Spurs at Rockets Previews

[duncan228]

Game is Saturday, 7:30 CST.


Saturday: Spurs (53-12) at Rockets (33-33) (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/11/saturday-spurs-53-12-at-rockets-33-33/)
Jeff McDonald

...Jefferson, who missed Spurs’ win over Sacramento on Friday due to personal business, is expected to return tonight. … Spurs are 8-4 on second night of back-to-backs, and have won four in a row.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/11/saturday-spurs-53-12-at-rockets-33-33/

[Budkin]

If we play like we did tonight we're going to get blown out of the building. Houston is 7-3 over it's last 10 and fighting hard for a playoff spot.

[Ditty]

I'll be there section 101. Go Spurs Go. :)

[LakerHater]

Hope Spurs play better!

[duncan228]

San Antonio (53-12) at Houston (33-33) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011031210)
Tipoff: 8:30 pm EST Sat Mar 12, 2011
TV: CW35, FSH
By Brett Huston

The Houston Rockets don’t have much margin for error down the stretch if they hope to make the playoffs, but at least they have the benefit of playing 11 of their final 16 at the Toyota Center.

Two of those games, however, are against the San Antonio Spurs.

With the status of Luis Scola’s left knee up in the air, the Rockets kick off a season-high six-game homestand Saturday night against the league-best Spurs.

Houston (33-33) has won 11 of 16 since Feb. 2, but remains in 11th place in the Western Conference - the same spot it was when it was 22-28.

The Rockets have at least cut two games off what was a five-game deficit behind the conference’s No. 8 seed, and 10th-place Utah has plummeted since trading Deron Williams. Houston missed a huge chance to overtake another team above them Tuesday, though, falling 113-110 at ninth-place Phoenix.

“It’s a tough loss, a tough loss,” coach Rick Adelman said. “We didn’t guard them well in the second half and they made shots.”

The absence of Scola, the Rockets’ second-leading scorer at 18.5 points per game, certainly didn’t help. The end of Scola’s streak of 311 games played to begin his career might linger, as well. He didn’t practice Friday for the second consecutive day, and is a game-time decision.

A second-round pick of the Spurs in 2002, Scola has averaged 20.0 points and 10.9 rebounds in his last seven games against San Antonio.

Rookie Patrick Patterson showed Tuesday that the Rockets won’t be totally lost if Scola has to miss more time. Playing a season-high 28 minutes, Patterson had 18 points and three steals.

San Antonio (53-12) has seen its star backcourt duo come up big in two home wins against Houston. Manu Ginobili has averaged 25.0 points and Tony Parker 19.0 with 9.5 assists in the victories, which included a wild 124-121 overtime win Nov. 6.

They did it again Friday, helping the Spurs compensate for the absence of Richard Jefferson. Parker had a game-high 27 points and Ginobili added 24 in a 108-103 victory against visiting Sacramento.

Tim Duncan was key too, scoring eight of his 15 points in the final seven minutes.

“I thought our ‘Big Three’ pulled it out for us,” coach Gregg Popovich said. They dug down deep. Tony carried us in the third quarter, and then Manu and Timmy. Those three guys were great tonight.”

Jefferson, who missed the game to attend to a personal matter, is expected to play Saturday. Houston wouldn’t mind if he didn’t, considering he’s been just as valuable as Ginobili and Parker, averaging 20.0 points in the series.

Jefferson hit 7 of 8 shots in a 108-95 win over the Rockets on Jan. 29, after which Scola called the Spurs “the best team in the NBA, period.”

If Scola can’t go, Houston could really use a boost from leading scorer Kevin Martin, who’s been held to 16.0 points per game - 6.8 below his average - and shot 33.3 percent in his last four contests.

Martin has averaged 17.0 points against the Spurs this season. If he scores 19 or fewer, the Rockets are 6-15. They’re 26-17 when he goes for 20 or more.

San Antonio concludes a three-game trip next week at Miami and Dallas.

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

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Manu Ginobili SA 17.8
Kevin Martin Hou 22.8

Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.1
Luis Scola Hou 8.1

Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.6
Kyle Lowry Hou 6.4

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

Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

San Antonio 53-12 1st Southwest / 1st West 103.6 96.8 Road 22-9 Won 2 7-3
Houston 33-33 5th Southwest / 11th West 105.9 104.5 Home 17-13 Lost 1 7-3

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011031210

[8FOR!3]

Dragic =(

[duncan228]

Hit the link for the whole piece.


With or without Scola, Rockets bring on Spurs (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7468994.html)
Rockets F could miss 2nd game of career with injured knee
By David Barron
Houston Chronicle

...Scola, who for the first time in his four-year NBA career missed a game Tuesday in Phoenix because of a sore left knee, did not practice Friday. Rockets coach Rick Adelman would not speculate as to whether his second-leading scorer (18.5 per game) and leading rebounder (8.1) will play tonight, and said the novelty of the situation compounds the uncertainty.

"He's never been hurt, you know, before, so I don't have any guess as to if he's going to play or try to play or, if he does try to play, how effective he's going to be," Adelman said. "We're just hoping in his time frame he continues to get better and when he is ready to go he can play like he does normally."


..."You don't want him to do anything that is going to make it worse," Adelman said. "Even if it means missing two or three games, you need him back healthy.

"That's who Luis is: If he can play, he's going to try to play. (But) you know he's hurt, that's the thing. You know he's hurt when he can't come out and practice."


...Adelman said the Rockets could start Patrick Patterson, Brad Miller or Jordan Hill.


Much respect for Spurs

"The thing that impressed me is their ability to score without flashiness," (Patterson) said. "You look around the league and see all the superstars, athletes who can jump out of the gym, run up and down, fast-paced, high-flying. The Spurs I saw in college were a lot of old-school, get-it-done type basketball, focusing on defense and running transition and executing.

"They didn't try to be fancy. They did it their way. In college, a lot of people saw it as boring. I saw it as a smart way to win."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7468994.html

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


TONIGHT: ROCKETS VS. SAN ANTONIO
David Barron

• Players to watch: Rockets G Kyle Lowry - In the wake of his 32-point outburst at Phoenix, including seven 3-pointers, Lowry is averaging 20.3 points and 7.3 assists over the past seven games since the NBA trade deadline. Spurs F Richard Jefferson - His first season in San Antonio was a struggle, but in his second campaign he's changed his game and shooting motion to the point that, at 30, he's on course for the best 3-point percentage of his career. Through Thursday, he was shooting 43.8 percent on 3s, which is sixth best in the NBA.


• By the numbers: 8-16 The Rockets aren't even within hailing distance of .500 in their past 24 games against San Antonio.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7468994.html

[VBM]

I plan on being in Section 402 in the nosebleeds talkin' some shit. Pre-gaming at House of Blues a few blocks from Toyota Center (hope to see some Spurs jerseys in the area).

http://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=LtgX-e3f8ctI3U5dJtbt7EJ1ZfRneYme,jN47G5cOnFV0waZRnXwZs4 HkNZ8quzTG4MNUMeOnqpXrlMPD7gYz0JKmupOLgEEsQY6FzSPJ zeUIL5ehlmsr9OtKavJW6yDt5zLfWyRlAgsymc4IIg

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignment
Sat. Mar. 12
San Antonio @ Houston: Bennett Salvatore; Bennie Adams; Kane Fitzgerald

[Ditty]

I plan on being in Section 402 in the nosebleeds talkin' some shit. Pre-gaming at House of Blues a few blocks from Toyota Center (hope to see some Spurs jerseys in the area).

http://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=LtgX-e3f8ctI3U5dJtbt7EJ1ZfRneYme,jN47G5cOnFV0waZRnXwZs4 HkNZ8quzTG4MNUMeOnqpXrlMPD7gYz0JKmupOLgEEsQY6FzSPJ zeUIL5ehlmsr9OtKavJW6yDt5zLfWyRlAgsymc4IIg


Cool man ill tell all the spurs fans I'm going with about this

[duncan228]

Advanced Scouting: San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets-3-12)
by Scott Sereday
48 Minutes of Hell

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-houston-rockets-3-12

[spurs10]

Go Spurs!