Game Blog: Spurs @ Nuggets - February 23

[TDfan2007]

Tim's head is not in the game today. He's been slow to react to loose balls, rebounds, and the pnr.

[Spurtacus]

Where's Kawhi?

[crc21209]

:lol Corey Brewer thinks he's a star, chill out there young'n....

[bklynspursfan]

wtf people are complaining ? we are 14 pts lead 5 mn to go

Giving up so many points to a banged up team is extremely frustrating. The defense HAS to improve

[GSH]

Parker hasn't played too well since he subbed out and went to the side of the bench after that layup attempt where he fell to the ground and held his knee for a second

I'm not concerned about the Spurs' being unable to score. It's their inability to get a stop. Damn.

[bklynspursfan]

I'm not concerned about the Spurs' being unable to score. It's their inability to get a stop. Damn.

Exactly... :bang:bang

[crc21209]

TD And-1!

[Juggity]

Dejuan aiming for the career high tonight

[BanditHiro]

yes injury for the thuggets.

[bklynspursfan]

I'm not concerned about the Spurs' being unable to score. It's their inability to get a stop. Damn.

We had no problem scoring last year either. We need some defense!

[Mal]

Props to Denver for making game score not laughable

[TDfan2007]

Spurs got a huge lead against a bad team, then had a mental lapse and started getting lethargic. Happens to the best of 'em.

[007nites]

Timmy! Will not be denied!

[Brazil]

Giving up so many points to a banged up team is extremely frustrating. The defense HAS to improve

you are right to be exigent but come on we have a double digit lead... last road game before the ASG.. we are also a banged up team...

[crc21209]

Rj 3333333333333

[GSH]

Well tonight our offense is mainly what's responsible for their high scoring total. Tony's shot way too damn early in the clock all game, I don't think they really have a high shooting % or a lot of offensive rebounds.


I want credit from some of the rest of you for not going completely apeshit crazy over that comment. Note the self-control.:D

[DontStopBelieving]

Defense and reliance on 3 point shooting starting to worry me..

[crc21209]

So the 2 guys who get shitted on the most on ST are gonna win the game for us tonight, Blair and RJ...:lol

[mystargtr34]

Blair looks fatter and more earth bound each game.

[007nites]

Lol Blair trying to catch high and finish high

[DPG21920]

Blair with a monster stat line tonight.

[024]

defense kind of crumbling at the end

[timtonymanu]

Yeah the defense has been crap in the 2nd half.

This team just take their big leads for granted way too much.

[crc21209]

Blair with 26 and 10, RJ with 17. Who would've ever thought? :lol

[DPG21920]

It's amazing how Blair, after thinking about it, was able to put up these numbers with really not jumping at all. It's shocking to see how little he actually jumps at the moment.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Blair really does have a 5 inch vertical now. This is crazy.

[crc21209]

Yeah the defense has been crap in the 2nd half.

This team just take their big leads for granted way too much.

I think it's pretty natural to let your foot off the gas after being up 30, last game of a long road trip, and last game before All-Star break. They're human....

[bklynspursfan]

you are right to be exigent but come on we have a double digit lead... last road game before the ASG.. we are also a banged up team...

I know. These guys just played in LA last night got in at like 3am. Just feel there's no reason they have 93 points with 2 mins left.. Frustrating. But I see your point

[crc21209]

110-1! Spurs lead! :lol

[Robz4000]

lol 110-1

[Cant_Be_Faded]

lol 110-1

cuhrawhful

[crc21209]

Blair with the J! 28 points! Showcasing him for a trade! :lol

[jestersmash]

Hopefully Blair doesn't think he actually has the green light to shoot that mid range jumper if the game is close...

[BanditHiro]

good win i never lost faith

[bklynspursfan]

seriously giving up 3s like that pisses me off. Regardless of the score or time left

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Blair jumps like 2 inches on his jumpshots too

[GSH]

you are right to be exigent but come on we have a double digit lead... last road game before the ASG.. we are also a banged up team...

We gave up 33 points to them in the third quarter. THAT is the one and only thing that I'm unhappy with. It used to be that, even when nothing else was working, the Spurs could play defense. They are officially the opposite of that now. I guess it's reality, but I don't like it.


Oh, and 27 points in the fourth. That's a 60 point half. Not good enough under any circumstances.

[bklynspursfan]

r u f*ng kidding me

[crc21209]

:lmao At them actually looking to see if the foul happened before the buzzer sounded. Like it fucking matters...

[DontStopBelieving]

Seriously?..

[timtonymanu]

Wow. Forget the foul. Just end the game.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Great win for the guys and an 8-1 rodeo road trip record couldn't look any more satisfying. Bring on the home stretch!

[bklynspursfan]

We gave up 33 points to them in the third quarter. THAT is the one and only thing that I'm unhappy with. It used to be that, even when nothing else was working, the Spurs could play defense. They are officially the opposite of that now. I guess it's reality, but I don't like it.

I hate it. When we first started with Kawhi playing great, Manu was active it was nice. Let's hope it improves after the break.

[TDomination]

haha reviewing if there was a foul

[DPG21920]

8-1 RRT, Mavs losing to LA negates the POR give-away, all in all great job Spurs.

[timtonymanu]

8-1 on the RRT. That's fucking awesome. Could have potentially been 9-0 but still awesome.

[jestersmash]

good win i never lost faith

5 minutes earlier....


wow unbelievable. we lost.

[timvp]

"Game Over, Man!"

:lol

[Robz4000]

lol refs. Ah well, Spurs won. There was flashes of really good D when the game was still close and when Denver went on their run. Hopefully this was just a matter of the Spurs getting lazy with a large lead.

[TDomination]

Great win for the guys and an 8-1 rodeo road trip record couldn't look any more satisfying. Bring on the home stretch!

and i can't believe we realistically shouldve gone 9-0, not saying the portland game was an automatic W if we played timmy and parker, but I am saying that.

[Brazil]

We gave up 33 points to them in the third quarter. THAT is the one and only thing that I'm unhappy with. It used to be that, even when nothing else was working, the Spurs could play defense. They are officially the opposite of that now. I guess it's reality, but I don't like it.


Oh, and 27 points in the fourth. That's a 60 point half. Not good enough under any circumstances.

it's annoying that's true but the guys are human they are on the last game of the rrt they relaxed a little on the second half but we still get the W and we finished this road trip 8-1 without manu and tj and the last 3 games without tiago. The big picture is pretty ok tbh.

[GSH]

The guy's hair on FSW just got worse.

[DPG21920]

The move by Pop turned out really well and this Spurs team has seemingly won all the big games you have wanted to see this year. Great way to come out focused early and build that lead so you could just manage the win. Unbelievably successful RRT with the exception of Tiago/Manu getting injured. Spurs just keep plugging guys in who get the job done though.

Still annoying the Spurs have fragile guys, but Pop made the right decision given the reality of the situation like it or not.

[GSH]

it's annoying that's true but the guys are human they are on the last game of the rrt they relaxed a little on the second half but we still get the W and we finished this road trip 8-1 without manu and tj and the last 3 games without tiago. The big picture is pretty ok tbh.


Ahh, I'm not going to get into a big debate about it. You're right that there are a lot of positives. No harm in enjoying them.

BUT - when the other team is getting on a roll, this Spurs team's first thought is outscoring them. That style of play isn't going to go anywhere in the playoffs. TBH, I'd rather see the Spurs get back-to-back stops, than make back-to-back 3-pointers on the other end. And by stops, I mean defense - not just watching the other team miss a wide open shot.

The problems is, I think my expectations just aren't reasonable. We aren't that team anymore.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

In all fairness, DPG, Denver is not the same team they were 3 weeks ago, they actually have been playing like mung for a while now, this was the Spurs owning a beaten down team they were supposed to own.

[ElNono]

We win!

[DPG21920]

I agree, but these are games that are about focus and a mission. Spurs are locking in and taking care of business. Boiled down, they went 8-1 and that is incredible. Many times in previous years this team would lose a game under these circumstances and leave a sour taste in your mouth. Tonight they finished on a high note and have done so all season.

[GSH]

In all fairness, DPG, Denver is not the same team they were 3 weeks ago, they actually have been playing like mung for a while now, this was the Spurs owning a beaten down team they were supposed to own.

The Nuggets have lost some extremely close games to some of the best teams. They are just about 5-6 missed shots away from being 4th in the West. They aren't loaded with talent, but they are playing really good team ball. If they had just a little more horsepower, so they could hang in some 4th quarters, they would be really tough. Anyone that overlooks them in any given game is up for a loss.

[crc21209]

19 of the next 32 games at home. Nice :tu

[Brazil]

Ahh, I'm not going to get into a big debate about it. You're right that there are a lot of positives. No harm in enjoying them.

BUT - when the other team is getting on a roll, this Spurs team's first thought is outscoring them. That style of play isn't going to go anywhere in the playoffs. TBH, I'd rather see the Spurs get back-to-back stops, than make back-to-back 3-pointers on the other end. And by stops, I mean defense - not just watching the other team miss a wide open shot.

The problems is, I think my expectations just aren't reasonable. We aren't that team anymore.

I will increase my expectations when that team will be a little bit more healthy. Right now I'm happy with every freaking w we can get. Now for the POs we are still short a defensive minded big away to be serious IMHO.

[timtonymanu]

19 of the next 32 games at home. Nice :tu

Let's only hope our team goes up and not down. It's going to be interesting to see how they'll play after the ASB and if they make a move.

[GSH]

I will increase my expectations when that team will be a little bit more healthy. Right now I'm happy with every freaking w we can get. Now for the POs we are still short a defensive minded big away to be serious IMHO.

:tu

I can't argue with that. Not even a little bit. Take what we can get, and enjoy the show. And remember that it's going to get better when Tiago, Manu, and TJ get back.

[ata]

19 of the next 32 games at home. Nice :tu

with triple b2b - twice

[Brazil]

:tu

I can't argue with that. Not even a little bit. Take what we can get, and enjoy the show. And remember that it's going to get better when Tiago, Manu, and TJ get back.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this spurs team with everybody in good shape against a top gun of the league... I'm eager to see what we really have with this team

[Spursfanfromafar]

Is Kawhi injured? ESPN says (calf)..doesn't elaborate.

[GSH]

Is Kawhi injured? ESPN says (calf)..doesn't elaborate.

It sounded like he was just tightening up and they let him rest rather than pushing it. He had been playing under 20 minutes per game, and then put in 43 really hard minutes against Portland. And isn't it about time for the rookies to start feeling the longer schedule? Hopefully that's all it is.

[DPG21920]

I think we know what the Spurs have at this point and what they are. They are a very solid offensive team with great ball movement, solid post play in Tim/Tiago & a productive bench. They are reliant on the three-ball, but seemingly not as much as in years past. They are an average defensive team and it's difficult to see much improvement. The best they can do is bring a constant energy and play a swarming quasi-zone type defense. They have the ability to be an elite rebounding team.

They still have their most glaring flaw and unless a front court player that is better defensively than Blair is brought in, it will likely kill any chance at a WCF run unless the Spurs get great match ups and get unexpected performances from guys like Blair/Bonner/Neal/Green.

[DPG21920]

Having said that, this team has been so solid this year overall and I feel much more confident in things working out (or at least having the potential to work out) than in years past. Mainly due to the bench play (especially guys like Green/Tiago) and how great TP/Manu/TD have looked at times (TP being the most consistent).

[Robz4000]

I think we know what the Spurs have at this point and what they are. They are a very solid offensive team with great ball movement, solid post play in Tim/Tiago & a productive bench. They are reliant on the three-ball, but seemingly not as much as in years past. They are an average defensive team and it's difficult to see much improvement. The best they can do is bring a constant energy and play a swarming quasi-zone type defense. They have the ability to be an elite rebounding team.

They still have their most glaring flaw and unless a front court player that is better defensively than Blair is brought in, it will likely kill any chance at a WCF run unless the Spurs get great match ups and get unexpected performances from guys like Blair/Bonner/Neal/Green.
Spurs can be a top 10 defense imo. Getting Manu and Tiago back will put them on that course. Get another big to control the paint and they'll get there for sure.