Spurs admit they didn't bring it

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-spo...didnt-bring-it

Hours before Game 4 at Moda Center, one of the San Antonio Spurs team buses was involved in a minor fender bender, colliding with the No. 35 TriMet at Northwest Fifth Avenue and Everett Street on its way to the arena.

No one was hurt, and there was only a slight delay, but things did not get a whole lot better for the Spurs once they reached the building.

The Trail Blazers, down 3-0 in the NBA Western Conference semifinals and fighting for their lives, threw more intensity at the Spurs than San Antonio could handle and sent the series back to San Antonio for Game 5 after a 103-92 victory.

“We got pushed back a little bit,” Spurs guard Danny Green said, of the fender bender. “But it doesn’t affect the way we play. No excuses. We’ve got to come out with better energy and more focus the next game.”

Portland is still a long, long way from pulling a 2004 Boston Red Sox and coming back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series. But, for one night at least, the Blazers were the best team on the floor.

The Blazers looked completely different from the group that got blown out in the first three games. Portland executed on offense and played its best defense of the series.

“They outplayed us. Bottom line,” said Spurs power forward Tim Duncan, who finished with 12 points. “They had better energy, better focus. They just played better overall.”

Said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich: “They played with great passion and physicality. That’s why they won. We just didn’t match it. We didn’t have the energy or the focus that we had in the first three games.”

While the Spurs wanted to finish the series Monday night, San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said it was not shocking that they flopped.

“Even if we don’t like it, it’s sort of understandable,” Ginobili said. “They (the Blazers) didn’t have another opportunity. If they lost today, it was a sweep. They’ve got pride, and they played well. They played the game more desperately than we did. We didn’t bring the same emotions we brought the first three games. That’s a huge thing in the playoffs.”

Said Green: “This was their Game 7. We wanted to play like it was Game 7, but we didn’t come out with that edge we did in the first couple of games.”

Portland began the game well. For the first time in the series, the Blazers did not allow San Antonio to run up the score in the first half. Portland led 29-24 at the end of the first period.

“We didn’t match their energy from the jump,” Green said.

The Blazers continued playing well in the second quarter, but the Spurs hung with them and trailed 50-48 at halftime.

“We took the hit pretty well,” Ginobili said. “We came out at halftime only down two after not playing well. We were in a pretty good spot at that point.”

San Antonio was confident going into the third quarter.

“The first half, we didn’t play our best basketball and they played well,” Green said. “But we were down two.”

The Blazers began lighting it up in the third quarter, though, while San Antonio went cold. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews each hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Portland outscored the Spurs 35-20 in the period to take an 85-68 lead into the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, they made most of their shots, and our offense was a little stagnant,” Ginobili said. “They got into that run, and there wasn’t much we could do.”

Said Duncan: “We really played a bad quarter, and it got away from us.”

Coming out of the halftime locker room strong has been a Blazers trend throughout the series, but the Spurs had such big first-half leads in the first three games that Portland’s runs have not really mattered. Not the case Monday.

“It seems as if the third quarter has always been theirs, and we’ve had a slump in that third quarter,” Green said.

The Spurs' bench outscored the Blazers bench 40-26 in Game 4, but that does not really tell the whole story. Ginobili, the Spurs' biggest weapon off the bench, was a nonfactor, scoring two points.

“He hasn’t shot it well, but it’s just the way it is,” Popovich said, of Ginobili. "Sometimes somebody doesn’t shoot well.”

Portland got a huge lift from guard Will Barton, who came off the bench to score 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting.

“Anytime you get a boost off the bench it’s always good for momentum swing,” Green said. “It changes the whole momentum. When he (Barton) came in and got the crowd into it, it got them (the Blazers) going and helped them out a lot.”

San Antonio averaged 116 points over the first three games of the series, and Portland was continually stumped in its attempt to figure out how to slow the Spurs. The Blazers finally figured it out in Game 4, holding San Antonio to 39 of 88 from the field (.443) and 3 of 18 from beyond the arc (.167).

“We missed some shots, and they played a little harder,” Duncan said.

Ginobili said that when the series shifts back to San Antonio on Wednesday, the Spurs do not need to make any adjustments. Every player that steps on the floor simply needs to play better.

“I don’t think it’s about adjustments,” Ginobili said. “We’ll try to have more players playing better. I don’t think we had anybody playing really well tonight. We have to bring more intensity.”

And hope there is not another bus accident.

“The whole little bus incident beforehand,” Green said, “hopefully it doesn’t happen next time.”

Do the Spurs all hit the bong at halftime? They've lost the 3rd Q each game, in fact by an average of over 6 ponts. :bang

Snakes, buses, what next an earthquake?

So you're admitting that the Spurs are the better team and the Blazers only won because the Spurs didn't take them seriously.

Quote:

---

San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said it was not shocking that they flopped.

---

tee-hee

Portland sportswriters have been waiting for 12 long years to have a chance to take that shot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Uriel

So you're admitting that the Spurs are the better team and the Blazers only won because the Spurs didn't take them seriously.

---

Yes the SPURS are a better team! Why the SPURS didn't bring it for game 4, I do not know. BUT it was a damn ugly game. The SPURS better FIND IT for game 5!

Amused started the game thread...boom bus accident... shhhh

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brazil

Amused started the game thread...boom bus accident... shhhh

---

:lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Amuseddaysleeper

:lol

---

I knew something would happen :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimcs50

Do the Spurs all hit the bong at halftime? They've lost the 3rd Q each game, in fact by an average of over 6 ponts. :bang

---

:lmao

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brazil

Amused started the game thread...boom bus accident... shhhh

---

first thing i thought after i heard about the accident.

We gonna win by 15 on Wednesday.

Keep amused away from the start thread button, tbh.

Spurs are the better team but the Blazers aren't exactly garbage. We knew they'd win at least one. You don't get to the second round being shitty, lol.

Anyway, it's probably over tomorrow regardless. If the Blazers stay together they should be good next year too

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

Spurs are the better team but the Blazers aren't exactly garbage. We knew they'd win at least one. You don't get to the second round being shitty, lol.

Anyway, it's probably over tomorrow regardless. If the Blazers stay together they should be good next year too

---

Like you'd know.

Heat win game 4 and have a commanding 3-1 lead.....they are in complete control

Pacers win game 4 and have a commanding 3-1 lead...they are in complete control

Spurs lose game 4 and still have a commanding 3-1 lead...the sky is falling

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

We gonna win by 15 on Wednesday.

---

First half or second half?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UZER

Pacers win game 4 and have a commanding 3-1 lead...they are in complete control

---

Well, maybe not so much.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

Well, maybe not so much.

---

Indi is 3-5 at home in the playoffs & 4-1 on the road. Maybe home court isn't that important for them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

Well, maybe not so much.

---

:lol

pop blowing the game to keep the the gears oiled and not have any fresh looks for game film for other teams next series

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UZER

Heat win game 4 and have a commanding 3-1 lead.....they are in complete control

Pacers win game 4 and have a commanding 3-1 lead...they are in complete control

Spurs lose game 4 and still have a commanding 3-1 lead...the sky is falling

---

Win win lose. See the difference?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

Spurs are the better team but the Blazers aren't exactly garbage. We knew they'd win at least one. You don't get to the second round being shitty, lol.

Anyway, it's probably over tomorrow regardless. If the Blazers stay together they should be good next year too

---

Getting swept doesn't necessarily mean a team is shitty. We swept the Grizzlies in the WCF last year in dominating fashion but no one would say the Grizzlies were a shitty team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpurPadre

Getting swept doesn't necessarily mean a team is shitty. We swept the Grizzlies in the WCF last year in dominating fashion but no one would say the Grizzlies were a shitty team.

---

Except the guys who fired the coach right afterward.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cd021

Indi is 3-5 at home in the playoffs & 4-1 on the road. Maybe home court isn't that important for them.

---

Between them, the Wiz and Pacers have won one home game this series.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

Like you'd know.

---

I know you're a bitch that welches on his bets to leave the forum when he loses.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

Except the guys who fired the coach right afterward.

---

That was more about Hollins refusing to accept analytics (the Grizzlies hired Hollinger that year and Hollins refused to have him his around his team)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

I know you're a bitch that welches on his bets to leave the forum when he loses.

---

Who did I bet?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

Who did I bet?

---

I don't even remember who, but you challenged the forum to bet that against the Spurs not making the Finals. Literally fishing for a taker.

Anyway it doesn't matter, I just want to enjoy a Spurs run without Spurs "fans" naysaying it the whole damn time trying to ruin it for people who still care and would like to enjoy what might be our last real shot at a title for a long time. Shit is pointless. Just enjoy it man.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

I don't even remember who, but you challenged the forum to bet that against the Spurs not making the Finals. Literally fishing for a taker.

Anyway it doesn't matter, I just want to enjoy a Spurs run without Spurs "fans" naysaying it the whole damn time trying to ruin it for people who still care and would like to enjoy what might be our last real shot at a title for a long time. Shit is pointless. Just enjoy it man.

---

You're not a welcher unless you bet someone and didn't pay. Since you don't remember who, maybe you ought to consider shutting your fucking cock receiver.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

You're not a welcher unless you bet someone and didn't pay. Since you don't remember who, maybe you ought to consider shutting your fucking cock receiver.

---

I don't need to remember one of you irrelevant fuck's names to know you're a welching douchebag who trolls his own team's fans while picking against them since he's afraid of it's failure.

Fuckin beta male tactics. Pussy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

I don't need to remember one of you irrelevant fuck's names to know you're a welching douchebag who trolls his own team's fans while picking against them since he's afraid of it's failure.

Fuckin beta male tactics. Pussy.

---

So you make an accusation and balk when called out on it and you call me beta? lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

So you make an accusation and balk when called out on it and you call me beta? lol

---

I didn't balk at shit. I ain't gonna sift through year old threads to answer a pointless query to prove something to someone who already knows they did it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

I didn't balk at shit. I ain't gonna sift through year old threads to answer a pointless query to prove something to someone who already knows they did it.

---

If you're going to make an accusation and then decline to back it up, you balked. If I already know I did it, why mention it? You're a coward and a liar, and the two typically go hand in hand.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

If you're going to make an accusation and then decline to back it up, you balked. If I already know I did it, why mention it? You're a coward and a liar, and the two typically go hand in hand.

---

:lmao, shut the fuck up clown. I don't need to produce video evidence like you're on trial or some shit. :lol You welched on that shit like the bitch that you are, and now you're doing the same bullshit as the last two years and picking against the Spurs in every series yet again since you're too much of a pussy to get invested in your team anymore.

I would gladly make the exact same bet with you, but you're a welching faggot so it's pointless to bet anything with you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kidd K

:lmao, shut the fuck up clown. I don't need to produce video evidence like you're on trial or some shit. :lol You welched on that shit like the bitch that you are, and now you're doing the same bullshit as the last two years and picking against the Spurs in every series yet again since you're too much of a pussy to get invested in your team anymore.

I would gladly make the exact same bet with you, but you're a welching faggot so it's pointless to bet anything with you.

---

I predicted the Spurs would sweep the Blazers. How is that picking against them?

I've never welched on a bet. Find the person who I welched on and I'll pay them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DMC

So you make an accusation and balk when called out on it and you call me beta? lol

---

You did threaten to leave. The Kid is right in his recollection, bruh.