New Orleans (31-31) at San Antonio (34-24)
Game info: 9:30 pm EST Fri Mar 5, 2010
TV: ESPN, KENS
By Matt Becker
Since defeating the New Orleans Hornets earlier this week, the San Antonio Spurs have enjoyed a couple of days off.
There will be no such break for the veteran-laden club over the next 3 1/2 weeks.
In the mix for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference, the Spurs embark on a demanding portion of their schedule Friday night when they host the Hornets.
With less than six weeks remaining in the regular season, San Antonio (34-24) finds itself in an unfamiliar position - struggling to solidify a playoff spot. The Spurs, who have won the Southwest Division four of the past five seasons, are just percentage points ahead of eighth-place Portland in the West.
The next few weeks appear to be critical for San Antonio’s playoff aspirations, with games against Atlanta, Boston, Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers and two with Cleveland.
“We know how tough it’s going to get,” guard Manu Ginobili said. “We really need to improve. If we don’t improve and take a step forward, we can probably not make (the playoffs).”
Having been off since Monday’s 106-92 win at New Orleans, Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should be plenty rested for the rematch. These aging veterans won’t have much time off over the next few weeks.
The Spurs play 15 games in the next 25 days, including five back-to-back sets.
“It’s going to decide our season,” Parker said. “We have a lot of big games and a lot of back-to-backs. We have a good opportunity. We’ve played pretty well the last two games, so hopefully we can keep it going.”
San Antonio has actually played pretty well in its last three games, scoring at least 104 points in each of those contests after reaching the century mark twice in the previous eight.
The Spurs shot 50.6 percent Monday and could find similar success in the rematch at the AT&T Center, where they’ve won 10 of the last 11 meetings.
The Hornets (31-31), five games back for the conference’s final playoff spot, have lost five of six. Their defense has struggled in those defeats, allowing an average of 107.6 points on 50.5 percent shooting.
“As a team, I don’t think we have a good rhythm. We’re not playing fluid basketball,” forward David West said following a 104-100 loss to Memphis on Wednesday. “Basketball is a rhythm game and everybody has to be on the same page as far as feeling good and confident about what we are going out there to do.”
The Spurs were able to limit Darren Collison to 10 points Monday, but the rookie point guard was still effective with 15 assists. Collison, averaging 22.2 points in his last 12 games while starting for the injured Chris Paul, had 17 points and 14 assists Wednesday as New Orleans lost its third straight.
The Hornets are in danger of falling below .500 for the first time since they were 15-16 on Jan. 2 and are on the verge of their first four-game skid since Jan. 30-Feb. 4, 2009.
“This is our rough stretch,” coach Jeff Bower said. “There are teams ahead of us that have a rough stretch coming, too, when you look at the schedule. We have to make sure that we keep ourselves positioned to take advantage of that when that happens.”
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Chris Paul NO 20.4
Tim Duncan SA 19.2
Rebounds
Emeka Okafor NO 9.3
Tim Duncan SA 10.9
Assists
Chris Paul NO 11.2
Tony Parker SA 5.7
I like the position we are in. Worse in the rankings than last year but all of players are almost 100%. Everyone was deceived by our #1 spot in the SW division, granted Manu was injured. This will be a huge test. I hope we make the playoffs and do well. Otherwise, we will see an ugly offseason.
For all intents and purposes, this is their RRT (or at least what it's come to represent in past years).The Spurs play 15 games in the next 25 days, including five back-to-back sets.
The perceived fat's been trimmed, the rotations tightened; this stretch will expose them for who and what they are, better or worse.
True that. I believe this will be our real test.
Completely agree with this.
Agree, this is going to be epic.
Maybe we should tank and just get a lottery player next year
All the work they've put in as a team up to this point is now going to be tested. This stretch is what will hone them into playoff sharpness...or break them.
Maybe I'm jut being a homer, but i'm strangely optimistic about how the next few months will go for the Spurs...
I also have high hopes for the next 15 tough games. If the team can come through this will be the launching pad for the play offs.
Manu and TP looked optimistic in the practice report. It's time to man up and go for the throat...GSG!!
Did I mention how much I hate these 4 days wait times between games?
I think it's counterproductive to the team too. You come from two solid wins with good momentum and a rhythm and all of a sudden you have to slow down and wait.
There's definitely benefits to having a day or two off in-between games, but 4 days is too much. Especially since after that is a freaking marathon.
I'm sure there are some ridiculous quirks in schedules across the board, but the Spurs' has been more than quirky this year with all the days in between to start the year (not unlike this week) and brutal stretches that have followed at times; there would seem to be more of a happy medium to be found.
The word for the team this year seems to be "inconsistent". The word for the schedule this year seems to be "disjointed".
Friday: Hornets (31-31) at Spurs (34-24)
Time: 8:30 p.m.
TV: KENS, ESPN
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - HORNETS
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 9th yr) - 2 Darren Collison (6-0, 1st yr)
Parker looked sharp in Monday meeting, and has had three days off since.
SG - 3 George Hill (6-2, 2nd yr) - 24 Morris Peterson (6-7, 10th yr)
Hill was instrumental in cooling red-hot Collison in previous game.
SF - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 7th yr) - 16 Peja Stojakovic (6-10, 12th yr)
Bogans expected to play after dislocating left ring finger Monday.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 30 David West (6-9, 7th yr)
West was 6 of 17 for 13 points in Monday’s loss to Spurs.
C - 34 Antonio McDyess (6-10, 15th yr) - 50 Emeka Okafor (6-10, 6th yr)
McDyess (knee) could return; Okafor’s games-played streak at 237.
SPURS RESERVES
15 Matt Bonner, C/F, 6-10, 6th yr
45 DeJuan Blair, F, 6-7, 1st yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 8th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G/F, 6-5, 2nd yr
24 Richard Jefferson, F, 6-7, 9th yr
28 Ian Mahinmi, F/C, 6-11, 3rd yr
8 Roger Mason Jr., G, 6-5, 6th yr
HORNETS RESERVES
34 Aaron Gray, C, 7-0, 2nd yr
4 Sean Marks, F/C, 6-10, 10th yr
41 James Posey, F, 6-8, 11th yr
9 Darius Songaila, F, 6-9, 7th yr
5 Marcus Thornton, G, 6-4, 1st yr
32 Julian Wright, F, 6-8, 2nd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Hornets: Jeff Bower
INJURIES
Spurs: McDyess (hyperextended left knee) and Bogans (dislocated left ring finger) are probable.
Hornets: Chris Paul (left knee surgery) and Ike Diogu (left knee surgery) are out.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: None
Hornets: Diogu
NOTABLE
After beating them 106-92 Monday in New Orleans, Spurs welcome Hornets into the AT&T Center tonight. Spurs have had three days off since that game. Hornets lost 104-100 to Memphis on Wednesday. ... Spurs looking for first three-game winning streak since mid-January and could move 11 games above .500 for second time this season. ... Spurs are 3-0 against New Orleans this season, looking for series sweep.
— Jeff McDonald
Referee Assignments
Fri. Mar 5
New Orleans @ San Antonio: Dan Crawford; Tommy Nunez Jr.; Leon Wood
New Orleans Hornets (31-31) at San Antonio Spurs (34-24)
The San Antonio Spurs will try to sweep the season series from the New Orleans Hornets when the two Southwest Division rivals go at it tonight from the AT&T Center.
San Antonio has won the first three matchups between the teams and hasn't swept the season series from the Hornets since the 2006-07 campaign. The Spurs have won four straight and 14 of 18 games against the Hornets, who have dropped four in a row and 10 of their last 11 trips to the Alamo City.
The Spurs, who sit seventh in the West, have won their last two games and are coming off Monday's win at New Orleans Arena thanks to 23 points and five rebounds from George Hill. Tim Duncan added 22 points and nine rebounds, while Tony Parker chipped in 18 points and six assists. Manu Ginobili tallied 13 points and eight assists off the bench for San Antonio, which shot 50.6 percent from the field.
"He's been good for us on both ends of the court," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said of Hill. "In his sop re year here, he's done a good job at both ends. We're not surprised when he makes shots or does what he did tonight."
The Spurs are 21-10 as the host this season.
New Orleans will try to put the brakes on a four-game road losing streak Friday. It has dropped three in a row overall and suffered a 104-100 setback at home versus the Memphis Grizzlies despite Marcus Thornton's 24 points off the bench. Rookie Darren Collison added 17 points and 14 assists, while Peja Stojakovic provided 18 points and nine boards in defeat.
David West finished with 15 points for the Hornets, who sit five games off the eighth and final postseason spot in the Western Conference.
"As a team, I don't think we have a good rhythm. We're not playing fluid basketball. We need to come in and have a good practice and go down to San Antonio and get compe ive with them," West said.
The Hornets are 11-20 as the visitor in 2009-10.
lol peja is 6-10?
what if we had a game where joey crawford vavetta steve javie all referred against us in the wfc finals game 7 and we lost 2 to 100
why's it an hour later than usual?
I assume because we're the second game of the ESPN double-header.
sons I hope they show mah Becky in the crowd tonight
give me a reason to watch this!
ok, thanks. Hope it doesn't go past my bedtime...
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