Game Blog: Lakers @ Spurs - March. 6

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

tiago making a difference. lol what?

[TampaDude]

LOL scrubs playing better than the starters now...

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Don't strawman me. Who said it's over? If at this point in the year they need a wake up call, they are in trouble. This time of year is for peaking, not getting crominated and looking for silver linings.

Pop is not happy. No matter how you slice it.

;) We're even.

[davemaniscool]

take solace that the Lakers were only dominant in first quarter. not so much the rest of the game. Spurs just didn't show up in that quarter.

sounds good anyway...

[dbestpro]

So do you think Pop might be looking at playing Splitter with TD to give him some help in the future against bigger teams?

[Spurologist]

I guess Jon Barry was right when he said Blair is the most important player in today's game

:lmao

[Spurs Brazil]

I hate P.Jackson. I hate him more than any player

[Crookshanks]

I'm so pissed, and I so hope one of the Lakers starters gets injured. Not from one of the Spurs, but just by landing awkwardly or falling. Better yet - one Faker player causing the injury of another one!

[Amarelooms]

I'm so pissed, and I so hope one of the Lakers starters gets injured. Not from one of the Spurs, but just by landing awkwardly or falling. Better yet - one Faker player causing the injury of another one!

^^^ tool

:elephant

[Death In June]

So do you think Pop might be looking at playing Splitter with TD to give him some help in the future against bigger teams?No.

[TampaDude]

But for that first quarter, this would be a close game...this game was lost in the first 12 minutes.

[Fireball]

No.

agree ... but he should

[Crookshanks]

Let's hope Memphis does to the Mavs tonight what they did to the Spurs the last time they played.

[8FOR!3]

2 things I've noticed...

1. Tiago Splitter comes in and for the first time in the game we go on a small run. He comes in the 2nd quarter and maybe we make it a closer game.
2. I don't think it would work out on any other team in the NBA, but Steve Novak might not make a bad backup small forward for us. Defensively he's got this thing about him, where he's fairly active, quick for a guy who's 6'10, and he's got the length to effect some shots. Offensively he might be the best 3 pt shooter out there.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Spurs will get another shot at them April 12th. On the other hand, horrendous 1st quarter. Spurs outscored by 21. Other than the 1st quarter, Spurs could've won this.

[crc21209]

But for that first quarter, this would be a close game...this game was lost in the first 12 minutes.

This.

[TampaDude]

Ball don't lie... :lol

[Mal]

Kobe on the floor.

[tdunk21]

JA and 1....

[crc21209]

Spurs will get another shot at them April 12th. On the other hand, horrendous 1st quarter. Spurs outscored by 21. Other than the 1st quarter, Spurs could've won this.

By then seeds will probably be determined already and we wont be seeing the starters anyway though....

[tmtcsc]

Blair was non existent today. Same with Tim and RJ. Bad game all the way around.

[SplitterHook]

haha Phil bet the house on lakers by 20+ points difference.

He put all the starters back.

[Spurs Brazil]

Kobe in the game :lol

P.Jackson is a asshole

[Russ]

Spurs starting frontline scored 7 points combined.

Hopefully Pop will see the benefits of playing Splitter more heading into the playoffs.

[crc21209]

Kobe back in the game!?!?!?!?!? REALLY?!?!?!? WOOOOW.

[tmtcsc]

Geezus, Splitter is weak. Just awful.

[TampaDude]

Phil still has his starters in??? WTF???

[Crookshanks]

But for that first quarter, this would be a close game...this game was lost in the first 12 minutes.

As I said earlier - the Spurs never seem to be ready to play in these early games. It takes them awhile to warm up, and if they get in a big hole, it's hard to come back, especially against a good team.

[itzsoweezee]

This game is exactly why it was so important for Splitter to have a good training camp and a good start to the season and earn Pop's trust. And instead, he fucked it up and got hurt. And now, Splitter is a non-factor. I think in order for the Spurs to beat the Lakers in a 7-game series, you have to fucking play Splitter....and I just dont know if Pop will now....

That's on Popovich. He needs to get his head out of his ass and stop being so fucking stubborn. Playing Bonner 20+ minutes a game in the playoffs is not a winning formula.

[Death In June]

agree ... but he shouldHe did well defensively in either the first or second Lakers game. It'd make sense to stick with what worked, but whatever.

[AnthonyM]

lol at people who still think Splitter is goign to play major minutes in a series vs the Lakers...

What exactly have you seen from him this year that makes you think he can realistically contribute in the playoffs that soon?

[crc21209]

At this point I wouldnt feel bad for anyone on the Lakers if Kobe blew out his knee....

[8FOR!3]

LOL @ Odom, Bynum, Kobe, and Fisher being in the game.

[Spurologist]

Kobe, Odom, Bynum still in????

[noles1983]

I would love to see a faggot laker starter get injured. No reason they should be in, fuck you Phil

[davemaniscool]

c'mon man. Kobe, Bynum and Odom in the game :)

[Stringer_Bell]

Ten 3-pointers and Ten stops, and we'll be back in this. GO!!!

[Mal]

lol @ Fakers depth

[SplitterHook]

I'm a homie but splitter defended odom very well on the perimeter. Lodom tried to make him dance and he stayed there. :)

[weebo]

lol at people who still think Splitter is goign to play major minutes in a series vs the Lakers...

What exactly have you seen from him this year that makes you think he can realistically contribute in the playoffs that soon?

splitter has played better than timmy tbh

[davemaniscool]

good d against Kobe

[crc21209]

Oh yeah baby you go Kobe! :tu You try and pad those stats....

[Crookshanks]

LOL @ Odom, Bynum, Kobe, and Fisher being in the game.

Come on basketball gods - where are you when we need you. Punish the Fakers for this arrogance and hubris - please!!

[dbestpro]

Finally, someone drove into the chest of Bynum.

[Spurologist]

Now Gasol in....:lol

[Mal]

please, Bynum do something to your knee

[Death In June]

c'mon man. Kobe, Bynum and Odom in the game :)Well, all those San Antonio Laker fans came out to support their team, so they might as well.

[crc21209]

Pau coming back in? This is a fucking joke...fuck you Phil Jackson. Fuck the entire Lakers organization....

[davemaniscool]

Laker's bench sux

[CFH]

Gasol back in now too? :lol

[TampaDude]

PJ is gonna get one of his starters hurt pulling that shit.

[timtonymanu]

Clearly we broke out the wrong starting five today. These guys have more energy than them.

[Capt Bringdown]

Why is PJ being such an asshole? Because he's an asshole, of course.

[Horse]

Ok really 3 min left and the starters are in?

[Trimble87]

lol at people who still think Splitter is goign to play major minutes in a series vs the Lakers...

What exactly have you seen from him this year that makes you think he can realistically contribute in the playoffs that soon?

+1.

Blindly yelling "play splitter" when he has shown nothing on the court to warrant playing time is ftw.

[Mr Fundamental]

Gasol in ? :)

[Spurs Brazil]

JA playing well for the 1st time since he came back. Attacking and playing D.

Now Gasol is in :lol

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Come on basketball gods - where are you when we need you. Punish the Fakers for this arrogance and hubris - please!!

I don't call for injuries - I usually find it crass - but in this case I agree.

[TampaDude]

But for that first quarter, this game is pretty much tied right now.

[Fireball]

lol at people who still think Splitter is goign to play major minutes in a series vs the Lakers...

What exactly have you seen from him this year that makes you think he can realistically contribute in the playoffs that soon?

if you want defense, you have to put him in, but Pop wants 5 guys in the game who are able to put the ball in the basket

[Juggity]

Philly J puts the starters in??? Hahahaha, that egotistical jackass must be really afraid of losing a 20 point lead with 3 minutes left in the game.

[Crookshanks]

20-point game with less than 3 minutes to go, and Phil still has the starters playing. What an ass! I HATE THE FAKERS SO MUCH!!!!

[davemaniscool]

If spurs had showed up as something other than a Y team in the first quarter then this game would be Lakers crying like the Heat.

[Amarelooms]

Someone post Duncan's stats this game...thanks sons

:elephant

[dbestpro]

Well, all those San Antonio Laker fans came out to support their team, so they might as well.

Everyone in LA is unemployed so those who wanted a job came to SA and now are infecting the water.

[toki9]

Why is PJ being such an asshole? Because he's an asshole, of course.

I think it's good for the Spurs. Make this really memorable and personal.

[TampaDude]

At this point I wouldnt feel bad for anyone on the Lakers if Kobe blew out his knee....

Pop is too classy to have someone "take out" Kobe or one of the other Laker starters...he's not Cubes.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

neal chucking on full display. and for the first time, i don't like it.

[Borosai]

Karma has 3 minutes to take action.

[Fireball]

Someone post Duncan's stats this game...thanks sons

:elephant

the same as the stats he had in LA when we won ... so shut up

[Amarelooms]

Pop is too classy to have someone "take out" Kobe or one of the other Laker starters...he's not Cubes.

^^^ tool

:elephant

[Horse]

Someone post Duncan's stats this game...thanks sons

:elephant
We'll see how you feel after l.a. beats you then we beat you soon after. So go fuck your dog.

[crc21209]

Pop is too classy to have someone "take out" Kobe or one of the other Laker starters...he's not Cubes.

I didnt mean for someone to take him out. I just meant for him to have a freak injury....:lol

[dbestpro]

Nothing is easy inside when Splitter is in the game.

[Mr Fundamental]

I want to believe that Duncan keeps his best games against Lakers to the playoffs.

He played terrible in 3 Lakers game.

[Death In June]

Everyone in LA is unemployed so those who wanted a job came to SA and now are infecting the water.Is there any truth to that? I haven't lived in San Antonio for about three years.

[Crookshanks]

I didnt mean for someone to take him out. I just meant for him to have a freak injury....:lol

:toast It would make my day!

[Capt Bringdown]

The Lakers are quite good at delivering the knockout blow in the 1st. Hard to come back against their D. If you're down big at the end of the 1st, game's over.

[crc21209]

:lol At Gasoft still yelling for calls like the little bitch that he is....

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

wow blair is terrible

[Killakobe81]

Look. Just one game. And a regular season game at that. But this game getting blown at home especially with Duncan looking ineffective. That is the main concern. Without duncan you will not win a title and you may not make WCF ...

[tlongII]

Phil is just making a statement. He's just giving the big FU! to the Spurs.

[crc21209]

Luke Walton, the worst player in the NBA...is in now...:lol

[Crookshanks]

Phil is just making a statement. He's just giving the big FU! to the Spurs.

And I hope we give it right back to him in the playoffs!

[crc21209]

Phil is just making a statement. He's just giving the big FU! to the Spurs.

:lol Blazers fan. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're a Blazers fan....

[Borosai]

Comeback almost complete.

[spurspokesman]

LOL LA trying to win two games in 1:lol

[Mr Fundamental]

Neal is better at playmaking than Hill i think.

Agree?

[Capt Bringdown]

Love the mental gymnastics trying to defend PJ's piling on. FU Van Gundy.

[crc21209]

Gotta give the Spurs props....22 wins in a row at home is impressive. :toast

[timtonymanu]

I have to give it to Novak. He is a good 3 pt shooter, but thats it.

[Spurs Brazil]

Props to the guys who played in the 4th

Good job

[Crookshanks]

Spurs lose by 20 - not as bad as we beat the Heat on Friday. Maybe this is one time I'm glad the sports guys would rather talk about the Heat losing today.

[crc21209]

Kobe planning and scheming on the bench...thinking what woman he should rape next...:tu :lol

[Borosai]

Where's Hilton Armstrong when you need him?

[timtonymanu]

Props to the guys who played in the 4th

Good job

:tu

Where was that effort from Tim, Manu and RJ? Disappointed in those guys.

[dbestpro]

The greatest weakness that I saw tonight was not what happened inside, but how we responded as playmakers. We simply do not a have an assist firsr point guard on the team. Even Quinn shoots too many whne he should pass.

[Ice009]

That's on Popovich. He needs to get his head out of his ass and stop being so fucking stubborn. Playing Bonner 20+ minutes a game in the playoffs is not a winning formula.

I just don't think Bonner will do much in the playoffs. Recipe for disaster if you ask me. I think his deficiencies are too much for his one strength to overcome. Anyone else agree?


lol at people who still think Splitter is goign to play major minutes in a series vs the Lakers...

What exactly have you seen from him this year that makes you think he can realistically contribute in the playoffs that soon?

He's a big body. Our defense is soft when we have Bonner or Blair out there. I don't know if we can allow teams to own the paint against us when they are playing tough defense against guys like Bonner and Blair and take them out of the game offensively. Can we live with no defense and no offense when using that combination of players?


splitter has played better than timmy tbh

True and that is NOT a good thing.

[Crookshanks]

:tu

Where was that effort from Tim, Manu and RJ? Disappointed in those guys.

Yep - that about says it all about the game today.

[janetcn12]

Game over...good luck Spurs in the next game...go spurs go

[Borosai]

It's true though... the Lakers have no bench.

[crc21209]

Every Spurs fan in the arena deserves a refund....NOW.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Props to the guys who played in the 4th

Good job
+1. These guys played way better than Duncan, Jefferson, etc.

[spurspokesman]

:toast
Gotta give the Spurs props....22 wins in a row at home is impressive. :toast

[crc21209]

It's true though... the Lakers have no bench.

+1. Laker fans overrate the shit out of Brown, Blake, and Barnes. The only player worth a damn on their bench is Odom, and he's basically a starter...

[LakerHater]

It's true though... the Lakers have no bench.
Thats the main reason Phil put the starters back in!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

[TampaDude]

We won the 4th quarter with our scrubs against their starters. :D

If we hadn't dug ourselves such a huge fucking hole in the 1st quarter, I'm pretty sure we would've actually won this game.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

I'm just glad they managed to bring that 30 point lead down to 16.

[Crookshanks]

Spurs lose by "only" 16 - and we kept the Lakers under 100. Gotta look for positives somewhere! :lol :lol :lol :lol

[Ice009]

LOL Kobe "We're very unselfish defensively". That's actually a nice quote.

[Death In June]

:tu

Where was that effort from Tim, Manu and RJ? Disappointed in those guys.I don't think the effort wasn't there. They just performed like shit.

[Fireball]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

New Orleans ...

[Spurologist]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

It's usually the 'what have you done for me lately' attitude around here. Faker loss wins out by a mile

[Fireball]

LOL Kobe "We're very unselfish defensively". That's actually a nice quote.

actually its as stupid as anything I've ever heard

[crc21209]

I don't think the effort wasn't there. They just performed like shit.

The old men don't like to wake up early and play early games....:lol

[Crookshanks]

We won the 4th quarter with our scrubs against their starters. :D

If we hadn't dug ourselves such a huge fucking hole in the 1st quarter, I'm pretty sure we would've actually won this game.

True- if the guys in white had actually been ready to play from the opening tip, this would've been a far different game.

[crc21209]

Well shit, at least the media is focusing on the Heat struggling instead of us losing. :lol

[Juggity]

Really impressed by the 4th quarter with our 3rd string players beating their starters by a wide margin

[Death In June]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis lossThis loss, easily. Spurs/Lakers should be a measuring stick for each team, especially this late in the season and on a nationally televised stage at home. You're not gonna see the Knicks, or Orlando in the POs.

[cherylsteele]

I take away from game that not for the first quarter the game outcome could have very well be different. It was close after that first quarter.

Also the Lakers bench is poor at best, that is why PJ put his starters back in during the 4th quarter, I think the lack of bench will be the Lakers' downfall, ultimately.

[crc21209]

And everyone, it could be worse. At least we're not Heat fans! :lol. And the Spurs still have the #1 record in the NBA....

[marini martini]

LOL Kobe "We're very unselfish defensively". That's actually a nice quote.


actually its as stupid as anything I've ever heard

Sounds like something manny would say!:lmao

[weebo]

We won the 4th quarter with our scrubs against their starters. :D

If we hadn't dug ourselves such a huge fucking hole in the 1st quarter, I'm pretty sure we would've actually won this game.

By that point, the laker starters had stopped trying.

[Crookshanks]

Well shit, at least the media is focusing on the Heat struggling instead of us losing. :lol

Yeah - for once I'm glad the media doesn't like talking about the Spurs :lol

[Ice009]

actually its as stupid as anything I've ever heard

Not really. I thought about it and then thought guys like Allen Iverson are selfish defensively. You know guys that go for steals and get burned when they don't get it. You gotta help your teammates out and play tough man on man defense and not let the team down, make your rotations and stay disciplined.

That's what the Lakers did today.

Bonner and Blair don't exactly do that for us. We are really weak defensively when we have certain combinations out there on the floor.

[Budkin]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

This one by far... most likely the WCF preview, and on national TV... and at home.

[timtonymanu]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

IMO, it's the Clippers loss. How the fuck did we lose to them?

[Spurs Brazil]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss

Orlando loss

NYK loss

NO loss

Portland loss

Memphis loss

Today without a doubt. You can't come out of the gates with so little energy and playing so lazy against the defending champs.

And all those others games we had a chance at the half. Today was over after the 1st quarter

[Crookshanks]

Well, all I have to say at this point is... Go Grizzlies!!!

[Mav-elous Man]

My observation... SA sucks!!!

[Bruno]

This game is a good reminder that Lakers are the best team in the west. It's a team that has won 3 times in a row this conference and Spurs having a good regular season record is nowhere near enough to offset that. ST Lakers fans are quite horrible but Lakers are an amazing team.

Pop priority for the end of the season is to work Splitter and Anderson into the rotation. These players need to be a bigger part of the team if Spurs want to have a chance to win it all.

[Holden_Caulfield]

im guessing a 22-home game win streak was too long...

[Budkin]

Man this one hurts... not that we lost, but that we got curb stomped. Ugh.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

:toast
:toast

[timtonymanu]

What's been our worst game this year?

Faker loss - This takes the cake. Home game. Team is hyped after beating Miami. It's the fucking Lakers.

Orlando loss - always struggle in Orlando

NYK loss - Spurs came out dead throughout

NO loss - pretty bad loss

Portland loss - always tough to play

Memphis loss - without TP

[TampaDude]

We only lost by 16 with our scrubs playing the 4th quarter after being down 21 at the end of the 1st quarter.

This was a game we could have won, but for that pathetic first quarter...that gives me hope for future games against the Lakers.

We'll be fine. We're still 5 games ahead of the Mavs with 19 games left to play, and the next four games should all be easy wins for the Spurs.

[Fireball]

Not really. I thought about it and then thought guys like Allen Iverson are selfish defensively. You know guys that go for steals and get burned when they don't get it. You gotta help your teammates out and play tough man on man defense and not let the team down, make your rotations and stay disciplined.

you're right, you can call that unselfish ... but Kobe using that word is atrocious ...

[Spurs Brazil]

This game is a good reminder that Lakers are the best team in the west. It's a team that has won 3 times in a row this conference and Spurs having a good regular season record is nowhere near enough to offset that. ST Lakers fans are quite horrible but Lakers are an amazing team.

Pop priority for the end of the season is to work Splitter and Anderson into the rotation. These players need to be a bigger part of the team if Spurs want to have a chance to win it all.

To beat LA the Spurs need to play with a lot of attention and for 48 minutes. They did in the 1st game because at that point they wanted to show the record was no fluke, they did in LA after that awful loss at Portland. Today after the Heat win I think the team came out of the gates a little relaxed and the Lakers killed us.

I think we have a chance against the Lakers in the playoffs but we need to play hard for 48. Dong that we beat them twice even with TD playing bad

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Yeah, this is the worst loss of the year.

Still, I'm not too worried. I'll start worrying if we make it to see these guys in the WCFs and don't come to play then. We have weaknesses, but so do they. They played their best game tonight, us our very worst.

No cliff-jumping in my neighbourhood. :D

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

This game is a good reminder that Lakers are the best team in the west. It's a team that has won 3 times in a row this conference and Spurs having a good regular season record is nowhere near enough to offset that. ST Lakers fans are quite horrible but Lakers are an amazing team.

Pop priority for the end of the season is to work Splitter and Anderson into the rotation. These players need to be a bigger part of the team if Spurs want to have a chance to win it all.

The voice of reason as always.

:tu

[Capt Bringdown]

This game is a good reminder that Lakers are the best team in the west. It's a team that has won 3 times in a row this conference and Spurs having a good regular season record is nowhere near enough to offset that. ST Lakers fans are quite horrible but Lakers are an amazing team.

Pop priority for the end of the season is to work Splitter and Anderson into the rotation. These players need to be a bigger part of the team if Spurs want to have a chance to win it all.

Bottom line, they can take away what we do best.
We beat them twice when they weren't playing good D. They focus on D - we lose.

7 - 0 out the all-star break, 4th straight game of holding their opponents under 90 pts. The switch has been flipped.

[Bukefal]

:bang

after such a sweet win against the heat now this sour loss :depressed
This one sucks big time.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Next two games won't be too hard. Pistons and Kings both at San Antonio. Tough loss, but Spurs can bounce back. :flag:

[DPG21920]

The voice of reason as always.

:tu

Wth :lol. I literally said the same stuff.

[mingus]

Right about now I wish the Spurs had developed Splitter at some point in the season. Pop had plenty of time and reason to do so. Offensively he sucks, but the lack of length on the floor in that 1st quarter was evident. It snowballed from there.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Wth :lol. I literally said the same stuff.

:tu for you too then. :lol

[duncan228]

Captioning this will not end well. :lol

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/7e/fullj.dfe0555bb36fcb28bf6c4e37e18ee1af/ap-04d520a6c0f045fbb896dd00c1e6ecff.jpg

[rascal]

Lakers have no reserves ? I can see Gasol and Odom still on the floor

The Spurs reserves are better than the lakers reserves. The laker reserves could lose the game vs the spurs reserves.

[duncan228]

Proof that I'm not crazy. Tim Duncan, on Bynum's effect on today's proceedings: "I think he was the key to the game today."

[rascal]

We only lost by 16 with our scrubs playing the 4th quarter after being down 21 at the end of the 1st quarter.

This was a game we could have won, but for that pathetic first quarter...that gives me hope for future games against the Lakers.

We'll be fine. We're still 5 games ahead of the Mavs with 19 games left to play, and the next four games should all be easy wins for the Spurs.

There is no hope to take out of this performance. The lakers looked like the better team and a matchup hell for the Spurs. This was not a game the spurs could have won. The lakers starters outplayed the spurs starters all game.

[Bruno]

To beat LA the Spurs need to play with a lot of attention and for 48 minutes. They did in the 1st game because at that point they wanted to show the record was no fluke, they did in LA after that awful loss at Portland. Today after the Heat win I think the team came out of the gates a little relaxed and the Lakers killed us.

I think we have a chance against the Lakers in the playoffs but we need to play hard for 48. Dong that we beat them twice even with TD playing bad

I also think Spurs have a chance but Spurs won't be the favorite in a series against LA.

It should be something like 70/30 for the Lakers and maybe 60/40 with a good Splitter and Anderson.

[duncan228]

Los Angeles Lakers 99, San Antonio Spurs 83: One half of basketball that spoke volumes (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Andrew A. McNeill
48 Minutes of Hell

AT&T CENTER — There was one sequence during the San Antonio Spurs’ 99-83 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, that gave a glimpse of what had been going on the entire afternoon.

George Hill had the ball at the top of the 3-point arc and dribbled off a pick. He planted off his right foot and attacked the basket. Several Lakers defenders clogged the lane to prevent Hill from getting to the basket, so Hill fired off a pass from his chest to a cutting Spur.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/los-angeles-lakers-99-san-antonio-spurs-83-one-half-of-basketball-that-spoke-volumes#more-13178)

[duncan228]

Lakers send message to Spurs (and anyone else watching) (http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/06/lakers-send-message-to-spurs-and-anyone-else-watching/)
Kurt Helin

Phil Jackson did not treat this like any other game.

He spent extra time in film preparation for this game, according to ESPN Los Angeles’ Dave Miller (http://twitter.com/coachdavemiller#) (a former Hornet assistant coach).

He sent Kobe Bryant back into the fourth quarter of a blowout, when Kobe usually has ice on his knees. With 3:11 left in the game and the Lakers up 20, he sent Pau Gasol back in from the bench.

Championship teams don’t normally try to send messages in the regular season. Phil Jackson is not usually the message-sending type. But the Lakers clearly felt they needed to and did with an absolute thumping of the San Antonio Spurs, 99-83 (and it wasn’t nearly that close) on national television. After slumps that had some questioning if they were really championship material.

The message — we’re still here and if you want that Larry O’Brien trophy you are going to have to rip it out of our cold, dead hands.

The veteran Spurs heard that message but you can bet were not intimidated. If they meet the Lakers in late May — in the Western Conference Finals — you can bet they will remember Kobe and Gasol in at the end of the game. The Spurs have their motivation, their pride, too.

The actual game itself was a thrashing from the opening tip. The Lakers clearly learned a lot from a similar beat down the Spurs gave the Heat a few nights before. The Lakers defense chased the Spurs off the three-point line all game long. The Spurs were 2-11 from three in the first half.

But the real key to that was Andrew Bynum — the Lakers center controlled the paint. Every time a Spur tried to get a shot off in the lane, he altered or blocked it. Then he got the rebound. That allowed the perimeter defenders to pressure guys at the arc. Pretty soon the Spurs were reduced to what they have reduced other offenses to for so many years — the contested midrange jumper. You don’t win games with that shot.

The Lakers meanwhile played their best game of the season. They ran the offense and it was fluid. They had just two first half turnovers.

The Lakers were up 21 in the first quarter and this was the preverbal boat race. Kobe Bryant had 26 (but needed 25 shots), Pau Gasol had 21 (on 12 shots). The Lakers length was dominant, their bench was solid, every decision they made seemed to be the right one.

The Lakers looked like champions. They looked like a team that has won seven in a row.

You can bet the Spurs will be ready next time. They are champions as well, they know what it takes. But the message has been sent — the Lakers are back and ready to defend their turf.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/06/lakers-send-message-to-spurs-and-anyone-else-watching/

[duncan228]

Post-Game Video:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174057

Quotes:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174058


Lakers rout NBA-best Spurs for 7th straight win (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011030624)
By Paul J. Weber

Kobe Bryant agreed it might have been the Lakers’ best game so far.

It technically wasn’t the worst for the San Antonio Spurs, though it often looked that way.

The Lakers may not catch the NBA’s winningest team for the No. 1 seed in time for the playoffs, but they handed the Spurs a blunt reminder that the Western Conference is still theirs to surrender, beating San Antonio 99-83 in a blowout Sunday.

Bryant, who finished with 26 points, didn’t make much of it.

“I don’t think it’s that big of a message that we sent today,” he said.

It was the seventh straight victory for the Lakers, who are playing as well as any point this season. Coach Phil Jackson concedes that San Antonio’s 6 1/2 -game lead in the West may be too big to overcome with 18 games left. But the Lakers still made a few marks.

One is emphatically ending San Antonio’s franchise-record home winning streak at 22 games. Another is beating the Spurs for the first time in three tries, including last month’s stunning loss in Los Angeles when Antonio McDyess tipped in the game-winner at the buzzer.

Bryant, for his part, didn’t show any excitement in winning this round.

“Why should I be?” he said.

Instead, Bryant sought to keep the lopsided win in perspective.

“We know we’re capable of having games like this and San Antonio knows we’re capable of having games like this,” he said. “It just as easily could go the other way around.”

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 14 points. He was their only starter in double figures; Tim Duncan scored two points and Manu Ginobili scored six.

Two days after San Antonio humiliated LeBron James and Miami in a 30-point blowout, the Spurs took their own lumps. The NBA’s sixth-highest scoring team mustered just 37 points in the first half—matching a season low—and shot 36 percent from the floor.

And it could’ve been worse. The Lakers led by as many as 32 in third quarter before the Spurs threw in the towel and emptied their bench.

“They hit us in the mouth from the beginning and by the time we realized it, it was the ninth round and we were down on the scorecard,” Spurs guard Gary Neal said.

Pau Gasol scored 21 points and Andrew Bynum had 17 rebounds for the Lakers, who can match their longest win streak of the season with a victory at Atlanta on Tuesday.

It’s part of arguably the toughest stretch this season for the Lakers, who are still out to prove they’re the NBA’s best despite trailing the Spurs all season. The Lakers will also play at Miami and at Dallas before coming home to face Orlando on March 14.

By the time the Magic leave Los Angeles, the Lakers will have faced four of the NBA’s top seven teams in a span of eight days.

Jackson called it the best the Lakers have played all season against this caliber opponent.

“We need to be at our peak later on,” Gasol said. “Not right now.”

The last Spurs loss at the AT&T Center had been to Dallas on Nov. 26. But that 103-94 defeat wasn’t anything like this.

Bryant finished 12 for 25 and had seven rebounds. His only blemish was a technical foul in the second quarter after getting tangled up with Ginobili, leading to a brief exchange of stares and words.

Ron Artest rushed between the two and pulled Bryant away. It was Bryant’s 14th technical foul this season, though he stands at 12 after having two rescinded. The NBA issues a one-game suspension after 16 technical fouls.

The last time the Spurs and Lakers met was in Los Angeles on Feb. 3, when the Spurs won 89-88 on McDyess’ tip-in as time expired. Jackson had his video staff pull that clip before this one and remind his team of a game Jackson said they should’ve won.

It apparently worked.

Neal scored 15 points and George Hill added 14 for the Spurs.

“Nobody expects to be losing by more than 20 in the first quarter,” Ginobili said. “But the way the game presented itself, they were making every shot. We couldn’t make layups, 3s, free throws, anything.”

San Antonio’s most lopsided defeat this season was a 24-point loss at New Orleans on Jan. 22.

Derek Fisher scored eight points and remained in the starting lineup after being listed as probable going into the game because of a strained right elbow.

Notes: Bryant is 13 points shy of surpassing Moses Malone for sixth on the NBA’s career scoring list. … McDyess played in his 999th career game. The 15-year veteran can hit 1,000 if he plays Wednesday against Detroit. … The Lakers in town made for a rare courtside celebrity sighting in San Antonio: late-night host George Lopez.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011030624

[Harry Callahan]

Why is that turd George Lopez in SA? Just another front running laker creep.

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs lack focus when they read their own press clippings, rarely play well in afternoon games, and almost always lose games where the other team can't miss a jumper. I'm not sure why everyone's hitting the panic button. The Spurs still own the season series. Lakerfan's been telling us all year that regular season games don't mean anything.

[EricB]

When I watched sportscenter this morning and seeing all the hype the spurs were getting you'd know they'd lose.


Plus the Lakers if they don't win this game they really would have a confidence issue iMO in the playoffs against the spurs going forward. Great fodder for pop to use going forward. He seemed to semi drop the soft card after the game anyways.

[EricB]

The Spurs lack focus when they read their own press clippings, rarely play well in afternoon games, and almost always lose games where the other team can't miss a jumper. I'm not sure why everyone's hitting the panic button. The Spurs still own the season series. Lakerfan's been telling us all year that regular season games don't mean anything.


Larry Brown had a saying in the early 90s wig the spurs that I remember and still to this day agree with.

"if you get beat by the jumpshot, you tip your cap and walk away not down"

[DPG21920]

Larry Brown had a saying in the early 90s wig the spurs that I remember and still to this day agree with.

"if you get beat by the jumpshot, you tip your cap and walk away not down"

Except that doesn't apply today.

[Obstructed_View]

Yeah, it was a perfect storm. The Lakers came out really hustling like the game meant something, and the Spurs didn't. The second chance points, defensive hustle and incredible jump shooting combined with the Spurs' poor shooting. Eliminate any one factor and the Lakers still win that quarter by a dozen points.

[duncan228]

Sorry for the formatting, didn't feel like messing with it.


...Here’s a look at the 11 worst home losses for the Spurs in the AT&T era.

-24 New Orleans 78-102 Jan. 26, 2008

-24 Sacramento 80-104 Dec. 8, 2002

-23 Denver 77-100 Apr. 18, 2007

-22 Dallas 91-113* May 9, 2006

-21 Dallas 72-93 April 16, 2003

-19 Houston 78-97 Jan. 22, 2006

-19 Portland 76-95 Nov. 9, 2002

-17 Dallas 81-98 Nov. 4, 2008

-17 Phoenix 79-96 April 9, 2008

* – Indicates playoff game.

-16 Miami 83-99 Nov. 7, 2008

-16 L.A. Lakers 83-99 March 6, 2011

One for the books: Spurs’ loss ranks among their worst in AT&T history (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/06/one-for-the-books-spurs-loss-ranks-among-their-worst-in-att-history/)
Tim Griffin

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/06/one-for-the-books-spurs-loss-ranks-among-their-worst-in-att-history/

[EricB]

Except that doesn't apply today.


Of course not. Never does :lol


Sell the playoff tickets btw The Spurstalk experts are back telling us that the team is shit.

[DPG21920]

Of course not. Never does :lol


Sell the playoff tickets btw The Spurstalk experts are back telling us that the team is shit.

Now that is rich coming from you :lol. Need I bump a certain meltdown that involved a certain poster saying "he quits"?

If you think it was the Spurs getting beat by jumpers and you just tip your hat, you are a damn fool. And a homer.

[Ice009]

LOL what game were you watching Eric?

There has been games where your saying can apply, that we've lost because the other team shot lights out, but this is not one of them.

The Spurs got dominated in multiple areas of the game. The Lakers didn't win simply because they had a hot shooting night. They rebounded the ball well when the game was on the line and up for grabs, and their defense shut us down.

I mean really, that statement of yours is almost retarded if you actually watched the game ;).

[Obstructed_View]

The game was up for grabs? What game was I watching?

[alchemist]

crofl at this being a game after the 1st quarter. Lakers came out and couldn't miss if you deflated the ball and put a lid on the rim. Plus the ball would either land in their immediate area or Bynum would tip it around until he got possession. Not to mention that the Lakers played decent defense. If the Spurs make shots early on, this game is winnable but they were doomed once that lead went 13+.

[Ice009]

The game was up for grabs? What game was I watching?

Well the game was up for grabs in the first quarter and the Spurs got dominated on the boards during that stretch. At the end of the game the rebounding numbers looked better, but when it counted the Spurs lost on the boards badly. There was one rebound where Bynum had 4 or 5 Spurs around him and he still grabbed the board.

That is why I said when it was up for grabs because someone might look at the box score and think the rebounding was fairly close, but it wasn't really until the game was over, which was in the first quarter and I guess even a little bit of the second quarter.

[Obstructed_View]

They didn't show up and they got their asses handed to them by a good team that needed a statement win. Shame on the Spurs, but it doesn't make this game any more devastating than the loss to Memphis. I'm embarrassed for the Spurs, but I can't really see how anything other than temporary bragging rights was on the line here. The Lakers can win this and the next game and still lose the season series.

[Obstructed_View]

The game was up for grabs in the first quarter and the Spurs got dominated on the boards during that stretch. At the end of the game the rebounding numbers looked better, but when it counted the Spurs lost on the boards. That is why I said when it counted because someone might look at the box score and think the rebounding was fairly close, but it wasn't really until the game was over, which was in the first quarter and I guess even a little bit of the second quarter.

The Spurs could have gotten rebounds and they'd have still been down by 15 at the end of the first. The Lakers got four or five offensive boards in the quarter and got like six points from it. At one point they got three or four in a row and got one basket from it, so it looked really bad but wasn't putting up a ton of points.

Again, it was a factor in how bad the blowout was, but no, the game was never up for grabs. The Lakers hustled more, played better defense, couldn't miss from outside, and the Spurs couldn't seem to dribble the ball up the floor for much of the quarter. This was going to be a pretty epic ass whipping no matter what.

[Ice009]

The Spurs could have gotten rebounds and they'd have still been down by 15 at the end of the first. The Lakers got four or five offensive boards in the quarter and got like six points from it. At one point they got three or four in a row and got one basket from it, so it looked really bad but wasn't putting up a ton of points.

Again, it was a factor in how bad the blowout was, but no, the game was never up for grabs. The Lakers hustled more, played better defense, couldn't miss from outside, and the Spurs couldn't seem to dribble the ball up the floor for much of the quarter. This was going to be a pretty epic ass whipping no matter what.

Did I say that rebounding was the sole reason for the loss? I was replying to EricB who said we only lost because the other team had a hot shooting night. What point are you trying to make to me here? The Spurs lost the game in a number or areas. I already said that.

And don't tell me the game wasn't up for grabs in the first quarter. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA and the Lakers are the defending champs. If the game wasn't up for grabs in the first quarter then you're saying the Spurs lost before they even stepped on the court and they never should have showed up.

What difference is it if it's a tie game with 3 or 4 minutes to go into the 4th Vs 3 or 4 minutes into the first? There is a point where the game was up for grabs and the other team takes the game. This point was early in the Spurs game because they got destroyed badly and put in a huge hole.

It was a tie game after a few minutes into the first and then that is the stretch where the Lakers dominated with their rebouding, defense and shooting, so that was the point where it was up for grabs and the Spurs lost the game during that stretch.

[spurs10]

Well, all I have to say at this point is... Go Grizzlies!!!
No kidding! Thank goodness for the Ponies losing...:toast

[Strategic]

If you reverse the order of the quarters in this game and the Lakers spank the Spurs in the 4th quarter instead of the 1st I would have a worse feeling about this beating.
It's simple, the Spurs needed Parker on fire to win the game. That didn't materialize. Tony's ability to push the pace and finish at the rim has driven this team all year. I haven't looked at the numbers yet but it didn't look like he out played Fish at all. Who among us would say that if Tony doesn't out play Fisher the Spurs will win this one? Along with Parker, Blair and Duncan were also trying to finish shots with trick manuevers. What the hell is that all about. I don't care if they are trees, you have to go at them and take your licks!
Assuming the Spurs were well enough rested, then some of the team didn't take this game seriously enough. Oh well, it's only one game. As long as they win three or four games to every loss, home court advantage should still be secured. I think it's vital for the Spurs to be able to rest the starters the last two games.
Back to my first sentence, if I had to make the choice, I would rather the team show up like bone heads in the first quarter than get out executed in the fourth. At least this way they weren't extended to their physical max, and again, just one in the loss column. Go Spurs Go.


:flag: :lobt: :flag: :lobt2: :flag:

[Obstructed_View]

Did I say that rebounding was the sole reason for the loss? I was replying to EricB who said we only lost because the other team had a hot shooting night. What point are you trying to make to me here? The Spurs lost the game in a number or areas. I already said that.

And don't tell me the game wasn't up for grabs in the first quarter. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA and the Lakers are the defending champs. If the game wasn't up for grabs in the first quarter then you're saying the Spurs lost before they even stepped on the court and they never should have showed up.

What difference is it if it's a tie game with 3 or 4 minutes to go into the 4th Vs 3 or 4 minutes into the first? There is a point where the game was up for grabs and the other team takes the game. This point was early in the Spurs game because they got destroyed badly and put in a huge hole.

It was a tie game after a few minutes into the first and then that is the stretch where the Lakers dominated with their rebouding, defense and shooting, so that was the point where it was up for grabs and the Spurs lost the game during that stretch.

The Spurs showed up? What game was I watching?

[Dex]

Lesson learned this weekend: don't let your team get down by 20-24 points in the first quarter.

[Harlem Preach]

at least we can count on skip bayless defending us, but that piece of trash will critique lebron. that is a no no in my book!

[polandprzem]

Captioning this will not end well. :lol

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/7e/fullj.dfe0555bb36fcb28bf6c4e37e18ee1af/ap-04d520a6c0f045fbb896dd00c1e6ecff.jpg



TP: We suck!