Spurs vs Pistons Previews

[duncan228]

Game is Wednesday, 7:30 CST.


Detroit (23-41) at San Antonio (51-12) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011030924)
Tipoff: 8:30 pm EST Wed Mar 9, 2011
TV: FSD, FSSW
By Noey Kupchan

Coming off their first home loss in more than three months, the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs believe they have some room for improvement - a likely scary thought for the rest of the league.

The Spurs will try to sweep the season series against the Detroit Pistons for the first time in four years Wednesday night.

San Antonio (51-12) has used a 29-3 home record to help build a five-game lead over Dallas in the Western Conference.

After falling 103-94 to the Mavericks at the AT&T Center on Nov. 26, the Spurs limited opponents to 92.6 points and outscored them by 12.2 over a franchise-record 22-game home winning streak—including a 125-95 rout of Miami on Friday night

That run, though, came to an end with a 99-83 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

“It was a disappointing game, but the good news is that our team knows that,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “I know that, the players know that, they’re grown, full of character, lots of experience, nobody has to say a word to them. They know.

“We’ll do our very best to get back on track. Learn from both the Miami game and from the LA game, and try to get better.”

Tim Duncan was held to two points and 1-of-7 shooting for the second time this season against the Lakers.

“Tim takes everything personal when he has a bad game,” forward Antonio McDyess said. “He comes in early to work hard, so I look forward to him having a big game against Detroit because he always feels like he let the team down, not only himself.

“So he’s gonna come in a little bit more focused and play a little bit harder.”

While Duncan is averaging a career-low 13.2 points, he earned high praise from Detroit rookie center Greg Monroe.

“He’s one of the guys I watched growing up - one of the best power forwards to ever play and probably the best while I was growing up,” Monroe told the Pistons’ official website. “A lot of players learn from what they see. … I definitely watched him and tried to learn.”

Duncan had 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Monroe scored 14 and grabbed 13 boards in San Antonio’s 100-89 road win Feb. 8.

Monroe is averaging 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 59.1 percent over his last eight games.

He had 12 points and seven boards Sunday night, and was one of seven players to score in double figures for Detroit (23-41) in a 113-102 win over Washington.

Tayshaun Prince returned from a four-game absence due to back problems to register 20 points while Rodney Stuckey had 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Stuckey, scoring 13.5 points per game over his career, is averaging 8.7 against San Antonio - his lowest versus any opponent.

Detroit ranks 29th in the league with an average of 90.0 points on the road.

The Spurs last swept the Pistons in 2006-07, when they won the most recent of their four NBA championships. That came two years after San Antonio defeated Detroit 4-3 in the NBA finals.

San Antonio has taken three of four regular-season meetings in the series after losing three in a row.

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

Team Stat Leaders

Points

Rodney Stuckey Det 15.5
Manu Ginobili SA 17.8

Rebounds
Greg Monroe Det 6.9
Tim Duncan SA 9.1

Assists
Rodney Stuckey Det 4.6
Tony Parker SA 6.6

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011030924

[duncan228]

The article Monroe's quote about Duncan comes from.


Crossing Paths (http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_110308.html)
by Keith Langlois, Pistons.com

Tracy McGrady started to smile before my question was fully formed. McGrady and Tim Duncan took very different paths to get to the NBA – McGrady straight from high school, Duncan after four seasons at Wake Forest even though the NBA was pining for him by midway through his freshman year.

That was 14 years ago. McGrady and Duncan’s paths have crossed so often since, if you charted them it would resemble a double helix. They very nearly became teammates in the summer of 2000 when Orlando signed McGrady away from the Toronto Raptors and Grant Hill from the Pistons – the darkest day in the 54-year history of the Pistons in Detroit.

Tim Duncan almost joined them, but he couldn’t look Gregg Popovich, David Robinson and the people of San Antonio in the eyes and tell them he was bolting.

Which ought to hearten Pistons fans, because McGrady sees an awful lot of Greg Monroe in Tim Duncan.

Keep reading... (http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_110308.html)

http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_110308.html

[Spurs Brazil]

McGrady 'Frustrated' Over Benching
Mar 08, 2011 3:25 PM EST


Tracy McGrady isn't happy about the benching he has endured with the Pistons.

He has been held out of five consecutive games.

“It's out of my control, man,” McGrady said. “I can't do anything. When the coach says he puts the guys out there he wants to play, I don't really like it. But it is what it is.

“I can't do anything about it but come in here and practice and wait until I get my number called. It's frustrating. It's really frustrating.”

He's been sidelined since Feb. 25, when he and six teammates didn't show up for a morning shootaround in Philadelphia.

Team sources described it as a boycott aimed at coach John Kuester, but McGrady said he had a headache.



Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/211949/McGrady_Frustrated_Over_Benching#ixzz1G3nvVtbo

[Budkin]

I feel sorry for the Pistons.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Monroe preps to face his ideal role model: Tim Duncan

Tracy McGrady started to smile before my question was fully formed. McGrady and Tim Duncan took very different paths to get to the NBA – McGrady straight from high school, Duncan after four seasons at Wake Forest even though the NBA was pining for him by midway through his freshman year.
That was 14 years ago. McGrady and Duncan’s paths have crossed so often since, if you charted them it would resemble a double helix. They very nearly became teammates in the summer of 2000 when Orlando signed McGrady away from the Toronto Raptors and Grant Hill from the Pistons – the darkest day in the 54-year history of the Pistons in Detroit.

Tim Duncan almost joined them, but he couldn’t look Gregg Popovich, David Robinson and the people of San Antonio in the eyes and tell them he was bolting.

Which ought to hearten Pistons fans, because McGrady sees an awful lot of Greg Monroe in Tim Duncan.

“That’s who he reminds me of,” McGrady said before that question was delivered in completed fashion. “A lot of people think you’ve got to go out and lead by being vocal and demonstrative and getting in people’s faces. No. Just look at Tim Duncan and what he’s done over the last decade.

“Just phenomenal. Greg is that type of guy. Hopefully, he has a tremendous career ahead of him. It seems like he’s going to reach that, because he works extremely hard.”

Monroe’s stoicism is rare for a 10-year NBA veteran, let alone a 20-year-old. Yet you’ll elicit something of a reaction from him when you recite the twin predraft raps that helped deliver the Georgetown sophomore to the Pistons with the No. 7 pick in last June’s draft: suspect athleticism and low-key demeanor.

If Rasheed Wallace was at the far end of the continuum of demonstrative play, Monroe is way over on the other side – the Duncan side. That’s his nature, but it also was something Monroe noticed early on – remember, Monroe was all of 7 years old when Duncan broke into the NBA – about a player he came to admire as much as any.

“He wasn’t flashy, didn’t have a whole lot of hoo-rah, just came out and was tough,” Monroe said of his impressions of Duncan as a boy growing into his body in New Orleans and discovering his own special knack for playing basketball. “His mind was always focused. He had that high intensity level – you could see that – but he never let his emotions take over. I think that’s a part of the reason why he’s so successful.”

It isn’t lost on Monroe that he resembles Duncan not only in demeanor but in the fact neither will ever get rich selling video compilations of their best dunks. Duncan, Monroe understands, has built a slam-dunk Hall of Fame career on playing well at the rim but not necessarily above it.

“It’s not track and field,” he said Tuesday, as the Pistons prepared to fly to San Antonio for Wednesday night’s game against Duncan and the Spurs. “All the people, predraft, making their cases, once you get here, it’s all about skill. You have to have some type of athleticism, but once you’re on the court you have to just play and that’s what he did. He had a high skill level, he had a high IQ – he just outsmarted people.”

The Pistons were thrilled when Golden State passed on Monroe and enabled them to draft him seventh last June, but there is no doubt now that they’re even more enthused about what Monroe means for the franchise’s future. As sure as they were about Monroe’s maturity and selflessness last June, they’ve learned since that his desire to be great exceeded their wildest hopes.

And that gives them full confidence that Monroe’s skill level is going to exhibit the same constant improvement – meteoric, in instances – he’s exhibited during a rookie season that’s seen him go from not playing to being as critical to their success as anyone.

Monroe knows well he needs to develop a signature shot or move – a la Duncan’s mid-post bank shot – to further expand his reach. And if he didn’t, he’s heard it stressed from all levels – the front office, the coaching staff and teammates.

“I tell him all the time, because he has great hands and great feel for the game,” McGrady said. “The one thing he has to really (do to) open up his game is he’s going to learn how to shoot the ball from the outside. Get that in-between jump shot, become a pick-and-pop guy. If he becomes that, he’ll make himself a lot more effective.

“Just become a student of the game and watch some of the guys. He has the skills to really implement that into his game. It’s all about confidence – studying, watching and having confidence.”

Monroe has been and remains both a fan and a student of the game. Duncan – no surprise – was one of the players he studied most.

“He’s one of the guys I watched growing up – one of the best power forwards to ever play and probably the best while I was growing up. I saw him win all the championships. Being consistent – that’s what I remember about him. He wasn’t flashy. He just came out every night and produced.

“A lot of players learn from what they see. The moves they see, they mimic. Growing up, you would go in the gym and practice that backboard jump shot. I definitely watched him and tried to learn.”

Their paths will cross in San Antonio. Monroe won’t guard Duncan to start the game – he’ll go against former Big East rival DeJuan Blair of Pitt – but at some point, Monroe will be isolated, man against man, and try to stop someone he’s known as an NBA player virtually since his first memory of watching basketball from scoring over him.

On another level, he’ll be absorbing a little more knowledge of the game from a master of the craft and hoping he can come away from the experience inching a little closer to Duncan’s class.

“I’ll take every part of his game, really,” Monroe said. “A guy with that type of career, anything I can take from Tim Duncan, I would take. This is my first year. If I could be half as good as he has been, I’ll be happy.”

The Pistons, too.

http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_110308.html

[DesignatedT]

:tu Monroe

[duncan228]

The San Antonio Spurs Join With Mayor Castro, Local Health Department and AIDS Organizations to Mobilize Fans to be 'Greater Than AIDS' (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-san-antonio-spurs-join-with-mayor-castro-local-health-department-and-aids-organizations-to-mobilize-fans-to-be-greater-than-aids-117587343.html)

SAN ANTONIO, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tomorrow at the AT&T Center, the San Antonio Spurs join with Mayor Julian Castro, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, the Bexar County Department of Community Resources, and HIV210.org to get out information about HIV/AIDS and reduce stigma surrounding the disease. The special SAN ANTONIO>AIDS game night is organized as part of a national partnership between NBA Cares and Greater Than AIDS, a national movement to respond to AIDS in America.

In addition to in-arena messaging throughout the March 9th Spurs game against the Detroit Pistons, Mayor Castro will address the crowd during halftime to introduce a NBA/Greater Than AIDS public service message featuring NBA All Stars Pau Gasol, Al Horford and Russell Westbrook and WNBA player Candice Wiggins, whose father died of AIDS. The Spurs are also working with Greater Than AIDS and local San Antonio organizations to organize a private Player Appearance with Spurs legend George "The Iceman" Gervin.

"I'm so pleased that the NBA and the Spurs have made such a strong commitment in the fight against AIDS. Their leadership will make a real difference in helping our community prevent the spread of this growing epidemic," said San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

Staff and volunteers from leading San Antonio organizations -- San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, Bexar County Department of Community Resources, and HIV210.org -- will also be on-hand at the AT&T Center to distribute custom informational materials that connect fans with local services. All materials distributed to fans at the game feature these local resources.

"The San Antonio is Greater than AIDS Game is an initiative that will help bring much needed attention to the effects that this devastating disease has had on so many people and their families," said Charles Pruski, interim deputy director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

More than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS today -- more than at any time in the 30-year history of the epidemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five of those who are positive does not know it. Early diagnosis and treatment are known to improve the lives of those living with the disease. Stigma also remains a major barrier to stemming the spread of HIV. The San Antonio area remains disproportionately impacted, with higher than national prevalence rates in San Antonio.

For more information about the Greater Than AIDS/NBA partnership, go to: http://www.greaterthan.org/nba.

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

About Greater Than AIDS / NBA Cares Partnership

Greater Than AIDS and the National Basketball Association have teamed up to mobilize NBA fans and local communities in response to AIDS in the United States and reduce the stigma associated with the disease. The partnership includes television and radio public service ads (PSAs) featuring NBA/WNBA players, including Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Candice Wiggins (Minnesota Lynx), whose father, former professional baseball player Alan Wiggins, died of AIDS in 1991. The partnership also includes targeted activations, community events, and special "Greater Than AIDS" in-arena nights to bring attention to HIV/AIDS in priority markets. Learn more: http://www.greaterthan.org/nba

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-san-antonio-spurs-join-with-mayor-castro-local-health-department-and-aids-organizations-to-mobilize-fans-to-be-greater-than-aids-117587343.html

[honestfool84]

Tim Duncan was held to two points and 1-of-7 shooting for the second time this season against the Lakers.

this is a bit worrisome. say what you will, that Duncan is saving himself for the playoffs... nonetheless, it's worrisome.

[duncan228]

Wednesday: Pistons (23-41) at Spurs (51-12) (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/08/wednesday-pistons-23-41-at-spurs-51-12/)
Jeff McDonald

...Spurs are 24-1 against teams currently below .500, including a 100-89 victory at Detroit during last month’s rodeo road trip...Spurs lead NBA in 3-pointers off the bench, averaging 4.3 per game. Bonner and Neal are two of four players to have made at least 75 3s without starting a game...

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/08/wednesday-pistons-23-41-at-spurs-51-12/

[TDMVPDPOY]

tmac whining about minutes? its not like they need him anyway

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Wed. Mar. 9
Detroit @ San Antonio: Bob Delaney; Derrick Collins; James Williams

[duncan228]

McDyess longs for ‘icing on cake’ (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/09/mcdyess-longs-for-icing-on-cake/)
Jeff McDonald

At some point tonight, if Gregg Popovich is willing, Antonio McDyess will rise from his seat on the Spurs’ bench, strip off his warm-ups, head to the scorer’s table and reach a plateau he once thought impossible.

His 1,000th regular-season NBA game.

“I’m blessed to have made it this far,” said McDyess, the Spurs’ 36-year-old reserve forward.

It is an interesting coincidence that McDyess’ milestone is likely to come against the Detroit Pistons, who visit the AT&T Center tonight. It was in Detroit that McDyess’ career, once left for dead, was revived.

Keep reading... (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/09/mcdyess-longs-for-icing-on-cake/)

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/09/mcdyess-longs-for-icing-on-cake/

[AlleyOopNazi]

Its all Tracy McGrady's fault...
oleKfixy-7A

[duncan228]

Spurs vs. Pistons: A study in contrast (http://www.freep.com/article/20110309/SPORTS03/103090430/Spurs-vs-Pistons-study-contrast)
They played in the NBA Finals in 2005
By Perry A. Farrell
Detroit Free Press

How times have changed.

Six years ago, the Pistons were three months from playing the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The best-of-seven series went seven games. If Rasheed Wallace hadn't doubled Manu Ginobili and left three-point killer Robert Horry open in Game 5 at the Palace, the Pistons might have won back-to-back titles.

The Spurs have maintained their level of excellence and own the best record in the NBA at 51-12 entering tonight's game against the visiting Pistons.

The Pistons have fallen into disharmony and are on the verge of their third straight losing season.

Coach John Kuester had left the Pistons and Larry Brown's staff after 2004 to join New Jersey's staff, but he remembered the 2005 Finals.

"They're like a machine; they continue to figure out ways to win," Kuester said. "I could've used the paycheck they got in '05, but I was not here. It was a great series, guys made big shots. Robert Horry made a big shot. They've changed a little bit, and they have different people stepping up. Horry is not there, but (Matt) Bonner is there, and he hurt us the last time we played them. (Tim) Duncan is like a fine wine, he gets better with age. He's so smart."

Each side has three players left from that series: Ginobili, Duncan and Tony Parker for the Spurs; Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton for the Pistons.

While Duncan has become less of a focus offensively -- averaging 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds in 28.6 minutes -- the Spurs have done a great job of drafting and surrounding Duncan with solid players.

"They have put a couple of veteran pieces around him, too," Prince said of Duncan. "Richard Jefferson has Finals experience, obviously we know (Antonio) McDyess with us; Matt Bonner has been playing great."

Ginobili and Parker were young players in 2005, but since then the organization has added small forward Jefferson through a trade; drafted undersized DeJuan Blair and added Gary Neal, George Hill, Bonner and McDyess, all key components this season.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110309/SPORTS03/103090430/Spurs-vs-Pistons-study-contrast

[Martin R]

I'm so sorry for the Pistons tonight....