Spurs-Boston Preview

[duncan228]

I'm starting this early, as more previews come out I'll get them in here.

It's a national TV game (on ABC 1:00 EST), and a game lots of us have been excited to see since the Celtics showed us they could be as good as they looked on paper when the trades went down.

So far, just a bit from ESPN on Duncan's career vs. Boston.

(Oh...It's also my 5,000th post and I wanted it to be a Duncan post. :))

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-080210

Duncan Domination

In his career, Tim Duncan has completely owned the Boston Celtics. Duncan sports a sparkling 17-1 record and averages a double-double.

Don't expect that to change much on Sunday, when the Celtics will be without their star big man, Kevin Garnett.

Duncan's career against Boston:

Games 18
Wins 17
PPG 22.2
FG Pct. 55.0
RPG 11.5
BPG 3.2

[boutons_]

time for some payback from Tim

[SAGambler]

Perkins out too. Celts frontcourt getting weaker and weaker. Timmy should have a field day against them.

[jmard5]

I need vBookie! I lost 450 for betting that the Spurs would win 9+ points against the NY Knicks. Dammit. =p

Would small ball work with Tim guarding the middle, Udoka against Pierce, Bowen against Allen and Manu clogging the passing lanes?

[greens]

Is KG not playing for sure? Is that confirmed?

It should be a good game. It would be like watching the big two vs another big two while the other parts of the big three(TP, KG) are not playing...

[scott.s]

its not confirmed, but highly likely KG won't play on sunday. he has said he's waiting to see what the doctors say, but indications point to him, like parker, being out until after the all-star break...

i think small ball would work , but i dont know if they want udoka and bowen on the floor at the same time, though, if i was in charge, i wouldn't have a problem with it, popovich seems reluctant to have two of his best onball defenders on the floor at the same time for whatever reason.



saspurscast.com

[greens]

its not confirmed, but highly likely KG won't play on sunday. he has said he's waiting to see what the doctors say, but indications point to him, like parker, being out until after the all-star break...

i think small ball would work , but i dont know if they want udoka and bowen on the floor at the same time, though, if i was in charge, i wouldn't have a problem with it, popovich seems reluctant to have two of his best onball defenders on the floor at the same time for whatever reason.



saspurscast.com




Yeah, I'm not too sure about what Pop will do with the line up...Will he play Bruce/Udoka at the same time? I have no idea...


So guys, which team do you think will win tomorrow?

[batboy]

Udoka on Pierce and Bowen on his good buddy Ray. Suck the air out of the building instead of rotating the defensive aces. Duncan moves over to 5 with Finley and Mighty Mouse starting in the back. Spurs should be in a comfortable position when Ginobili enters with the dagger.

[Don Quixote]

Finally! A nationally televised game on ABC featuring two teams worth a darn.

No Cavs, Heat, Rockets, or Mavs, for once. I will enjoy this one.

[lefty]

Finally! A nationally televised game on ABC featuring two teams worth a darn.

No Cavs, Heat, Rockets, or Mavs, for once. I will enjoy this one.

KG is not playing; how is that worthy ?

I'm really disapointed; I was really expecting this meeting

[mystargtr34]

Depends who starts ahead of Perkins... im guessing they will go with

Powe
Scalabrine
Pierce
Ray
Rondo

In which case i would be comfortable with a Ime Bruce Manu and MM starting around Timmy in the middle.

[bigfundamental21]

Finally! A nationally televised game on ABC featuring two teams worth a darn.

No Cavs, Heat, Rockets, or Mavs, for once. I will enjoy this one.
Actually, the second game will be Lakers-Heat. Stupid ABC.


I am so excited about this game, although I wish we could see both teams play at full strength. Hopefully that will be the case when the Celts come to SA on St. Patty's Day.

I expect Duncan to dominate. It will be a great game to watch. :clap

[duncan228]

Associated Press.

http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/sports/story.jsp?floc=sp-nba-5-l1&flok=FF-APS-2030&idq=/ff/story/0030%2F20080209%2F1706409071.htm&sc=2030

Spurs-Celtics Preview
By MIKE LIPKA

The Boston Celtics are no longer realistically pursuing the best record in NBA history, but despite their relative struggles recently, they've maintained another feat that could be just as impressive.

The Celtics will have their unbeaten record against Western Conference opponents tested on Sunday when they host the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, who've won four straight on their nine-game road trip and nine in a row in Boston.

The West has been considered the superior conference for nearly a decade, but the Celtics (38-9) have gone 15-0 against Western Conference opponents this season.

They haven't yet played Phoenix, New Orleans or the Spurs (32-16), but they've beaten the Los Angeles Lakers twice, blown out Denver by 26 points and won at Utah.

The Celtics are coming off two straight wins against West teams, including Friday's 88-86 victory at Minnesota. Former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett missed his sixth straight game with an abdominal strain, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers said there's a "99.9 percent'' chance Garnett will miss Sunday's game.

Playing against a Spurs front line that features two-time NBA MVP Tim Duncan, the Celtics might also be missing starting center Kendrick Perkins, who left Friday's game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.

But Boston still has the NBA's best record, and has shown signs of breaking out of its midseason swoon by winning four of the last five. Against the Timberwolves, the Celtics were outrebounded 44-36, but found a way to win when Leon Powe made a putback at the buzzer.

"Any time we win without Kevin on the road, it's a big win for us,'' Rivers said. "It doesn't matter who we're playing.''

Powe had 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds off the bench against Minnesota, and could make his first start of the season Sunday if Perkins can't play.

Paul Pierce had 18 points and Ray Allen added 17 as the Celtics held the Timberwolves to 41.7 percent shooting, including 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

The Celtics and Spurs are two of the NBA's best defensive teams, both ranking in the top three in points allowed per game. Boston is first, giving up 89.0, while San Antonio ranks third (91.2).

The Spurs have been especially stingy on their current trip, allowing just 87.5 points in six games. They've won their last four, including 99-93 in overtime at New York on Friday.

San Antonio trailed the Knicks by 16 at halftime, but outscored New York 27-14 in the third quarter, and used a set play to spring Michael Finley for a wide-open 3-pointer in the final second to send the game to overtime.

"I think experience helped us on that particular play,'' Finley said.

The Spurs didn't allow a field goal in the extra session, giving them their longest winning streak since a five-game run from Nov. 28-Dec. 7.

Duncan had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Manu Ginobili had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds Friday as the Spurs played their fifth straight game without point guard Tony Parker, who is out with an ankle injury.

Newly acquired point guard Damon Stoudamire, whom the Celtics were rumored to have interest in, has started the last three games, but it's Ginobili who has stepped up in Parker's absence, averaging 7.0 assists in the last five.

Pierce had 30 points as the Celtics won 91-85 at San Antonio last March 17, ending Boston's 18-game losing streak against the Spurs. But San Antonio has still won nine in a row at the TD Banknorth Garden dating to the 1996-97 season - when Duncan was still at Wake Forest.

[bigfundamental21]

(Oh...It's also my 5,000th post and I wanted it to be a Duncan post. :))


Congrats on the 5,000th.

Of course it would be a Duncan post... couldn't be any other way!

[duncan228]

Spurs.com...The article is an overlap of the AP one.

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080210.html

Spurs vs. Celtics Preview

Probable Starters

Stoudamire
Guard
7.7 PPG
Ginobili
Guard
19.1 PPG
Bowen
Forward
5.5 PPG
Duncan
Forward
19.7 PPG
Oberto
Center
5.5 PPG

Injury/Inactive Report
Brent Barry (strained left calf) is out
Tony Parker (left ankle inflammation) is out.

The Celtics will have their unbeaten record against Western Conference opponents tested on Sunday when they host the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, who've won four straight on their nine-game road trip and nine in a row in Boston.

The West has been considered the superior conference for nearly a decade, but the Celtics (38-9) have gone 15-0 against Western Conference opponents this season.

They haven't yet played Phoenix, New Orleans or the Spurs (32-16), but they've beaten the Los Angeles Lakers twice, blown out Denver by 26 points and won at Utah.

The Celtics are coming off two straight wins against West teams, including Friday's 88-86 victory at Minnesota. Former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett missed his sixth straight game with an abdominal strain, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers said there's a "99.9 percent" chance Garnett will miss Sunday's game.

Playing against a Spurs front line that features two-time NBA MVP Tim Duncan, the Celtics might also be missing starting center Kendrick Perkins, who left Friday's game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.

But Boston still has the NBA's best record, and has shown signs of breaking out of its midseason swoon by winning four of the last five. Against the Timberwolves, the Celtics were outrebounded 44-36, but found a way to win when Leon Powe made a putback at the buzzer.

Powe had 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds off the bench against Minnesota, and could make his first start of the season Sunday if Perkins can't play.

Paul Pierce had 18 points and Ray Allen added 17 as the Celtics held the Timberwolves to 41.7 percent shooting, including 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

The Celtics and Spurs are two of the NBA's best defensive teams, both ranking in the top three in points allowed per game. Boston is first, giving up 89.0, while San Antonio ranks third (91.2).

The Spurs have been especially stingy on their current trip, allowing just 87.5 points in six games. They've won their last four, including 99-93 in overtime at New York on Friday.

San Antonio trailed the Knicks by 16 at halftime, but outscored New York 27-14 in the third quarter, and used a set play to spring Michael Finley for a wide-open 3-pointer in the final second to send the game to overtime.

The Spurs didn't allow a field goal in the extra session, giving them their longest winning streak since a five-game run from Nov. 28-Dec. 7.

Duncan had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Manu Ginobili had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds Friday as the Spurs played their fifth straight game without point guard Tony Parker, who is out with an ankle injury.

Newly acquired point guard Damon Stoudamire, whom the Celtics were rumored to have interest in, has started the last three games, but it's Ginobili who has stepped up in Parker's absence, averaging 7.0 assists in the last five.

Pierce had 30 points as the Celtics won 91-85 at San Antonio last March 17, ending Boston's 18-game losing streak against the Spurs. But San Antonio has still won nine in a row at the TD Banknorth Garden dating to the 1996-97 season - when Duncan was still at Wake Forest.

Spur in the Spotlight
Michael Finley
Michael Finley provided 17 points off of the bench on Friday night against the Knicks, including a clutch three pointer to send the game into overtime.

Did You Know...
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers spent two seasons with San Antonio, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 assists … Rivers also spent two seasons as a color commentator on Spurs television … the Spurs have won 17 straight against the Celtics and 21 of the last 22 … San Antonio’s 17-game win streak is its longest active win streak over any team … Boston’s last win against San Antonio was a 106-95 victory on 2/14/90 … the Spurs 97-90 win on 1/12/90 in the Boston Garden snapped a 20-game losing streak to the Celtics … before that victory the last time the Spurs had defeated the Celtics was on 1/5/80 when they posted a 119-111 victory in San Antonio.

[Solid D]

Did You Know...
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers spent two seasons with San Antonio, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 assists … Rivers also spent two seasons as a color commentator on Spurs television … the Spurs have won 17 straight against the Celtics and 21 of the last 22 … San Antonio’s 17-game win streak is its longest active win streak over any team … Boston’s last win against San Antonio was a 106-95 victory on 2/14/90 … the Spurs 97-90 win on 1/12/90 in the Boston Garden snapped a 20-game losing streak to the Celtics … before that victory the last time the Spurs had defeated the Celtics was on 1/5/80 when they posted a 119-111 victory in San Antonio.

Wrong, in Boston ..is what it should read. The Spurs lost their last game to Boston in San Antonio.

[duncan228]

Where are the fact checkers before this stuff gets out?

[J.T.]

Spurs gonna win this game.

[DynastyBuilder]

hmm gamenotes have the same info... but likewise says Spurs lost last season...

http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/notes.pdf

[slayermin]

I will take a win in Boston anyway we can get it. A win is a win is a win is a win.....

[Ghost Writer]

We can't read too much into this game with Parker and Garnett not playing.

Those two players set the tempo for both their teams.

I expect a competitive game, but win or lose -- it will not be the same if they meet in the Finals.