relevance in the Western Conference. But that talent on paper has started to show itself lately, as the team with only 12 wins has won three of it's last four games...beating the Lakers in LA and snapping the Hornets 10 game win streak. DeMarcus Cousins has beasted in both of those games, going for 27/10 against the Lakers and going for 25/12 with 7 assists against the Hornets. It will be interesting to see if they continue their hot play against Boston tomorrow night. If they do, the Spurs could find themselves on the second night of a back to back against a Kings team that is playing with more confidence then they've had all year.
Detroit Pistons
After a few days off, the Spurs begin their four out of five with the Pistons...a team that was not expected to do much this year in a top heavy Eastern Conference. They have lived up that expectation, as they are sitting at 11th place and are 14 games below .500. They have lost three straight and show no signs of righting the ship anytime soon. There's not a whole lot else to say about this game except that the Spurs have no excuse for losing it...especially after three days rest.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are a best case scenario for the Spurs on a back to back. They are in the middle of a rather staggering losing streak that started Jan. 12th and could still be going when they meet the Spurs on Feb. 9th. The Spurs were responsible for one of the L's in this current 12 game skid, beating them 104-95 in a game where the Spurs basically slept through the first half. Upon awakening, they outscored the Raptors 62-42 in the second half(33-16 in the 3rd quarter) to cruise to the victory. Even on a back to back, the only way the Raptors win this game is if the Spurs play for four quarters like they did in the first half of that game on Jan. 19.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are playing better basketball then their record suggests. They have proven they are a tough draw at home as they are 14-4 in thier last 18 home games. They have lost some games recently where they had the games well in hand and became complacent, giving the games away. This will be one of those games where the Spurs will need to play disciplined basketball and force the Sixers to make mistakes, as Philly has shown a tendency lately to allow things to snowball once they start going bad. If the Spurs come in with the least bit of carelessness, they could be in for a real fight.
Washington Wizards
Gut check time. Fourth game, fifth night. Luckily, the Wizards are an absolutley horrible defensive team. They have allowed teams to ring up triple digits on them in 11 of thier last 13 games, so it's not a surprise they won only four of those games. This game will come down to just how tired the Spurs legs will be. If they wind up in a dog fight in Philly the night before then this game could wind up much closer than is should be. That said, I expect the Spurs to dig deep and find a way to win this one. It winds up an ugly win, with the game somewhere in the high 80's or low 90's.
New Jersey Nets
The Nets are similar to the Wizards record-wise, but their problem is on the other end of the floor. They can't score enough points to beat anyone. At 92ppg, they are second to last in the East in scoring. To thier credit though, they are 4-1 in their last five games at home and have help opponents to 40% shooting during that stretch. The Spurs could wind up in a low scoring, grind it out type game if tired legs play a role in the shots not falling. The Spurs should focus on attacking the rim in this game and not settling for too many jumpers. This game winds up closer than it should be, but the Spurs win.
Chicago Bulls
After a couple days of rest, the Spurs will end the trip with what I feel will be their toughest game. The Bulls are 8-1 in thier last nine game and boast a 23-4 home record. Only the Celtics and Spurs are better in their own building. Their most recent list of home victims includes Miami, Dallas and Orlando. The big thing is that they are winning with defense. They are near or at the top of the league in opponents PPG, FG% and 3FG%. Combine all of this with Derrick Rose and Carlos "I love to beast on the Spurs" Boozer and it could make for an unhappy ending. This is the only game on the trip I feel the Spurs will lose...and it would be a huge win against a quality opponent that is very good at home if they can find a way to pull it out.