Stein on how close the Raptors / Spurs Game just was...

[BillMc]

Per Mark Stein's Twitter account:

Elias says Spurs/Raps double OT game FIRST in shot-clock era (since 1954) where first five periods were either tied or w/margin of one

Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine
In other words, Elias is saying that -- UNTIL second overtime -- Spurs at Raptors was most tightly contested game in NBA's modern history


Also:

Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine

Elias Sports Bureau diggin' deep as usual: Tim Duncan has strung together four successive 20-point games for first time since November 2009

http://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=ESPNSteinLine


The one about Duncan kind of worries me. So, he started off this hot in November in 2009, and I recall he didn't look too good by the end of the season. Hope history doesn't repeat itself. (Or am I thinking of 2010?)

[Ice009]

If 2009 was George Hill's rookie season, then yes, it was that season where Tim started off good, but that was also the season where Bonner was a starter. You can imagine why Tim was tired at the end of that season.

[BillMc]

If 2009 was George Hill's rookie season, then yes, it was that season where Tim started off good, but that was also the season where Bonner was a starter. You can imagine why Tim was tired at the end of that season.

Good point.

[TDMVPDPOY]

duncan couldve had more pts, if the idiots on the team continue to feed him down low then looking for their own shit....

duncan was basically having his way against one of the jonas brothers down low taking him to school...

duncans midrange is as automatic as his bankshot a few leap years ago :(, if he can bring back that bankshot...he be basically playin like in his prime....
4 down is still effective due to the shitty big man who dont play a lick of defense

i dunno about easily contested game, we missed alot of shots and gave up so many defensive rebs that the raptors had so many 2nd chance opportunities where the killed the spurs on the board..

[Fireball]

The one about Duncan kind of worries me. So, he started off this hot in November in 2009, and I recall he didn't look too good by the end of the season. Hope history doesn't repeat itself. (Or am I thinking of 2010?)

Last season showed that Timmys knees are in way better shape than in 2009. I think he will slow down a little bit (because he is just too good right now for a 36year old player), but I have faith he will not have a huge drop-off in production ... hopefully he stays healthy

[TimDunkem]

If 2009 was George Hill's rookie season, then yes, it was that season where Tim started off good, but that was also the season where Bonner was a starter. You can imagine why Tim was tired at the end of that season.
Well, if the string of games was in November 2009, then it was during the 09-10 NBA season...So, no, it was the following year.

[Ice009]

Well, if the string of games was in November 2009, then it was during the 09-10 NBA season...So, no, it was the following year.

It was the 08/09 season.

[racm]

It was a game the Spurs would have lost if they had the 2008-09 or 2009-10 squads, IMO. Replace Neal with RMJ, Green with old Bowen/he who must not be named, and Splitter with old Dice/Kurt.

[Kidd K]

It's not really the most tightly contested game in NBA history. The quarters just ended close.

We were up by 5-9 for awhile before letting them back in. If a whole game was within like 3 the whole way, that'd be pretty tightly contested. . .but there were a few sizable leads there.

Interesting stat though. I'm sure it's because of the Overtime that made it so rare though, there's probably been quite a few games that had their quarters end that close through 4.

[TampaDude]

The only "interesting" thing about the game is that the Spurs won.