Main things I take away from the game...

[roycrikside]

Pop has to give serious thought about making Tiago a bigger part of the rotation, maybe even as as a starter, if the Spurs face LA in the playoffs.

Bynum and Gasol just have too much size for Blair to deal with. I still think Blair can be a useful part of the rotation against them as an energy guy off the bench running pick-and-rolls with Manu, but I think as far as the starters go we need to match size with size and that means Tiago.

IMHO, Pop's biggest priority over these last 19 games needs to be integrating Tiago into the rotation, so the Spurs can deal with potentially for big, physical teams in Memphis, OKC, LA and Boston in rounds 1-4.

One thing we don't have to worry about with Splitter is him hitting some rookie wall with fatigue, because he's hardly played due to injuries. But I think the Spurs drafted this kid and brought him over for a reason and that's you can't teach size. Besides, he seems to have pretty good defensive instincts. It's true he's kind of clutzy on offense and he doesn't play pick-and-pop shooters very well, but Bynum isn't a shooter, he's a banger, and Tiago has been good against guys like that.

[toki9]

Bynum and Gasol just have too much size for Blair to deal with. I still think Blair can be a useful part of the rotation against them as an energy guy off the bench running pick-and-rolls with Manu, but I think as far as the starters go we need to match size with size and that means Tiago.


This is why Splitter's lack of development this year has been so disappointing...when everyone's healthy, LA has too much flexible length for the Spurs to match up favorably...I think Dallas matches up better against LA than the Spurs do...

[MmP]

Either Gasol o Bynum will eat up alive Thiago.

[itzsoweezee]

Don't know what you're talking about. Blair was the Spurs' best big today. If anyone needs their minutes taken away, it's Bonner.

[cherylsteele]

Either Gasol o Bynum will eat up alive Thiago.
Splitter actually played decently against them.

[Spursmania]

Pop will never change his game plan. Don't you know Pop's MO by now?

[slayermin]

We know Bonner can shoot against the Heat and the Celtics. But he's just not money against the Lakers. Gary Neal and Steve Novak don't look intimidated.

[nevitt_&_smrek]

The Lakers are a better defensive team, as Popovich stated after the Staples Center game last month.

Lakers had more incentive, while the Spurs had used up many bullets against Miami.

You can only take so much from a regular season game.

[Capt Bringdown]

It took a 17pt, 15 rebound game from Blair and a last second Dice tip-in to garner 2 wins against the Lakers this year.

Lakers made it look easy tonight.

[celldweller]

Don't know what you're talking about. Blair was the Spurs' best big today. If anyone needs their minutes taken away, it's Bonner.

Blair is too short if you haven't notice.
1. He cant compete for rebounds against the height of the Lakers, giving them numerous second chance points.
2. Gasol & Bynum will just simply shoot over him at will when needed.

We need more length and sadly Splitter is our only option, Pop needs to give the guy more minutes and bring Blair off the bench, who would shine against the others team bench bigs.

:lol It's not Rocket science.

[Chillen]

The Spurs got a reality check from the Lakers today. They will be a very dangerous team in the playoffs and until someone dethrones them they are still the defending NBA champs. I don't think the Spurs played very well in that 1st quarter and the Lakers wanted payback for the game the Spurs won in LA. As is always the case regular season games don't really mean all that much just for playoff seeding. Both teams will be a different beast if they meet in the playoffs, Spurs will have to prove they are the better team to the Lakers by actually beating them in a 7 game series and advancing.

[guzmangm]

It's too late for Splitter already. Hopefully Dallas can knock them off in the playoffs when they meet, having said that, I don't think the games will be that one sided should we meet LA in the playoffs.

[SequSpur]

LMAO at Bonner...

[spurtech09]

spurs were just tired while the lakers were well rested....spurs didn't have no engery at all....

[John Basedow]

spurs were just tired while the lakers were well rested....spurs didn't have no engery at all....

They both had a day off in between games. In fact the Spurs had more rest b/c their starters sat out the 4th against Miami.

Try again, sweetheart

[ManuBalboa]

It's too late. Pop is a complete idiot for not developing the needed size that was fking obvious for years now. yes mad

Tiago is SOFT. So it doesn't matter though.

[TD 21]

I have no clue why Duncan continues to guard Bynum and Blair continues to guard Gasol. They should switch. The Spurs don't have anyone who can physically match-up with Bynum anyway. The way they're doing it now, they're at a disadvantage in both match-ups. Plus, as good as Bynum is, I'd prefer them going to Bynum more than Gasol (which is what would probably happen if Blair were guarding Bynum). It's the lesser of two evils.

I take nothing away from this game. The Spurs had beaten the Lakers three straight games going back to last season and had won twenty-two straight at home. They were coming off of an insane offensive performance against an elite team. In other words, it was a law of averages game if there ever was one.

[John Basedow]

I have no clue why Duncan continues to guard Bynum and Blair continues to guard Gasol. They should switch. The Spurs don't have anyone who can physically match-up with Bynum anyway. The way they're doing it now, they're at a disadvantage in both match-ups. Plus, as good as Bynum is, I'd prefer them going to Bynum more than Gasol (which is what would probably happen if Blair were guarding Bynum). It's the lesser of two evils.

I take nothing away from this game. The Spurs had beaten the Lakers three straight games going back to last season and had won twenty-two straight at home. They were coming off of an insane offensive performance against an elite team. In other words, it was a law of averages game if there ever was one.

How's the view down there in the sand?

[Srupsog]

Sad thing about Pop with Splitter, is that Splitter isn't playing because he's shitty or doesn't know what he's doing. When Splitter plays he knows what he is doing, he makes the defensive rotations and plays defense with his feet not his hands. Splitter is a quality player that would be in any other team's rotation in the league, and as a good coach pop needs to find a way to utilize him and Im sure on the bench and in garbage minutes in blowouts is not the best way.

[Sean Cagney]

It's too late for Splitter already. Hopefully Dallas can knock them off in the playoffs when they meet, having said that, I don't think the games will be that one sided should we meet LA in the playoffs.

Dallas is only 4 games back and won't seem to lose! I know thats not too close for comfort yet but with your schedule and the way they are playing it seems they could give us a run for that HC. I agree the games would not be that lopsided vs. LA in the playoffs, but they are a very tough out for anyone.

[Sean Cagney]

It took a 17pt, 15 rebound game from Blair and a last second Dice tip-in to garner 2 wins against the Lakers this year.

Lakers made it look easy tonight.

First game the Spurs made it look easy in that blowout, same thing happened today just the other way around. Blair had a great game that first game, but it is not like they barely won that one.

[SenorSpur]

...and if anyone who watched today's game still thinks that the size disparity between the Spurs and Fakers isn't a big deal, I have some specially-designed swampland in Arizona to sell you.

[Sean Cagney]

...and if anyone who watched today's game still thinks that the size disparity between the Spurs and Fakers isn't a big deal, I have some specially-designed swampland in Arizona to sell you.

I agree fully there too, I hope we hold onto that #1 seed and Dallas knocks them out first, if not LA and their size is a huge problem for the Spurs.

[Budkin]

They both had a day off in between games. In fact the Spurs had more rest b/c their starters sat out the 4th against Miami.

Try again, sweetheart

Agreed... can't use the tired excuse at all.

[Mal]

Either Gasol o Bynum will eat up alive Thiago.

Nope, Tiago could stand them in D, box out and grab fucking rebound. He can do this, I dont know why is still lost.

[Obstructed_View]

Wonder which is more overblown: That size means nothing after the Spurs whipped the Lakers, or that size means everything after the Lakers whipped the Spurs. If the Lakers can win four of seven, power to them.

[Nick Manning]

Wonder which is more overblown: That size means nothing after the Spurs whipped the Lakers, or that size means everything after the Lakers whipped the Spurs. If the Lakers can win four of seven, power to them.

Size wins when it matters most. The better defending and rebounding team almost always wins in the playoffs.

These are facts.

[EricB]

Lakers win the rebound battle by 6, Duncan has a bad day and it's back to the size issue.


Hilarity.

[EricB]

Size wins when it matters most. The better defending and rebounding team almost always wins in the playoffs.

These are facts.


Celtics are dead then since they are lower the spurs in rebounding.

[Nick Manning]

Celtics are dead then since they are lower the spurs in rebounding.

how convenient that you omitted their insane defense.

Moving along...

[disciple]

Pop will never change his game plan. Don't you know Pop's MO by now?

Like Pop didn't change his MO this year?

[rascal]

I have no clue why Duncan continues to guard Bynum and Blair continues to guard Gasol. They should switch. The Spurs don't have anyone who can physically match-up with Bynum anyway. The way they're doing it now, they're at a disadvantage in both match-ups. Plus, as good as Bynum is, I'd prefer them going to Bynum more than Gasol (which is what would probably happen if Blair were guarding Bynum). It's the lesser of two evils.

I take nothing away from this game. The Spurs had beaten the Lakers three straight games going back to last season and had won twenty-two straight at home. They were coming off of an insane offensive performance against an elite team. In other words, it was a law of averages game if there ever was one.

Gasol is more of an offensive player than Bynum so that makes Duncan more likely to get into foul trouble guarding Gasol.

[Obstructed_View]

Size wins when it matters most. The better defending and rebounding team almost always wins in the playoffs.

These are facts.

So you're saying the Lakers' last two championships are statistical abberations then?

[Obstructed_View]

Gasol is more of an offensive player than Bynum so that makes Duncan more likely to get into foul trouble guarding Gasol.

Yeah, his zero personal fouls in this game made all the difference.

[Nick Manning]

So you're saying the Lakers' last two championships are statistical abberations then?

You mean when the Lakers outrebounded Boston by an ungodly margin to win Game 7?

good one, scro.

You're doing a piss-poor job of rationalizing a thoroughly dominating performance. It's personnel, you dumbfuck. Some teams have the right ones for the playoffs, some don't. The Spurs don't, get over it.

Life goes on.

[Obstructed_View]

You mean when the Lakers outrebounded Boston by an ungodly margin to win Game 7?

good one, scro.

You're doing a piss-poor job of rationalizing a thoroughly dominating performance. It's personnel, you dumbfuck. Some teams have the right ones for the playoffs, some don't. The Spurs don't, get over it.

Life goes on.

:lol You accuse me of rationalizing for calling this a playoff game for the Lakers, then you say the exact same thing. Nice job.

[Nick Manning]

:lol You accuse me of rationalizing for calling this a playoff game for the Lakers, then you say the exact same thing. Nice job.

Accuse? nigga you're in full spin control, all I see is your name next to last post in each thread:rollin

How convenient that you got called out for your "aberration" comment and are attempting to deflect now. Btw, in case you forgot about that aberration, a shooting guard had 15 rebounds in game 7 of that series...a fucking shooting guard:lmao

[Obstructed_View]

Accuse? nigga you're in full spin control, all I see is your name next to last post in each thread:rollin

How convenient that you got called out for your "aberration" comment and are attempting to deflect now. Btw, in case you forgot about that aberration, a shooting guard had 15 rebounds in game 7 of that series...a fucking shooting guard:lmao

Perhaps you need to look up the word "aberration". :lol

You seem to be saying that the Lakers can't be beaten because they have more defense and rebounding than the Spurs, but then you give an example of the Lakers beating better defense and rebounding teams by outrebounding them in big games.

I'm sure all the Laker fans appreciate a Knick fan in here fighting for the honor of their team, btw. :lol

[TD 21]

Actually, I take back part of what I said earlier. I do take something away from this game and that is, this fan base, as a whole, is pathetic. Four time champions, two times they've defeated the Lakers in the playoffs (should have been three), three straight times they've beaten them in the regular season entering today, twenty-two game home winning streak, eight fewer losses than the Lakers entering today, 3-5 game lead on the entire league for much of the season. Yet despite all that, all it took was one lopsided loss for you idiots to revert to your usual "we can't beat this team, we're the little team that can't" act.

When are you clowns going to show some backbone and stop acting like this franchise is the Mavs or some other non-championship winning franchise? Speaking of the Mavs, their fans have more confidence in their team and carry themselves with more swagger and did I mention that they've never won a championship? You wonder why Lakers fans act like arrogant pricks and treat you like you're their bitch? Because you enable them. You play into this whole "small town, small team, can't compete with the big boys" crap, with your defeatist attitude.

[PublicOption]

I am not worried, the lakers were butthurt by all of our ass whippings. so they had to prove they could play well against us. one quarter was all they could give us......do that in series and maybe that would impress me, but for one quarter with TD only scoring 2 pts.........the fakers are dreaming.

[Hoops Czar]

I am not worried, the lakers were butthurt by all of our ass whippings. so they had to prove they could play well against us. one quarter was all they could give us......do that in series and maybe that would impress me, but for one quarter with TD only scoring 2 pts.........the fakers are dreaming.

TD hasn't been a factor on offense in ANY Laker game. In case you hadn't noticed, the Lakeshow held the Spurs to 52 points through three quarters. When you talk about the ass whipping, are you talking about the 15 point scumfest when the Lakers were reeling or the Dice tip in only after the Spurs bricked the first four attempts and blew an eight point 4Q lead?

[Sean Cagney]

TD hasn't been a factor on offense in ANY Laker game. In case you hadn't noticed, the Lakeshow held the Spurs to 52 points through three quarters. When you talk about the ass whipping, are you talking about the 15 point scumfest when the Lakers were reeling or the Dice tip in only after the Spurs bricked the first four attempts and blew an eight point 4Q lead?

Your team is trash and has been, why are you even talking bro? I am serious too! Bron left your team for dead :lol:lol

[polandprzem]

Actually, I take back part of what I said earlier. I do take something away from this game and that is, this fan base, as a whole, is pathetic. Four time champions, two times they've defeated the Lakers in the playoffs (should have been three), three straight times they've beaten them in the regular season entering today, twenty-two game home winning streak, eight fewer losses than the Lakers entering today, 3-5 game lead on the entire league for much of the season. Yet despite all that, all it took was one lopsided loss for you idiots to revert to your usual "we can't beat this team, we're the little team that can't" act.

When are you clowns going to show some backbone and stop acting like this franchise is the Mavs or some other non-championship winning franchise? Speaking of the Mavs, their fans have more confidence in their team and carry themselves with more swagger and did I mention that they've never won a championship? You wonder why Lakers fans act like arrogant pricks and treat you like you're their bitch? Because you enable them. You play into this whole "small town, small team, can't compete with the big boys" crap, with your defeatist attitude.

That post should be sticked on this board so everybody would read it !

[Hoops Czar]

Your team is trash and has been, why are you even talking bro? I am serious too! Bron left your team for dead :lol:lol

WOW.. that put me in my place. Your so delusional, you can't even stay on topic. Or maybe its just reading comprehension that's failing you.

Has been? Cleveland's made it farther in the playoffs the last two years than the Spurs have.

A classic case of living in the past. NOTHING since 2007.

[Obstructed_View]

Cleveland's made it farther in the playoffs the last two years than the Spurs have.

Hope you have recordings of those games. They're gonna need to last you a while.

[Hoops Czar]

Hope you have recordings of those games. They're gonna need to last you a while.

Mental pictures last longer than recordings.

There's no such thing as a second place prize or San Antonio would get top billing.

[boutons_deux]

Length wasn't the problem vs Lakers.

It was the Lakers shooting extremely well for 3 qtrs, with the Spurs shooting extremely poorly (including multiple missed layups and put backs).

Splitter's too weak a rebounder to help much. Maybe they can work with him this summer they way they worked with RJ last summer.

If the Spurs had shot +/- a couple %age like Lakers from the beginning, the too-short Spurs would have probably won.

[Sean Cagney]

WOW.. that put me in my place. Your so delusional, you can't even stay on topic. Or maybe its just reading comprehension that's failing you.

Has been? Cleveland's made it farther in the playoffs the last two years than the Spurs have.

A classic case of living in the past. NOTHING since 2007.

LOL wow, and this year what are they doing? YOUR FUTURE IS WHAT? HAHAHHAHHA OKAY THEN, Spurs with the best record this year, your team with what this year and next year and beyond? THINK about the present there bro, period.
Mental pictures last longer than recordings.

There's no such thing as a second place prize or San Antonio would get top billing.

No that would be your team in 07, the only time they made the finals and got swept by SA bro.....

You will not win here, don't try it.

BTW 4 titles idiot, why are you talking about 2nd place there for this team?

[jiggy_55]

I agree, Splitter held his own defensively and is long enough and can bang and rebound against big men. I really do think Pop should lean towards giving him a few more minutes against teams with bigs.

I'm not saying we will lose to LAL, I'm confident this team has what it takes to beat them if we face each other in a series. But the Lakers length can prove to be too much especially when your starting center is 6'6 Blair. Splitter can definitely help in these situations. Gasol and Bynum can shoot right over Blair with ease, so at times we will need to go big and match Duncan with McDyess/Splitter to help on rebounding and to be able to defend their bigs.

I don't see why it's hard to see that. Their will be days when we absolutely need 2 big men on the court. Some days we'll be shooting really well and playing good defense that we won't need Splitter, but their height advantage is too much on most nights.

[jiggy_55]

Also, I am a bit surprised that Anderson hasn't been able to get just a few real minutes, not in garbage time. He showed amazing promise at the beginning of the season, can hit the 3 and is a pretty decent defender. Yesterday on a few possessions, he guarded Kobe pretty well and kept with him and got a hand in his face, something Hill sturggles to do while guarding Kobe.

Why not give him just 5-10 minutes to see what he can do in real minutes, he's definitely better thank Novak as an overall offensive player and on defense he's much better, faster and more athletic. I like Novak as a 3 point specialist, cuz that's what he is, but not for anything else.

[guzmangm]

The problem with not getting enough rebounds is it takes away our fastbreak game, which is larger now than it has been. Even though the lakers defended the three very well, I don't think the Spurs would continue to shoot that bad; three or two. Obviously the Lakers played out of their minds and just a little bit more effort on the Spurs part would make a big difference.

[TampaDude]

Actually, I take back part of what I said earlier. I do take something away from this game and that is, this fan base, as a whole, is pathetic. Four time champions, two times they've defeated the Lakers in the playoffs (should have been three), three straight times they've beaten them in the regular season entering today, twenty-two game home winning streak, eight fewer losses than the Lakers entering today, 3-5 game lead on the entire league for much of the season. Yet despite all that, all it took was one lopsided loss for you idiots to revert to your usual "we can't beat this team, we're the little team that can't" act.

When are you clowns going to show some backbone and stop acting like this franchise is the Mavs or some other non-championship winning franchise? Speaking of the Mavs, their fans have more confidence in their team and carry themselves with more swagger and did I mention that they've never won a championship? You wonder why Lakers fans act like arrogant pricks and treat you like you're their bitch? Because you enable them. You play into this whole "small town, small team, can't compete with the big boys" crap, with your defeatist attitude.

Exactly...sure, it sucks to lose a game, especially at home, but it was only one damn game...we're still #1 in the NBA, so everybody please step back from the ledge. :lol

[mingus]

Afterthe Spurs first win against LA this season, i posted countless times that LA played stupid basketball by not going inside-out and that the win was majorly a product of that. Too many unrealistic posters were quick to praise and crown the Spurs after that game.

I'll even admit that I budged from the notion for a while there that the Spurs wouldn't need to use size to counter their size. Yesterday's game showed that the Spurs need Splitter in a greater capacity against LA. Hell, he might not even be enough, but I hope to see Pop aggressively try and integrate him these last 20 games.

I'm not saying that the Laker's are better than the Spurs by 30 points either. That was just a hell of a game by LA, one in which they wanted to send a message. The Spurs also typically play uncharacteristically horrible in afternoon games and ultimately approached the game too confidently. The overconfidence thing has a lot to do with the Miami whooping and the insanely good record. The Spurs have pretty much had their way with the league this year, and they approached yesterday's game that way. Obviously it backfired.

[SenorSpur]

For those that continue to delude themselves and others that the Spurs, along with most NBA opponents, are at a matchup disadvantage versus the Fakers, I offer Tim Griffin's takes on this game:

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/06/notes-on-a-scorecard-what-happened-to-the-spurs-starters/

Here are a few other notes and tidbits from the end of the Spurs’ 22-game home winning streak and their worst defeat at home in more than two season.

•The Lakers’ length seemed to discombobulate Duncan — again. He matched his season low of two points scored earlier this season against the Lakers on Dec. 28. Duncan’s 1-for-7 shooting game Sunday matched his worst effort, also in that Laker game. And in a statistic that is sure to concern Spurs Nation before a potential playoff series against the defending World Champions — Duncan is averaging 4.0 points per game against the Lakers this season, hitting a frigid 19.2 percent from the field (5-for-26). Those statistics are by far his worst against any other team this season.

•Bonner struggled with the Lakers’ length as he scored only three points on 1-for-3 3-pointers and 1-for-5 from the field. It turned around a recent streak where Bonner had averaged 15.5 points and hit 69.2 percent of his 3-pointers in his last two games.

•Tiago Splitter is showing some defensive growth and also contributing in spurts offensively. Since coming back to the roster last week, he’s averaging 4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.

•Antonio McDyess had difficulty matching his success beating the Lakers earlier this season with four points and four rebounds in 10:04. It was his least playing time since notching 8:24 against Washington on Dec. 26.

For the record, I agree with the OP. Pop is likely going to be forced to have to utilize Tiago in this matchup - whether he likes it or not. With Duncan struggling and in decline, with the obvious limitations of both Blair and Bonner, Pop is left with very little choice. However if Duncan continues to struggle against those bigs, the Spurs chances of beating the Fakers drop exponentially.

It should be pointed out that the Fakers displayed a masterful defensive game plan by deliberately running the Spurs shooters off the 3-pt line, thereby forcing them to drive the ball. For some of the Spurs shooters, this is not one of their strengths. Now, it's up to Pop to counter. That's the game of NBA chess.

That said, let's get some perspective here. The Fakers aren't 30 points better than the Spurs, just like the Spurs aren't 30 points better than the Heat. Also, just because someone posts critical comments about the Spurs, after a very disappointing loss, doesn't mean that they are any less of a fan than the pollyanna contingent, who consistently proclaim "pay no attention to what you see. Everything is fine" and "Spurs are still the best team in the NBA." Pop was dead on when he and others kept reminded the NBA community that the Fakers "are still the team to beat - until someone knocks them off." No big mystery there.

Furthermore, such a revelation from posters, media members or even coaches has nothing to do with a lack of acknowledgement for the Spurs past championships, a lack of appreciation for their legacy or even jumping off the bandwagon. We all know this is a year-to-year business. We exist in the here and now. Reflections are for the summer and for the post-Duncan era. Does anyone really think that our Big Three is sitting on the end of the bench, during that blowout loss and thinking to themselves, "well, at least we've got 4 titles in the bag"? GMAFB!

No one wants to win it more badly than Pop and his players, and if even he acknowledges the size superiority factor, who the hell is anyone on this board to discount it? For anyone to pretend that the advantage is somehow not there, or insignificant or even to get defensive at the mere suggestion, is just stupid.

It wasn't that long ago that the Spurs also boasted their own version of the Twin Towers frontine, and we all saw how wildly successful that was. Is it not possible to admit that another team has somehow also found the key to the magic forumla? It's a proven formula, as the Fakers have back-to-back titles to show for it. It's also a formula that is very hard to assemble and even harder to counter. It can't be countered with speed, quickness and perimeter shooting - at least not in the playoffs.

The fact remains that of the four top contending teams (Fakers, Celtics, Mavs, Spurs), the Spurs have the smallest frontline, across the board. Regardless of the point total of yesterday's game, there is no denying the fact that when the Fakers are healthy and "dialed in", they present a very formidable challenge for almost every team -including the Spurs - mainly because of that matchup disadvantage on the frontline. That's just the way it is. It's been that way since the 2008 Gasol trade. The matchups are what they are. The bottom line is either the Spurs will be successful this spring or they wont. If they're not, chances are the matchup disparity on the frontline, that currently favors the Fakers, will have much to do with that.

[John Basedow]

So for those thinking the Lakers provide a matchup disadvantage, you offer an article written by a Spurs Nation blogger to assuage their fears?

:lmao