Kori Ellis
12-17-2004, 02:49 PM
December 17, 2004
Filling In The Blanks: Must See TV
by Lance Blanks, Spurs Director of Scouting and TV Analyst
http://www.nba.com/spurs/blanks/041217.html
After six weeks of play, the NBA season is off to an exciting start, with already enough action-filled moments for an entire season.
Following are five NBA tidbits you might have missed and four games you shouldn't miss during the holiday season, followed by one important suggestion regarding the NBA All-Star game:
In case you missed it:
1. Motown Melee - No, the incident in Detroit was not pretty, but the players, fans, and the NBA have done a great job in restoring confidence in the league. I frequently attend arenas around the NBA, and both fans and players have been on their best behavior.
2. Super Sophomores - LeBron James picked up where he left off last season. The Olympic experience seems to have helped him because he is playing even better than he did a year ago at this time. Dwayne Wade can't be far behind LeBron with his leadership and consistent play in Miami. Shaq's arrival has given Wade a big boost. He had a tough act to follow after his impressive rookie season, but he has raised his game to a new level.
3. Fast Starting Spurs - Your San Antonio Spurs have not been known for quick starts to the season. It usually takes some time for the new players to get into a groove before they run off a string of wins. Don't look now, but the Silver and Black are right at the top of the league with an impressive record. If the team can attach one of those mid-season winning streaks with this impressive start, we could be looking at another magical season.
4. Devin & Beno - Devin Brown and Beno Udrih are two young players who have earned the respect of the Spurs coaching staff. Each one of them has improved over the first month of the season and they are being rewarded with more playing time. Both Brown and Udrih have been very important players off the bench this season.
5. T-Mac's Miracle - Unfortunately, we were a part of one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences in the NBA. Tracy McGrady’s 13 points in 35 seconds against our Spurs will certainly go down in history as one of the most impressive (extended) moments in league history. We did everything we were supposed to do down the stretch of that December 9th match-up against Houston. Every time Tracy took a shot he had a hand in his face. He just kept moving back and making 3 after 3. His performance reminded me of the game-winning baskets that Reggie Miller made in the playoffs against the Knicks while Spike Lee looked on in disbelief.
Mark your calendar:
1. December 25th - Kobe vs. Shaq
Some are saying this could be the largest television audience ever to watch an NBA game. Fans and experts began talking about this game the day NBA team schedules were released for the 2004-05 season. I can't remember an NBA matchup with more story lines.
2. December 25th - Detroit vs. Indiana
This contest could not have been scripted any better. You've got two powerhouses from the Eastern Conference going head-to-head for the first time (in the Motor City) since the Motown Melee back on November 19th. Indiana won't be playing some of the players who were involved in the incident, but you can count on Reggie Miller and his teammates to look to steal one from Detroit.
3. December 24th - No games scheduled.
With the exception of the All-Star break in late February, December 24th is one of two days during the entire season that NBA fans can take a break from the games because there are none scheduled.
4. December 28th - Suns vs. Spurs
This will be a classic matchup. The Suns are back. They are sporting one of the best records in the entire league. Their high-powered offense is difficult to stop because they put a lot of scorers on the court, and they love to run. Our Spurs defense will be putting Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense to the test. As of this writing, the Suns are the top scoring team in the NBA at over 109 points per game, and our Spurs have the best defense in the NBA, holding opponents to an average of only 84 points per contest. This game could prove to be quite valuable late in the season if the Western Conference standings are close.
5. Don't forget to vote!
With plenty of time remaining before the NBA All-Star game, you should be voting to send your favorite Spur to Denver for the 54th Annual All-Star Game on February 20, 2005.
Filling In The Blanks: Must See TV
by Lance Blanks, Spurs Director of Scouting and TV Analyst
http://www.nba.com/spurs/blanks/041217.html
After six weeks of play, the NBA season is off to an exciting start, with already enough action-filled moments for an entire season.
Following are five NBA tidbits you might have missed and four games you shouldn't miss during the holiday season, followed by one important suggestion regarding the NBA All-Star game:
In case you missed it:
1. Motown Melee - No, the incident in Detroit was not pretty, but the players, fans, and the NBA have done a great job in restoring confidence in the league. I frequently attend arenas around the NBA, and both fans and players have been on their best behavior.
2. Super Sophomores - LeBron James picked up where he left off last season. The Olympic experience seems to have helped him because he is playing even better than he did a year ago at this time. Dwayne Wade can't be far behind LeBron with his leadership and consistent play in Miami. Shaq's arrival has given Wade a big boost. He had a tough act to follow after his impressive rookie season, but he has raised his game to a new level.
3. Fast Starting Spurs - Your San Antonio Spurs have not been known for quick starts to the season. It usually takes some time for the new players to get into a groove before they run off a string of wins. Don't look now, but the Silver and Black are right at the top of the league with an impressive record. If the team can attach one of those mid-season winning streaks with this impressive start, we could be looking at another magical season.
4. Devin & Beno - Devin Brown and Beno Udrih are two young players who have earned the respect of the Spurs coaching staff. Each one of them has improved over the first month of the season and they are being rewarded with more playing time. Both Brown and Udrih have been very important players off the bench this season.
5. T-Mac's Miracle - Unfortunately, we were a part of one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences in the NBA. Tracy McGrady’s 13 points in 35 seconds against our Spurs will certainly go down in history as one of the most impressive (extended) moments in league history. We did everything we were supposed to do down the stretch of that December 9th match-up against Houston. Every time Tracy took a shot he had a hand in his face. He just kept moving back and making 3 after 3. His performance reminded me of the game-winning baskets that Reggie Miller made in the playoffs against the Knicks while Spike Lee looked on in disbelief.
Mark your calendar:
1. December 25th - Kobe vs. Shaq
Some are saying this could be the largest television audience ever to watch an NBA game. Fans and experts began talking about this game the day NBA team schedules were released for the 2004-05 season. I can't remember an NBA matchup with more story lines.
2. December 25th - Detroit vs. Indiana
This contest could not have been scripted any better. You've got two powerhouses from the Eastern Conference going head-to-head for the first time (in the Motor City) since the Motown Melee back on November 19th. Indiana won't be playing some of the players who were involved in the incident, but you can count on Reggie Miller and his teammates to look to steal one from Detroit.
3. December 24th - No games scheduled.
With the exception of the All-Star break in late February, December 24th is one of two days during the entire season that NBA fans can take a break from the games because there are none scheduled.
4. December 28th - Suns vs. Spurs
This will be a classic matchup. The Suns are back. They are sporting one of the best records in the entire league. Their high-powered offense is difficult to stop because they put a lot of scorers on the court, and they love to run. Our Spurs defense will be putting Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense to the test. As of this writing, the Suns are the top scoring team in the NBA at over 109 points per game, and our Spurs have the best defense in the NBA, holding opponents to an average of only 84 points per contest. This game could prove to be quite valuable late in the season if the Western Conference standings are close.
5. Don't forget to vote!
With plenty of time remaining before the NBA All-Star game, you should be voting to send your favorite Spur to Denver for the 54th Annual All-Star Game on February 20, 2005.