The Spurs have two big games coming up this week: Orlando on Sunday and LA Lakers on Wednesday night.
Nothing against Orlando....but most Spurs fans are psyched up for Round 1 of 3 in the regular season against the hated purple-and-gold!!!
I was just looking at the stats and they are some interesting facts from both teams perspective.
Right off the bat, I noticed that the Lakers have given up 100 or more points 17 of the 35 games they've played this season. That is 49%!!
In contrast, the Spurs have given up 100 or more points only 9 of the 35 games they've played this season. That is 26%!
I can read the Lakers fans posts...the Spurs play a slower brand of basketball and that's why the big difference. However, we all know in the playoffs......the games slow down and it's more of a half-court game.
I will give the Lakers credit for last year's WCF...because they were able to win those games against the Spurs that was played in the high 80's-low 90's.
But, I think the Spurs have to still dictate the pace of the game and keep these regular season(and playoff) games in the 90's to win.
Another interesting fact....the Lakers are only allowing their opponents to shoot 44.3% against them so far in the regular season. While the Spurs are allowing their opponents to shoot 45.5 against them so far in the regular season.
I know most of the ST posters have been talking about that stat as one of the weaknesses so far in the season for the Spurs. But, what that tells me is that it will be tougher for the Spurs to shoot a high percentage against them. Still, the Lakers have given up over 100 points in almost half their games...that the Spurs will have to get some baskets in transition. The easier baskets will open up everything else for the half court offense.
Lastly, the Lakers average 14 turnovers a game and the Spurs average 12 turnovers a game. This could be another big key. The Spurs take care of the ball and if the Lakers turn it over easily.....there's another two or three extra possessions that could work in the Spurs' favor.
Lastly for me....it comes down to scoring for the Spurs. They have five guys in double figures (TD, TP, MG, Mason, and Finley) and Bonner averaging 8 pts per game. While the Lakers have four guys in double figures (Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, and Fisher) and Ariza averaging 9 pts per game and Odom averaging 8 pts per game.
The Spurs have more offensive weapons this season and they have to dictate the pace and style of the game in order to beat the Lakers!!
Round 1 on Wednesday night should be fun for both teams!!!
Any Thoughts Spurs and Lakers fans?
Last edited by MarHill; 01-10-2009 at 11:41 AM.
Good post. I think the game will just unfold with its own mindset and require the teams to adjust to the unexpected. How's that for vague? I don't know if Odom will be back in time for the game. He is possible for the Miami game, up to him. I have a feeling the Lakers will rest him then as well as our game with Houston on the 13th so he can play on the 14th. With Odom in, we have to exploit our front court advantage. Without him, we have to adjust. No excuse if he doesn't play, that's the game.
It's very simple - the Spurs have to figure out how to get physical and bully the Lakers. That's what Boston did in the Finals, and that's what New Orleans did last week.
Against the Hornets, the physicality took Gasol out of his game, and somehow Bynum got lost.
The Spurs aren't an overly physical team, and didn't have a deep set of bigs, so this will difficult. Still, they have to find a way to do it.
And secondly, our threes must fall. We will do a good job of defending their threes, but ours have to fall.
Last key: Parker has to be very aggressive and run Fisher ragged. That's what Chris Paul did - they missed Farmar a lot in that game, and Fisher was gassed by the end.
Prediction: If the Spurs shoot well, they win. I would say they need to hit 9+ three-pointers.
I have to disagree with you about bullying the Lakers. The Spurs don't have that type of personnel...although they should use Thomas to play Bynum.
Again...getting the Lakers to turn the ball over and getting some transition baskets and getting Mason and Finley to score will be the difference.
I agree with you about Parker against Fisher. But, the Big 3 and Kobe are givens for both sides. I was looking at the other factors in this matchup!
Thanks Lakers_55!!
I forgot about Odom's injury.
Intangibles and the topic of countless posts here as they are the missing links both sides are counting on to put our teams into the finals:
Lakers: Bynum and Ariza. Josh Powell will see minutes if Odom doesn't play, he hustles and is big. If our frontline is on, look out. Gasol did defend Duncan well, but I think Bynum will give it a try. Someone has to hassle Bonner.
Spurs: Mason, Hill, Ginobili: They all need to step up. Kobe will alternate who he guards I suspect, but I think Ariza is going to be utilized to counter TP and MG. This should be a key matchup, Ariza is a monster. If we can't shut your back court down, but keep our front court going, it's anyone's game.
it's a good thing the spurs fans now know how to attack the lakers.
hopefully pop is half as smart as you and knows what to do...
or at least he tries it.
The should use Oberto against Bynum so he can scratch Bynum again and get him ejected.
Do you ever get tired of doing this? If you don't want to talk about the Spurs, or let anyone else talk about the Spurs, why the do you come to SpursTalk?it's a good thing the spurs fans now know how to attack the lakers.
hopefully pop is half as smart as you and knows what to do...
or at least he tries it.
The Lakers haven't really adjusted well to the injuries of Farmar, Walton, and LO.
If I were the Spurs I'd just attack Radmanovich relentlessly. Worked for the Pacer's last night. I wouldn't be surprised if LAL got blown out honestly, they haven't been playing good basketball in the last 3-4 games.
sick of his bull .
-Mars
The Spurs don't have the perimeter defender to slow Kobe down like Bowen used to. Bowen is too old now, if Odom is still injured SA wins but they don't win big.
Now if I were Pop, I would stick Thomas on Gasol and Duncan on Bynum. Thomas will be physical with Gasol and keep him off the offensive glass. If Duncan denies Bynum the ball early he'll stop trying to get open meaning Duncan spends less energy guarding him.
The key to the game and IMO the Western conference is Manu vs. Kobe.
oh, i love talking about spurs, thus the reason i come to spurstalk.
i am just tired of fans (seemingly) thinking spurstalk can control trades, and outcomes of games; for example:
"what do you guys think of starting mason?"
"let's trade manu!" (the let's being spurstalk)
ok
sick of his bull .
-Mars
-David
Do you have no imagination? Those are the kind of things that make ST fun and interesting, hearing different opinions about things. If I only ever wanted to see and discuss the Spurs stats from games they already played, I would stare at a box score.
Dude, I'm sure the Lakers have just as tough a time getting up for an Indianapolis Pacers game as the Spurs do. I'm sure they're gonna bring much more energy and desire to a Spurs game. I agree though they're not playing dominant that's for sure. I think Arriza could be a problem with his defense. Basically we Manu, Fin, and Roger need to shoot well, Tim needs to get going early, Tony needs to have a good all around game, and the team needs to rebound at least fairly well. Bruce is going to have a big role I bet at some point in the game.
Bowen can still do a good job on Kobe; I've seen Bowen do a good job and Kobe just hits the shots because he's Kobe. , he hit some amazing shots against the Hornets and they were all in his face, sometimes they would have two players on him. He even hit a three over Chandler. The thing is though, you can't just stick Bowen on Kobe and expect him to stop him. On the other hand, if you make it a team effort, the Lakers have plenty of other players to make you pay if you focus the entire team defense on stopping Kobe. The only time a team should focus entirely on Kobe is in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter IMO.
And I agree, I would put Thomas on Gasol and Duncan on Bynum.
nope, no imagination.
i don't mind a lot of the stuff that goes on here, i just would rather it be realistic.
but it'd be silly to imagine all the posts be realistic, so i won't. (no sarcasm)
From a Laker O standpoint, PJax in last year's finals sought to make Duncan come away from the rim by moving Gasol out to the high post which forced Tim to decide if he was going to stay out and cover or give an open mid-range jumper to the capable Spaniard.
If he jumped out, then Gasol had an easy Hi-Lo to Odom.
However in this game, the personnel is altered. Will PJax try it again? Will either Bonner or Oberto or Thomas be able to stay with Gasol to give Tim the interior against Bynum?
These are some of the intriguing match-ups that will play out.
I think that with a deeper bench(right now due to Laker injuries, the Spurs bench is deeper) that Pop's ability to swiss-army knife his team to fit more situations gives him an advantage. I always say like they do in Boxing-STYLES MAKE FIGHTS! And for these 2 pantheons of the West...they ALWAYS fight well.
Just die already !!
Boring mofos...
How's this for exciting?
its all about this man....
That was actually pretty lame. Intsead of a swish, couldn't he have dunked it and gotten fouled!?!?!?!? Sperms are lame.(for the truly slow on st this is a joke post)
And on the game, I can't wait to see Fab get some decent minutes, unless Bonner is on fire or KT is doing well, because he's been underutilized since he got back from his injury. I really hate 4 down games, I much prefer for there to be two bigs in silver and black on the court on the whole time. If Bonner goes into his s like against NO bring on Fab, but if he is hitting like he was against Miami, keep his ass in.
it's a ing FORUM. it's where you DISCUSS things. of course we have no ing control of the way things go. idiot.
haha, not like 1000 other people haven't used that one before. good one.
-Mars
better vid:
-Mars
I agree about defending Kobe. The thing to do quarter 1-3 should be keeping the ball in Kobe's hands and making it so the rest of their team gets complacent and stops looking for their shot and trying to get open.
Same can be said for the way they defended Phoenix, they made it a 2 man team with Amare and Nash ultimately making it so the other players got complacent.
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