Spurs-Bulls Previews

**duncan228** · 03-20-2008

http://www.nba.com/games/20080320/SASCHI/preview.html

Spurs-Bulls Preview
By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA, STATS Senior Writer

The Eastern Conference is supposedly inferior to its counterpart, but its teams have held the perennial West powerhouse San Antonio Spurs in check over the past week.

In danger of losing five straight for the first time in 11 years, the Spurs look to end their struggles against teams from the East when they conclude their season series with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.

San Antonio (44-23) has lost four straight for the first time since Nov. 28-Dec. 3, 2003. A loss to the Bulls (27-40) would give the Spurs their longest skid since dropping their last six games in 1996-97, a 20-62 season that helped put them in position to draft Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick.

Each of San Antonio's last three losses have been against teams in the East. Two of those games were against Detroit and league-leading Boston, both of whom have better records than any team in the generally superior West. But the Spurs' other loss during that stretch was against Philadelphia, which is contending for a playoff spot in the East though it wouldn't have much of a chance in the West.

Chicago is in a similar position, remaining in the East's playoff race despite an unimpressive record. The Bulls, though, have won seven of their last 10 at home, averaging 105.2 points in that span, and will be hoping to upset a Spurs team that could be rusty after two off days.

"Two days' rest is nice, but it's not like other teams aren't going through the same things," San Antonio forward Bruce Bowen said. "The difference is they are completing their games. Right now we are not completing, not finishing our games the way we would like."

The Spurs handily beat the Bulls 94-79 on Dec. 26 even though they were missing Manu Ginobili due to a sprained left index finger. On Monday night, San Antonio lost 93-91 to Boston despite getting a 32-point performance from the veteran guard and leading by 22 in the first half.

Ginobili, who leads the Spurs with 20.4 points per game, returned to the reserve role he's had most of the season after starting the majority of San Antonio's games since Jan. 29. Michael Finley took Ginobili's spot in the starting lineup in a possible attempt to shake up a team that has dropped six of seven overall and five straight on the road for the first time since a six-game skid from March 9-April 7, 2005.

At home, meanwhile, is where Chicago has shown its greatest improvement under interim coach Jim Boylan. The Bulls last three wins at the United Center have been against teams jockeying for playoff position, including a 112-96 victory over New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Chicago lost its previous two, giving up late leads in both of those contests. Against the Nets, the Bulls were able to hold on after having a 24-point cushion sliced to nine early in the final period.

"We didn't want that to become a habit," Chicago swingman Luol Deng said of losing late leads. "We were talking to each other that we got to put a stop to it and we can't become known for that."

**duncan228** · 03-20-2008

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080320.html

Probable Starters:

Parker
Guard
18.6 PPG
Finley
Guard
9.5 PPG
Bowen
Forward
5.9 PPG
Duncan
Forward
19.6 PPG
Oberto
Center
4.7 PPG

Spur in the Spotlight
Bruce Bowen
"Two days' rest is nice, but it's not like other teams aren't going through the same things. The difference is they are completing their games. Right now we are not completing, not finishing our games the way we would like."

Did You Know...
Bulls General Manager John Paxson played for the Spurs from 1983-85, averaging 4.9 points and 2.9 assists in 127 games ... former NBA great Artis Gilmore averaged 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds in 482 games with the Bulls and 16.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in 380 games with the Spurs ... Brent Barry played in 37 games with the Bulls during the 1998- 99 season, averaging 11.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 31.9 minutes ... Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto and Manu Ginobili teamed to help their native Argentina win gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics ... Bruce Bowen was traded to the Bulls in 2000 for Toni Kukoc and a first round pick ... the Spurs set their regular season single game attendance record when 37,492 fans packed the Alamodome to see the Spurs face Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls on 3/14/98.

**Mister Sinister** · 03-20-2008

Suh-weet! I'll be able to watch this one!

**mouse** · 03-20-2008

You want a preview? go rent 300,the dirty Dozen,Brave Heart,Deliverance etc.....

The Bulls will feel the pain as the 2008 NBA Champions the San Antonio Spurs win by 14............and ST has to shut down as 900 fair weather Spur fans dive back on the wagon and it shorts out the server!

**WalterBenitez** · 03-20-2008

let summarize the momentum

Bulls sucks but we have POP in our bench!

**duncan228** · 03-20-2008

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/t...spx?id=4139500

Slumping Spurs visit the Windy City

(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs will try to put the brakes on a season-high four-game losing streak this evening, when they hit the road to take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

The Spurs have dropped four straight and six of their last seven games since ripping off 11 consecutive victories. In Monday's 93-91 setback to the Boston Celtics at the AT&T Center, Manu Ginobili had a game-high 32 points for the Spurs, who have dropped four in a row for the first time since November 28 - December 3 of the 2003 campaign. The Spurs haven't lost five straight since losing their last six games of the 1996-97 season.

Tony Parker finished with 17 points and eight assists, while Tim Duncan was held to just 10 points in defeat. San Antonio is two games off the lead in the Southwest Division standings and sits sixth in the Western Conference.

San Antonio will try to stop a five-game slide on the road Thursday night, and is 17-17 as the visitor this season.

Meanwhile, the Bulls will resume a four-game homestand tonight. They are 16-16 at the United Center this season and opened the stand with Tuesday's 112-96 triumph over the New Jersey Nets.

Luol Deng scored a team-high 20 points and Drew Gooden finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago, which ended a two-game slide and won for just the second time in six tries. Ben Gordon chipped in 17 points off the bench, while Larry Hughes tallied 16 points, five boards, five assists and four steals in a winning effort.

Chicago is 1 1/2 games off the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Bulls will also host Indiana and Atlanta in the Windy City. In teams news, guard Chris Duhon is questionable for Thursday's game with flu-like symptoms.

San Antonio handed the Bulls a 94-79 loss on December 26 this season at the AT&T Center, and has won two of three, 11 of 13 and 15 of the last 18 meetings.

The Spurs have also won five of six and seven of their last nine games on the road in this series.