timvp
01-25-2013, 05:55 PM
After polar opposite halves, the Spurs finished strong to snatch their sixth consecutive victory. The Hornets gave the Spurs another strong push before succumbing in front of the San Antonio faithful. Considering that New Orleans had won seven of their previous nine games and the Spurs were playing without Tim Duncan (sore knee) and Kawhi Leonard (leg contusion), this was a terrific win for the good guys.
In the first quarter, the Spurs struggled to get a stop. With three and a half minutes remaining in the period, the Hornets were up 31-21. Thankfully, the Spurs finally played decent defense for a few minutes and made it 35-32 at the end of the quarter.
Matt Bonner tied the game a couple minutes into the second quarter but that parity was short-lived. The soon-to-be Pelicans scored 16 of the game’s next 22 points to take another ten-point lead, 53-43. The Spurs again responded, this time by scoring 17 points in the final four and a half minutes of the half. At intermission, the Hornets were up 64-60.
Mike Budenholzer, who was filling in for an ill Gregg Popovich, reportedly dropped a few colorful expletives during the halftime break. Whatever he said was successful because the defensive focus in the second half was much better. In the first eight minutes of the third quarter, the Hornets could only muster six points. Regrettably, San Antonio’s offense also started sputtering, so the Spurs were only up by two points at the end of that New Orleans drought. By the end of the third, the Hornets had reclaimed a one-point advantage, 79-78.
In the fourth quarter, the Hornets repeated history by being impotent offensively to begin the period. This time, they scored only four points in the first six minutes. But again, the Spurs didn’t take advantage -- going up by only two points during that stretch.
After a Ryan Anderson three-pointer gave the Hornets the lead, the Spurs finally put it all together. Over a span of four glorious minutes late in the fourth, San Antonio exploded on a 16-3 run to take a 101-89 lead with less than two minutes remaining. The Hornets scored 13 points in the final 80 seconds but fortunately it was too little, too late.
http://www.spurstalk.com/box451.jpg
http://www.spurstalk.com/box452.jpg
http://www.spurstalk.com/box453.jpg
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Tony Parker
http://www.spurstalk.com/tp12.png
With Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Pop out in addition to a limited Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker had a lot on his plate on Wednesday night. Instead of being overwhelmed, the Frenchman feasted. His running of the offense was nearly perfect. He played at a sustainable pace, continuously made plays, dominated in pick-and-roll sets and, perhaps most importantly, took care of the basketball. Turning it over only one time with the Hornets swarming all over him was really, really impressive -- as were, obviously, his 13 assists. Scoring-wise, Parker kept his best for last. He was 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter and powered the 16-3 spurt that basically won the game. Defensively, while Greivis Vasquez’s height and bulk gave him trouble at times, Parker was active on that end as well.
Final Grade: 97
Season Average: 87.2
Adj. Average: 87.2
Last 10 Average: 87.3
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Manu Ginobili
http://www.spurstalk.com/mg12.png
In his return from a strained hamstring, Manu Ginobili produced well. He didn’t force the issue much but was still able to be right in the thick of things during his 17 minutes. Ginobili exhibited decent burst to the basket, passed extremely well and only had a couple miscues. Defensively, he was attentive and made multiple plays -- especially in transition and loose ball situations. As for how he looked physically, it honestly wasn’t too pretty. Ginobili was slow up and down the court and he wasn’t getting much lift when he jumped. Let’s hope his athleticism returns quickly once he regains confidence that his hamstring is healthy.
Final Grade: 85
Season Average: 84.6
Adj. Average: 84.4
Last 10 Average: 87.0
---------------
Danny Green
http://www.spurstalk.com/dg12.png
Defensively, it was night in the first half and day in the second half. Eric Gordon just torched him in the first two quarters on his way to 17 points. Green looked helpless as Gordon put on a show. The final two quarter, though, were completely different. Gordon was held without a point as Green became the aggressor. Instead of sitting back and letting Gordon operate, Green got into him and was able to spoil numerous Hornets possessions. Offensively, Green helped keep the Spurs afloat in the second quarter when he scored eight straight points in 74 seconds. While his offense outside of catch-and-shoots wasn’t attractive, his aggression was a plus and he played with a lot of confidence.
Final Grade: 90
Season Average: 82.7
Adj. Average: 83.0
Last 10 Average: 82.8
---------------
Stephen Jackson
http://www.spurstalk.com/sj12.png
Starting in place of Leonard, Stephen Jackson was able to bust out of his shooting slump. In addition to his trio of three-pointers, Jackson made some plays in the low block and in transition. His taking care of the ball was important, as was his acceptable shot selection. Defensively, he’s still not moving well; he remains a step or two slower than usual. His rebounding was also underwhelming. That said, he was much better in the second half at using his fast hands to his advantage. All in all, Jackson still has a lot of room for improvement but it was encouraging to see him step up when he was needed.
Final Grade: 86
Season Average: 81.4
Adj. Average: 82.2
Last 10 Average: 79.4
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Tiago Splitter
http://www.spurstalk.com/ts12.png
Tiago Splitter has been automatic at the basket lately. In his last five games, he’s now averaging 15.6 points on 72.3% shooting from the field. Against New Orleans, he was particularly agile, coordinated and sly when finishing. Splitter remains the best roller in the league after setting a pick. Defensively, the Brazilian was decent to good -- but far from his best. I liked that he pulled down a handful of contested boards but his cohesion with his teammates was iffy. In the first half, he was hesitant regarding when to switch, when to rotate and when to drop into the lane. That hesitancy played a role in the Hornets doing so well scoring-wise and rebounding-wise in the first 24 minutes. To Splitter’s credit, he got better and more decisive defensively as the game progressed.
Final Grade: 96
Season Average: 85.6
Adj. Average: 86.4
Last 10 Average: 88.5
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Boris Diaw
http://www.spurstalk.com/bd12.png
Passiveness reared its ugly head once again. Boris Diaw didn’t want to shoot and was shutout in 28 minutes of play. With Duncan unavailable, Diaw’s aversion to shooting was even costlier than usual. Luckily, he was able keep some of his offensive value by taking care of the ball when dishing off his fancy passes. Defensively, Diaw was above average. He could have rebounded better but he held his position in the paint well and his team defense in the second half was solid.
Final Grade: 76
Season Average: 81.0
Adj. Average: 81.8
Last 10 Average: 83.0
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Gary Neal
http://www.spurstalk.com/gn12.png
The Bad: Gary Neal’s comeback from the calf strain continues to have more downs than ups. He had another inaccurate evening from the field. His shot selection was too liberal and he broke the offense too often. Even with Ginobili back, Neal was looking to do too much. The Good: Neal’s defense was better than it has been lately. He authored a couple quality passes and didn’t turn it over. One of the three shots he hit was a momentous three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Final Grade: 74
Season Average: 79.6
Adj. Average: 80.5
Last 10 Average: 76.3
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Matt Bonner
http://www.spurstalk.com/mb12.png
Matt Bonner hit both of his two-pointers, including the first reverse layup of his basketball life. Sadly, even though the Hornets were leaving him open, Bonner couldn’t make 'em pay from beyond the three-point line. He had great looks; just didn’t hit. Defensively, he was satisfactory. His rebounding was sturdy and he made his opponent work hard. Though he did get scored on, it usually was due to good offense and not bad defense.
Final Grade: 75
Season Average: 80.3
Adj. Average: 82.3
Last 10 Average: 75.9
---------------
Nando De Colo
http://www.spurstalk.com/ndc12.png
Nando De Colo put together one of his better outings as the full-time backup point guard in a long while. On offense, he was adequately aggressive with his shooting, made slick passes and avoided racking up senseless turnovers. He also showed better chemistry with Ginobili. On defense, De Colo was lively. He was again helpful on the glass, plus he was much smarter about not roaming too far off of his man.
Final Grade: 88
Season Average: 81.5
Adj. Average: 83.3
Last 10 Average: 79.6
---------------
DeJuan Blair
http://www.spurstalk.com/db12.png
Getting minutes with Duncan out, DeJuan Blair did well. He was competent in pick-and-roll sets offensively and didn’t try to do too much. On D, he stayed focused and made a couple heady rotations. Blair also rebounded very well. While he didn’t do anything too amazing, he provided the Spurs some value in his limited minutes mostly due to playing smarter than usual.
Final Grade: 88
Season Average: 79.4
Adj. Average: 80.7
Last 10 Average: 91.7
---------------
Bud
http://www.spurstalk.com/bud2012.jpg
Thrown into a difficult situation, Mike Budenholzer did commendable work. The amount of defensive improvement after halftime is a sign that this team respects and listens to what he says. His rotation mostly made sense and he avoided overplaying anyone. Bud probably played Neal too much and Splitter not enough ... but that’s about the extent of my nitpicking on this night.
Final Grade: 89
Season Average: 89.0
Last 10 Average: 89.0
---------------
Offense
Considering the pace (93 possessions), the Spurs did quite well on the offensive end -- and it would have been even better if not for a flukishly low free throw percentage. The three main reasons for the success: 1) turning it over only nine times 2) scoring 25 fast break points 3) tallying an eye-popping 66 points in the paint.
Final Grade: 96
Season Average: 84.1
Last 10 Average: 81.8
---------------
Defense
Giving up 102 points isn’t grand -- but the specifics make it more palatable. After giving up 64 points in the first half, the Spurs held the Hornets to only 25 points in the first 22:40 of the second half. That’s a stunning reversal.
Final Grade: 77
Season Average: 84.2
Last 10 Average: 86.5
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Overall
This was another strong victory made even stronger due to less than ideal conditions. Winning six straight with Duncan, Ginobili and Leonard (and Pop, for that matter) in and out of action is praiseworthy. The Spurs now have a back-to-back against the Mavs and Suns before kicking off a rest-filled stretch. Onward.
Final Grade: 87
Season Average: 84.3
Last 10 Average: 84.7
---------------
In the first quarter, the Spurs struggled to get a stop. With three and a half minutes remaining in the period, the Hornets were up 31-21. Thankfully, the Spurs finally played decent defense for a few minutes and made it 35-32 at the end of the quarter.
Matt Bonner tied the game a couple minutes into the second quarter but that parity was short-lived. The soon-to-be Pelicans scored 16 of the game’s next 22 points to take another ten-point lead, 53-43. The Spurs again responded, this time by scoring 17 points in the final four and a half minutes of the half. At intermission, the Hornets were up 64-60.
Mike Budenholzer, who was filling in for an ill Gregg Popovich, reportedly dropped a few colorful expletives during the halftime break. Whatever he said was successful because the defensive focus in the second half was much better. In the first eight minutes of the third quarter, the Hornets could only muster six points. Regrettably, San Antonio’s offense also started sputtering, so the Spurs were only up by two points at the end of that New Orleans drought. By the end of the third, the Hornets had reclaimed a one-point advantage, 79-78.
In the fourth quarter, the Hornets repeated history by being impotent offensively to begin the period. This time, they scored only four points in the first six minutes. But again, the Spurs didn’t take advantage -- going up by only two points during that stretch.
After a Ryan Anderson three-pointer gave the Hornets the lead, the Spurs finally put it all together. Over a span of four glorious minutes late in the fourth, San Antonio exploded on a 16-3 run to take a 101-89 lead with less than two minutes remaining. The Hornets scored 13 points in the final 80 seconds but fortunately it was too little, too late.
http://www.spurstalk.com/box451.jpg
http://www.spurstalk.com/box452.jpg
http://www.spurstalk.com/box453.jpg
---------------
Tony Parker
http://www.spurstalk.com/tp12.png
With Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Pop out in addition to a limited Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker had a lot on his plate on Wednesday night. Instead of being overwhelmed, the Frenchman feasted. His running of the offense was nearly perfect. He played at a sustainable pace, continuously made plays, dominated in pick-and-roll sets and, perhaps most importantly, took care of the basketball. Turning it over only one time with the Hornets swarming all over him was really, really impressive -- as were, obviously, his 13 assists. Scoring-wise, Parker kept his best for last. He was 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter and powered the 16-3 spurt that basically won the game. Defensively, while Greivis Vasquez’s height and bulk gave him trouble at times, Parker was active on that end as well.
Final Grade: 97
Season Average: 87.2
Adj. Average: 87.2
Last 10 Average: 87.3
---------------
Manu Ginobili
http://www.spurstalk.com/mg12.png
In his return from a strained hamstring, Manu Ginobili produced well. He didn’t force the issue much but was still able to be right in the thick of things during his 17 minutes. Ginobili exhibited decent burst to the basket, passed extremely well and only had a couple miscues. Defensively, he was attentive and made multiple plays -- especially in transition and loose ball situations. As for how he looked physically, it honestly wasn’t too pretty. Ginobili was slow up and down the court and he wasn’t getting much lift when he jumped. Let’s hope his athleticism returns quickly once he regains confidence that his hamstring is healthy.
Final Grade: 85
Season Average: 84.6
Adj. Average: 84.4
Last 10 Average: 87.0
---------------
Danny Green
http://www.spurstalk.com/dg12.png
Defensively, it was night in the first half and day in the second half. Eric Gordon just torched him in the first two quarters on his way to 17 points. Green looked helpless as Gordon put on a show. The final two quarter, though, were completely different. Gordon was held without a point as Green became the aggressor. Instead of sitting back and letting Gordon operate, Green got into him and was able to spoil numerous Hornets possessions. Offensively, Green helped keep the Spurs afloat in the second quarter when he scored eight straight points in 74 seconds. While his offense outside of catch-and-shoots wasn’t attractive, his aggression was a plus and he played with a lot of confidence.
Final Grade: 90
Season Average: 82.7
Adj. Average: 83.0
Last 10 Average: 82.8
---------------
Stephen Jackson
http://www.spurstalk.com/sj12.png
Starting in place of Leonard, Stephen Jackson was able to bust out of his shooting slump. In addition to his trio of three-pointers, Jackson made some plays in the low block and in transition. His taking care of the ball was important, as was his acceptable shot selection. Defensively, he’s still not moving well; he remains a step or two slower than usual. His rebounding was also underwhelming. That said, he was much better in the second half at using his fast hands to his advantage. All in all, Jackson still has a lot of room for improvement but it was encouraging to see him step up when he was needed.
Final Grade: 86
Season Average: 81.4
Adj. Average: 82.2
Last 10 Average: 79.4
---------------
Tiago Splitter
http://www.spurstalk.com/ts12.png
Tiago Splitter has been automatic at the basket lately. In his last five games, he’s now averaging 15.6 points on 72.3% shooting from the field. Against New Orleans, he was particularly agile, coordinated and sly when finishing. Splitter remains the best roller in the league after setting a pick. Defensively, the Brazilian was decent to good -- but far from his best. I liked that he pulled down a handful of contested boards but his cohesion with his teammates was iffy. In the first half, he was hesitant regarding when to switch, when to rotate and when to drop into the lane. That hesitancy played a role in the Hornets doing so well scoring-wise and rebounding-wise in the first 24 minutes. To Splitter’s credit, he got better and more decisive defensively as the game progressed.
Final Grade: 96
Season Average: 85.6
Adj. Average: 86.4
Last 10 Average: 88.5
---------------
Boris Diaw
http://www.spurstalk.com/bd12.png
Passiveness reared its ugly head once again. Boris Diaw didn’t want to shoot and was shutout in 28 minutes of play. With Duncan unavailable, Diaw’s aversion to shooting was even costlier than usual. Luckily, he was able keep some of his offensive value by taking care of the ball when dishing off his fancy passes. Defensively, Diaw was above average. He could have rebounded better but he held his position in the paint well and his team defense in the second half was solid.
Final Grade: 76
Season Average: 81.0
Adj. Average: 81.8
Last 10 Average: 83.0
---------------
Gary Neal
http://www.spurstalk.com/gn12.png
The Bad: Gary Neal’s comeback from the calf strain continues to have more downs than ups. He had another inaccurate evening from the field. His shot selection was too liberal and he broke the offense too often. Even with Ginobili back, Neal was looking to do too much. The Good: Neal’s defense was better than it has been lately. He authored a couple quality passes and didn’t turn it over. One of the three shots he hit was a momentous three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Final Grade: 74
Season Average: 79.6
Adj. Average: 80.5
Last 10 Average: 76.3
---------------
Matt Bonner
http://www.spurstalk.com/mb12.png
Matt Bonner hit both of his two-pointers, including the first reverse layup of his basketball life. Sadly, even though the Hornets were leaving him open, Bonner couldn’t make 'em pay from beyond the three-point line. He had great looks; just didn’t hit. Defensively, he was satisfactory. His rebounding was sturdy and he made his opponent work hard. Though he did get scored on, it usually was due to good offense and not bad defense.
Final Grade: 75
Season Average: 80.3
Adj. Average: 82.3
Last 10 Average: 75.9
---------------
Nando De Colo
http://www.spurstalk.com/ndc12.png
Nando De Colo put together one of his better outings as the full-time backup point guard in a long while. On offense, he was adequately aggressive with his shooting, made slick passes and avoided racking up senseless turnovers. He also showed better chemistry with Ginobili. On defense, De Colo was lively. He was again helpful on the glass, plus he was much smarter about not roaming too far off of his man.
Final Grade: 88
Season Average: 81.5
Adj. Average: 83.3
Last 10 Average: 79.6
---------------
DeJuan Blair
http://www.spurstalk.com/db12.png
Getting minutes with Duncan out, DeJuan Blair did well. He was competent in pick-and-roll sets offensively and didn’t try to do too much. On D, he stayed focused and made a couple heady rotations. Blair also rebounded very well. While he didn’t do anything too amazing, he provided the Spurs some value in his limited minutes mostly due to playing smarter than usual.
Final Grade: 88
Season Average: 79.4
Adj. Average: 80.7
Last 10 Average: 91.7
---------------
Bud
http://www.spurstalk.com/bud2012.jpg
Thrown into a difficult situation, Mike Budenholzer did commendable work. The amount of defensive improvement after halftime is a sign that this team respects and listens to what he says. His rotation mostly made sense and he avoided overplaying anyone. Bud probably played Neal too much and Splitter not enough ... but that’s about the extent of my nitpicking on this night.
Final Grade: 89
Season Average: 89.0
Last 10 Average: 89.0
---------------
Offense
Considering the pace (93 possessions), the Spurs did quite well on the offensive end -- and it would have been even better if not for a flukishly low free throw percentage. The three main reasons for the success: 1) turning it over only nine times 2) scoring 25 fast break points 3) tallying an eye-popping 66 points in the paint.
Final Grade: 96
Season Average: 84.1
Last 10 Average: 81.8
---------------
Defense
Giving up 102 points isn’t grand -- but the specifics make it more palatable. After giving up 64 points in the first half, the Spurs held the Hornets to only 25 points in the first 22:40 of the second half. That’s a stunning reversal.
Final Grade: 77
Season Average: 84.2
Last 10 Average: 86.5
---------------
Overall
This was another strong victory made even stronger due to less than ideal conditions. Winning six straight with Duncan, Ginobili and Leonard (and Pop, for that matter) in and out of action is praiseworthy. The Spurs now have a back-to-back against the Mavs and Suns before kicking off a rest-filled stretch. Onward.
Final Grade: 87
Season Average: 84.3
Last 10 Average: 84.7
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