timvp
04-23-2012, 02:00 AM
The Spurs have been playing beautiful basketball recently. Tonight, however, was not an example of Baloncesto Bonito. Both the Spurs and Cavs were herky-jerky throughout. Thankfully, San Antonio's offensive firepower was sufficient and carried the team to yet another victory.
The 114-98 win is the seventh straight for the Spurs. During that stretch, they're averaging 115.1 points and have outscored their opponents by 18.7 points per game.
Playing without Tim Duncan, the Spurs went on a run at the end of the first quarter ... and then just hung on from there. The Cavs made a couple runs but nothing too notable. Tony Parker was able to sit out the final 17 minutes and Manu Ginobili only played 22 total minutes.
This victory coupled with the Thunder's loss earlier in the day lowered San Antonio's magic number to one. In other words, if the Spurs win tomorrow night at home against the fadign Blazers, the Spurs will have homecourt advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
http://dailyelements.com/apr22box1.jpg
http://dailyelements.com/apr22box2.jpg
Tony Parker B+
Tony Parker was robotically efficient. He was making plays, getting the ball to the right players at the right time, pushing the pace and making life easier for all of his teammates. When it came to his own scoring, the floater in the lane was his weapon of choice tonight. Defensively, I thought he did fine work against Kyrie Irving when he was assigned to him. In the last five games, Parker is averaging 15.6 points and nine assists in only 24 minutes per game, while shooting 54.4% from the field. Amazingly, he didn't play a fourth quarter minute in any of those five outings.
Manu Ginobili B+
It appears as if Manu Ginobili is getting more and more comfortable in his all-around game. Tonight against the Cavs, he was operating a lot more than usual inside of the three-point arc -- and Ginobili had great success. He was finishing very well around the rim and dropped in some mid-range jumpers, which have been rare for him this season. (In fact, Ginobili has been all about layups and three-pointers this year. His previous season-low in three-point attempts in a game that he attempted double-digit field goals was four.) When Ginobili wasn't scoring, he was showing off his transcendent court vision. To nitpick, he didn't play up to his recent level on the defensive end and he had a few sloppy stretches on the offensive end. That said, in the big picture, Ginobili's play of late should have all Spurs fans excited about the possibilities.
Kawhi Leonard B-
Kawhi Leonard defended four positions tonight. From Irving to Antawn Jamison and a handful of swingmen in between, Leonard's defensive flexibility was on full display. While his actual defense wasn't overly impressive, it was great to see him step up to the challenge no matter who Pop put him on. Rebounding was a definite plus on the defensive end. Offensively, Leonard never found a groove and seemed to be second-guessing his every move. Sometimes he was too aggressive and sometimes he wasn't aggressive enough ... but that's par for the course for all rookies.
DeJuan Blair C-
In the first half, DeJuan Blair was horrible. He couldn't convert offensively, couldn't stop anyone defensively -- he was the round mound of unsound basketball. Blair was headed to a big fat F ... until the second half. In final two quarters, Blair was actually pretty damn good. He made all five of his field goal attempts, rebounded relatively well, dished off a couple assists, played competent defense and made nary a mistake. I'm not sure what Pop told Blair at halftime but he needs bottle that up.
Boris Diaw C
Starting in place of Duncan, Boris Diaw was decent. Offensively, it was the typical story of great passes while inexplicably failing to shoot a few wide open shots. Preferably, Diaw would have stepped up a bit more to carry a larger portion of the slack usually shouldered by Duncan -- but that didn't really happen. Defensively, Diaw was inconsistent. He had a few stellar possessions but then was caught woefully out of position at other times. Fouling too much continues to be an issue for Diaw.
Danny Green B+
With avoiding injuries being of the ultimate importance right now, undoubtedly the most frightening moment of the game was when Danny Green fell to the floor after being hit in the face while trying to convert a fast break layup. The Cavs were assessed a flagrant foul and Green left the court after shooting two one-eyed free throws. To everyone's relief, Green was able to return to action -- and return to putting it on his former team. In 45 minutes against the Cavs this season, he totaled 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor. Green is now 32-for-59 (54.2%) on three-pointers in his last 14 games and is shooting 47.4% from deep since the All-Star break. Against Cleveland, he also mixed in a few rugged drives to the rim while playing energetic and attentive defense. Green may be an overlooked member of the 2012 Spurs but he has become an indispensable cog in this machine.
Stephen Jackson B+
The Spurs (specifically Parker) were making a point of giving Stephen Jackson plenty of touches. Since Jackson is still working his way into shape, it was a good way to knock off some rust. By the fourth quarter, the Port Arthur native looked as comfortable as he has since he arrived back in San Antonio. In the final period, Jackson poured in 13 points on five field goal attempts and added a pair of assists. Defensively, while he had a few miscues, Jackson was mostly solid. His toughness in the paint remains an asset, as does his anticipation on the perimeter. If Jackson can find his touch, this team can get even scarier on the offensive end.
Gary Neal C
Gary Neal was another player who just never found a rhythm. Offensively, his passing was painful to watch, his ball-handling was shaky and his shot selection was subpar even for by his loose standards. For the first time in this win streak, he hit less than half of his shots from the field. Defensively, Neal was relatively good. The effort was there and I liked that he helped out on the defensive backboard.
Tiago Splitter B+
I have been underwhelmed by Tiago Splitter's defense recently but I was impressed with what I saw tonight. Not only was he protecting the rim, he wasn't hesitant to switch off onto a perimeter player and defend all the way out to the three-point line. Splitter also hustled back in transition and rebounded with authority. Offensively, it seemed like the only time he received the ball was following pick-and-rolls with Ginobili. Getting Splitter more touches should be a priority for the second unit going into the playoffs since he's so proven to be a potent scoring option.
Matt Bonner C-
While Matt Bonner was again playing with more than his usual amount of toughness, his misfirings in April continue to be worrisome. He's now 14 for his last 49 from three-point land for an anemic 28.6%. Against Cleveland, Bonner got wide open looks ... he just couldn't hit. Let's hope he heats up before the playoffs begin because Bonner isn't a good enough player to overcome a treasonous shooting touch.
Pop B+
After the Thunder lost, Pop reportedly decided to sit Duncan. It turned out to be a wise move. Add in limited minutes for Parker and Ginobili and Pop couldn't have hoped for much more. My favorite part of his coaching tonight was his lack of trepidation when the Cavs made their runs; Pop just let the players on the court figure it out. Calling numerous plays for Jackson was astute and could pay dividends down the road.
The 114-98 win is the seventh straight for the Spurs. During that stretch, they're averaging 115.1 points and have outscored their opponents by 18.7 points per game.
Playing without Tim Duncan, the Spurs went on a run at the end of the first quarter ... and then just hung on from there. The Cavs made a couple runs but nothing too notable. Tony Parker was able to sit out the final 17 minutes and Manu Ginobili only played 22 total minutes.
This victory coupled with the Thunder's loss earlier in the day lowered San Antonio's magic number to one. In other words, if the Spurs win tomorrow night at home against the fadign Blazers, the Spurs will have homecourt advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
http://dailyelements.com/apr22box1.jpg
http://dailyelements.com/apr22box2.jpg
Tony Parker B+
Tony Parker was robotically efficient. He was making plays, getting the ball to the right players at the right time, pushing the pace and making life easier for all of his teammates. When it came to his own scoring, the floater in the lane was his weapon of choice tonight. Defensively, I thought he did fine work against Kyrie Irving when he was assigned to him. In the last five games, Parker is averaging 15.6 points and nine assists in only 24 minutes per game, while shooting 54.4% from the field. Amazingly, he didn't play a fourth quarter minute in any of those five outings.
Manu Ginobili B+
It appears as if Manu Ginobili is getting more and more comfortable in his all-around game. Tonight against the Cavs, he was operating a lot more than usual inside of the three-point arc -- and Ginobili had great success. He was finishing very well around the rim and dropped in some mid-range jumpers, which have been rare for him this season. (In fact, Ginobili has been all about layups and three-pointers this year. His previous season-low in three-point attempts in a game that he attempted double-digit field goals was four.) When Ginobili wasn't scoring, he was showing off his transcendent court vision. To nitpick, he didn't play up to his recent level on the defensive end and he had a few sloppy stretches on the offensive end. That said, in the big picture, Ginobili's play of late should have all Spurs fans excited about the possibilities.
Kawhi Leonard B-
Kawhi Leonard defended four positions tonight. From Irving to Antawn Jamison and a handful of swingmen in between, Leonard's defensive flexibility was on full display. While his actual defense wasn't overly impressive, it was great to see him step up to the challenge no matter who Pop put him on. Rebounding was a definite plus on the defensive end. Offensively, Leonard never found a groove and seemed to be second-guessing his every move. Sometimes he was too aggressive and sometimes he wasn't aggressive enough ... but that's par for the course for all rookies.
DeJuan Blair C-
In the first half, DeJuan Blair was horrible. He couldn't convert offensively, couldn't stop anyone defensively -- he was the round mound of unsound basketball. Blair was headed to a big fat F ... until the second half. In final two quarters, Blair was actually pretty damn good. He made all five of his field goal attempts, rebounded relatively well, dished off a couple assists, played competent defense and made nary a mistake. I'm not sure what Pop told Blair at halftime but he needs bottle that up.
Boris Diaw C
Starting in place of Duncan, Boris Diaw was decent. Offensively, it was the typical story of great passes while inexplicably failing to shoot a few wide open shots. Preferably, Diaw would have stepped up a bit more to carry a larger portion of the slack usually shouldered by Duncan -- but that didn't really happen. Defensively, Diaw was inconsistent. He had a few stellar possessions but then was caught woefully out of position at other times. Fouling too much continues to be an issue for Diaw.
Danny Green B+
With avoiding injuries being of the ultimate importance right now, undoubtedly the most frightening moment of the game was when Danny Green fell to the floor after being hit in the face while trying to convert a fast break layup. The Cavs were assessed a flagrant foul and Green left the court after shooting two one-eyed free throws. To everyone's relief, Green was able to return to action -- and return to putting it on his former team. In 45 minutes against the Cavs this season, he totaled 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor. Green is now 32-for-59 (54.2%) on three-pointers in his last 14 games and is shooting 47.4% from deep since the All-Star break. Against Cleveland, he also mixed in a few rugged drives to the rim while playing energetic and attentive defense. Green may be an overlooked member of the 2012 Spurs but he has become an indispensable cog in this machine.
Stephen Jackson B+
The Spurs (specifically Parker) were making a point of giving Stephen Jackson plenty of touches. Since Jackson is still working his way into shape, it was a good way to knock off some rust. By the fourth quarter, the Port Arthur native looked as comfortable as he has since he arrived back in San Antonio. In the final period, Jackson poured in 13 points on five field goal attempts and added a pair of assists. Defensively, while he had a few miscues, Jackson was mostly solid. His toughness in the paint remains an asset, as does his anticipation on the perimeter. If Jackson can find his touch, this team can get even scarier on the offensive end.
Gary Neal C
Gary Neal was another player who just never found a rhythm. Offensively, his passing was painful to watch, his ball-handling was shaky and his shot selection was subpar even for by his loose standards. For the first time in this win streak, he hit less than half of his shots from the field. Defensively, Neal was relatively good. The effort was there and I liked that he helped out on the defensive backboard.
Tiago Splitter B+
I have been underwhelmed by Tiago Splitter's defense recently but I was impressed with what I saw tonight. Not only was he protecting the rim, he wasn't hesitant to switch off onto a perimeter player and defend all the way out to the three-point line. Splitter also hustled back in transition and rebounded with authority. Offensively, it seemed like the only time he received the ball was following pick-and-rolls with Ginobili. Getting Splitter more touches should be a priority for the second unit going into the playoffs since he's so proven to be a potent scoring option.
Matt Bonner C-
While Matt Bonner was again playing with more than his usual amount of toughness, his misfirings in April continue to be worrisome. He's now 14 for his last 49 from three-point land for an anemic 28.6%. Against Cleveland, Bonner got wide open looks ... he just couldn't hit. Let's hope he heats up before the playoffs begin because Bonner isn't a good enough player to overcome a treasonous shooting touch.
Pop B+
After the Thunder lost, Pop reportedly decided to sit Duncan. It turned out to be a wise move. Add in limited minutes for Parker and Ginobili and Pop couldn't have hoped for much more. My favorite part of his coaching tonight was his lack of trepidation when the Cavs made their runs; Pop just let the players on the court figure it out. Calling numerous plays for Jackson was astute and could pay dividends down the road.