Game Thread 4/2: Jazz at Spurs 2:30 CST (3:30 EST, 10:30 Riga Time)

:flag:

Someone had to do it.

Spurs will win by 9.

Jazz take playoff hopes to San Antonio

How the Utah Jazz fare in two late-season games against the San Antonio Spurs will go a long way into determining their playoff seeding in the Western Conference.The first of those two games is Sunday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio as the Jazz try to keep their tenuous on the fourth spot in the standings and the home-court advantage that comes with it.

Utah (47-29) leads the Los Angeles Clippers, who the Jazz are likely to see in the first round of the playoffs, by one game with six remaining.

Five of those games are against teams that would be in the playoffs if they started today.
Along with the two against the Spurs (including the season-finale in Salt Lake City on April 12), Utah also will play at home and on the road against Portland (which currently holds the eighth playoff spot) and at league-leading Golden State.

That daunting late-season schedule is what made Utah's 95-88 home victory over playoff-bound Washington on Friday so important. The Jazz have won three straight games, including a physical, down-to-the-wire bout with the red-hot Wizards on Friday night.

While the Jazz's normal cast of go-to players did their part in the win, it was reserve guard Shelvin Mack who made a series of huge plays down the stretch to clinch it.

Mack, who missed 11 games in March because of a sprained ankle, was pressed into service on Friday because of injuries to starting point guard George Hill and reserve Raul Neto.

With Utah up 87-83 with just over two minutes left, Mack scored seven straight points over a 1½-minute stretch. He finished with 15 points.

"It was great to grind out a win like this," Mack said. "I'm pretty sure we'll have a few games in the playoffs like this. You've gotta find a way to win, and we did that tonight. We showed that we've grown up as a team and we're continuing to get better."

Gordon Hayward also came up big when needed, scoring 10 of his team-leading 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder said the win over Washington was the type of game that will help his team toughen up and build confidence for postseason play.

"More than anything, it shows us just the mental capacity to understand that you just keep playing, keep playing, keep playing, and hopefully something good happens," Snyder said. "And that's what happened for us (Friday). It was a great effort for our guys."

The Spurs are solidly in second place in the West and have won six of their last seven games, with the only loss during that stretch coming to the Golden State Warriors after blowing a huge early lead.

San Antonio (58-17) heads back to the Alamo City after a rousing come-from-behind 100-95 road win over Oklahoma City on Friday.

The Spurs trailed by 21 points, but cut the Thunder's lead to five entering the fourth quarter. A 10-2 run by the Spurs over the final minute and a half clinched the victory.San Antonio led for only the final 37 seconds of the game.


Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs in to the win and scored 20 of his 28 points in the second half. He also took 10 rebounds in the game and added to his resume as an erstwhile MVP candidate.

"It's what I have been seeing from (Leonard for 74 games," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "The kid can play. He is strong and he's hard-nosed and he's going to keep going. In the second half, he really stepped up and made some huge plays."

Pau Gasol added 17 points and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 for the Spurs.

"We needed one like this," Ginobili added. "We didn't play good for 30 minutes of the game. But we bounced back, we played aggressive, we stayed together. In this league, you have to play 48 minutes."

Utah and San Antonio split two games early in November, with the Spurs winning, 106-91, in Salt Lake City on Nov. 1 and the Jazz evening things up with a 100-86 victory three nights later in San Antonio.

Damn, IDK which is the official thread? OP and Bill are both good guys.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/drp/nba/jazz...?itok=A7pDnZpM

Nvm, thread merged. :lol

So are we going for the win or tanking?

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Originally Posted by RD2191

Nvm, thread merged. :lol

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Merged like Voltron. http://www.newsarama.com/images/i/00...on_3_cover.jpg

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Originally Posted by RD2191

So are we going for the win or tanking?

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Win. But Pop experiments enough to keep it close.

Earlier season highlights;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8TL73MJymg

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Originally Posted by BillMc

Merged like Voltron. http://www.newsarama.com/images/i/00...on_3_cover.jpg

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:lol

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Originally Posted by RD2191

:lol

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:toast

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/...9228?s=612x612

Jazz have their own fake Melissa. :ihit

Where is det core at? :lol

:flag:

Keys to the game from a Jazz perspective:

http://purpleandblues.com/2017/04/01...s-to-the-game/

Paul Garcia pAulGarciaNBA
2m
Starters. #GoSpursGohttps://abs.twimg.com/hashflags/Spur...purs_Emoji.png Parker, Anderson, Kawhi, Bertans, Dedmon. #TakeNotehttps://abs.twimg.com/hashflags/Jazz...Jazz_Emoji.png Exum, Hood, Hayward, BORIS DIAW, Gobert

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In wins, Spurs convert on 40.5 percent of their three-point attempts while in their meager 17 losses they drop all the way to 33.9 percent. Furthermore, it’s interesting to note that the Spurs are undefeated when they’ve shot better than 45 percent from deep this season.

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http://purpleandblues.com/2017/04/01...s-to-the-game/

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Originally Posted by RD2191

Where is det core at? :lol

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:lol

Gosh - this combo of watching NY and listening to Mark Jackson is just brutal.

Interesting B3rtans & Anderson! :ihit

new spurs

Get to see Patty face his replacement next season today.

Boris scoring :lmao

magic kyle

Thank goodness for Reddit. Lets get it Spurs!

don't want Diaw 2.0 tonight...

What a pass by Kyle. Would like to see him be aggressive and look to finish, but that was a great pass. Exam has been showing a lot of his potential lately.

Interesting to see UTA go to Boris on Bertans early and Boris is delivering so far.

HOTS

Choppy possession but nice to see TP knock down a jumper.

C'mon Spurs.

Davis!!!!

B3rtans!

Oh God fucking dammit porker makes one shot and now he wants to hero ball?

Impressive by Bertans. Wasn't a clean catch off the pass and was contested and drained it.

That rainbow 3!!!

Thanks for starting the thread! Just tuned in! :flag:
Pop trying to "get to get some of the guys some minutes." Bertans on cue...3!

Diaw looks like a giant black planet.

Must be the horizontal stripes...

Like Kawhi the play maker :tu

Oh shit. HOTS and 1.

Misses the FT :lol

TP! Exum is no joke with his length and athleticism.

MVParker. Best guard in franchise history

Dedmon obliterated Gobert

TP getting into that paint consistently and this is with Gobert patrolling.

If porker keeps going enrique we're gonna lose this game badly...

TP can't stop shooting!

Is Kawhi gonna play some defense?

Dedmon holding his chest...

Joel Anthony time folks. PATFO playing chess

Good to see people attacking the paint really.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

TP getting into that paint consistently and this is with Gobert patrolling.

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Bertans is really stretching the floor.

Get Parker some god damn help. Fuck!

Shit. Porker is in full enrique mode and he just gave up an AND1. :bang

Fuck, hope Dedmon is okay.

TP is taking really good shots and getting into the paint. It's the reason SA is leading. I don't mind him shooting when they are good looks. He's not going to cower away from good shots nor should he.

Hayward continuously blowing past Kiwi. ..

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Originally Posted by jyra

Bertans is really stretching the floor.

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He is. Kawhi is play making. Kyle is play making. It's intersting having so many legit ball handlers (TP/Kyle/Kawhi) out there vs having Danny (not a knock on Danny, just an interesting wrinkle).

UTA has a truly elite defense and this starting unit is doing damn well offensively so far.

"As they say in French- Tray bone!" What??:lol

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Originally Posted by spursistan

Hayward continuously blowing past Kiwi. ..

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Hayward has been pretty bad a** this year, but yeah, him beating Kawhi off the dribble is what is causing everything to breakdown for SA.

Have to believe Kawhi was instructed to take it easy.

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Originally Posted by spursistan

Hayward continuously blowing past Kiwi. ..

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Hayward has been involved in 2 points... lol Yeah really continuous.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

Hayward has been pretty bad a** this year, but yeah, him beating Kawhi off the dribble is what is causing everything to breakdown for SA.

Have to believe Kawhi was instructed to take it easy.

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Scrimmage mode.

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Originally Posted by kjhip1

Thank goodness for Reddit. Lets get it Spurs!

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

TP is taking really good shots and getting into the paint. It's the reason SA is leading. I don't mind him shooting when they are good looks. He's not going to cower away from good shots nor should he.

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Lol.

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Originally Posted by SupremeGuy

Hayward has been involved in 2 points... lol Yeah really continuous.

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Some of these posters are pathetic

Why is Mills not in?

Lmao at Kiwi lineups without MVParker

about 10 mins behind

Heat check hero looking to get his instead of rewarding Deadmon after the Gobert block.

Fathead getting skull fucked by ISO Joe

Strange lineup with no TP/Mills in and lead is going away.

The fuck is MVPaddy resting?

Gasizzle

Pau!

Can someone pm please a steam? Mine's not working; Thanks

Fathead is now getting bukkaked by their whole team

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Originally Posted by FkLA

The fuck is MVPaddy resting?

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Think you are going to see plenty of guys resting these last games and I love it. I like TP still playing to work on things. But love seeing LMA/Danny/Manu resting especially. Kawhi needs some rest as well.

free bertans

The two Utah Joes pushing Kyle shit in ..

Lol Pau

Man, great take by Kyle, looked like he was held for sure. Not sure how Pau missed that put back though.

Why is Microwave Grills resting? Shoulders sore from chucking and not playing defense?

Bill this is on ABC in the States so not on the regular FSSW. Not sure how to stream prime-time channels. Bertans hit another 3 and is getting pt.

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Originally Posted by TheGreatYacht

Fathead is now getting bukkaked by their whole team

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Dude!! Shot the fuck up!!!

So, I missed the whole first quarter because of stream hell. Anyone got a quick summary?

Don't understand how Pop decided Bertans couldn't be a contributor in the playoffs this season..

Good to see TP putting up points and getting into the paint against a really solid playoff team. Hopefully see this a couple more times heading into the PO's.

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Originally Posted by GB20

Dude!! Shot the fuck up!!!

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Can't wait till Trump sends you back.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

Good to see TP putting up points and getting into the paint against a really solid playoff team. Hopefully see this a couple more times heading into the PO's.

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Quit trolling.

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Originally Posted by BillMc

So, I missed the whole first quarter because of stream hell. Anyone got a quick summary?

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Spurs starting unit with Kyle/TP/Kawhi/Bertans/Dedmon did very well and built a nice lead. TP did the most damage getting into the paint and hitting some nice PnR jumpers.

Spurs aren't going all out on defense but did mostly ok other than Hayward breaking the defense down some. Dedmon playing with great energy and Bertans is really opening things up on offense with his spacing and he's knocked down a couple 3's.

No Mills or Lee unexpectedly but overall 2nd mash up unit holding firm.

Nice defense by Forbes

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Originally Posted by RD2191

Quit trolling.

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Please STFU

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Originally Posted by TheGreatYacht

Lmao at Kiwi lineups without MVParker

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5 assists for Kawhi already :wow

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

Think you are going to see plenty of guys resting these last games and I love it. I like TP still playing to work on things. But love seeing LMA/Danny/Manu resting especially. Kawhi needs some rest as well.

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Yeah, I don't mind it. It was just unexpected.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

Please STFU

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Lol. Short little faggot. Stop blowing Parker.

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Originally Posted by FkLA

5 assists for Kawhi already :wow



Yeah, I don't mind it. Was just unexpected.

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Playmaking Kawhi has been awesome. He's clearly not going all out but just playing a solid game.

I wonder if the NBA crackdown will result more in this type of stuff with guys "active" but not playing.

Mvporker? :wow

Simms!!

Give Juice his minutes back!!

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Originally Posted by RD2191

Lol. Short little faggot. Stop blowing Parker.

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Taller than you and you seem intent on blowing me and nipping at my ankles little man.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

Spurs starting unit with Kyle/TP/Kawhi/Bertans/Dedmon did very well and built a nice lead. TP did the most damage getting into the paint and hitting some nice PnR jumpers.

Spurs aren't going all out on defense but did mostly ok other than Hayward breaking the defense down some. Dedmon playing with great energy and Bertans is really opening things up on offense with his spacing and he's knocked down a couple 3's.

No Mills or Lee unexpectedly but overall 2nd mash up unit holding firm.

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Many thanks.

Simms!