Spurs At Nets Previews

[duncan228]

San Antonio (34-15) at New Jersey (24-28) Preview
Game info: 7:30 pm EST Tue Feb 10, 2009
TV: FSSW, YES
By Brett Huston

A night off for the San Antonio Spurs’ three stars paid major dividends in their latest game, a victory over the NBA champions during which the Spurs were at their best during a fourth-quarter comeback.

San Antonio hasn’t needed too many late surges when it’s faced the New Jersey Nets in recent years.

The red-hot Spurs continue their eight-game road trip Tuesday looking for their 13th straight victory over the Nets, who hope to have Vince Carter back in their lineup.

Coach Gregg Popovich’s decision not to play Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker last Tuesday in Denver raised some eyebrows, and San Antonio (34-15) went on to lose after needing overtime to win in Golden State the night before.

No one’s questioning that decision anymore after the third game of the Spurs’ annual rodeo road trip. Trailing by three with 45 seconds left in Boston on Sunday, San Antonio went on an 11-0 run and knocked off the Celtics 105-99.

“It’s hard for the oldest team in the NBA to feel fresh,” Popovich said. “It was a beautiful win for us, against the NBA champions and on the road makes it even sweeter.”

Duncan and Matt Bonner led the way with 23 points, while Ginobili, playing through a bruised hip, had 19 off the bench.

“If I would have played in Denver, I wouldn’t have been this fresh for sure,” said Ginobili, who’s averaged 25.8 points in his last four games. “It was very important for us to get rest a couple of days.”

With five games left on a trip that will span 20 days, the Spurs might be playing their best basketball of the season. They’ve won nine of 11, with the only losses coming on the road to the Los Angeles Lakers - owners of the league’s best record - and at Denver with the team’s three stars resting.

If recent history is any indication, San Antonio’s domination of New Jersey seems likely to continue Tuesday. The Spurs’ 12 straight regular-season wins in the series have come by an average of 13.0 points, although the most recent matchup was close, a 94-91 Spurs home victory Jan. 23 behind 30 points from Duncan.

The Nets (24-28) rode a season-high four-game win streak into Orlando on Sunday, and were coming off a stunning 114-70 home blowout of the Nuggets the day before. Carter, however, was lost to a hyperextended right elbow in that game and didn’t play against the Magic.

He was sorely missed, as the Nets fell behind 32-18 after one quarter and went on to lose 101-84.

“With a young team, it probably was a factor,” point guard Devin Harris said of playing without Carter. “Obviously the veterans prepare like it was any other game, but morale was a little bit down coming out.”

Carter sounded optimistic that he’d be ready to face the Spurs, but with the Nets playing their last game before the All-Star break, it’s uncertain if New Jersey will let him.

Harris, who will represent the Nets in the All-Star game Sunday, is a familiar face to the Spurs after playing against them regularly while with Dallas. New Jersey’s scoring leader at 21.8 points per game, Harris has averaged 20.3 points in three contests against the Spurs since being traded to the Nets last February.

Notes

Spurs:

F Matt Bonner scored a season-high 23 points in Sunday's 105-99 victory at Boston. The native of nearby Concord, New Hampshire fell just two points shy of his career high, set at Golden State on December 11, 2007. "At the end of the game when we had kind of wrapped it up, I was starting to get goosebumps," he said. "I didn't get to play the last two times we were here." ... The Spurs improved to 2-1 on their annual "Rodeo Trip" - an eight-game trek that runs while the AT&T Center is taken over by a rodeo show.

Nets:

Swingman Vince Carter did not play for the Nets due to a sore right elbow. Jarvis Hayes started in his place and scored 13 points. ... New Jersey was outscored 25-0 in fast break points. ... G Keyon Dooling played 32 minutes and did not score.

Team Stat Leaders

Points

Tim Duncan SA 20.7
Devin Harris NJ 21.8

Rebounds

Tim Duncan SA 10.5
Brook Lopez NJ 8.2

Assists

Tony Parker SA 6.6
Devin Harris NJ 6.5

Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

San Antonio 34-15 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.8 94.6 Road 16-8 Won 1 8-2

New Jersey 24-28 3rd Atlantic / 8th East 98.3 99.9 Home 11-15 Lost 1 5-5

[duncan228]

Tuesday: Spurs (34-15) at Nets (24-28)
Express-News

Time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: FSNSW
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - NETS

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 34 Devin Harris (6-3, 5th yr)
Key against Harris to keep him off foul line; he averages 9.2 attempts per game.

SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 15 Vince Carter (6-6, 11th yr)
Carter battling hyperextended elbow but expects to play.

SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 44 Trenton Hassell (6-5, 8th yr)
With Bobby Simmons out, Hassell has made five consecutive starts.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 20 Ryan Anderson (6-10, 1st yr)
Duncan two blocks away from matching George Johnson for 13th all-time.

C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 11 Brook Lopez (7-0, 1st yr)
Wicked awesome: Bonner’s 23 points vs. Boston a season high.

SPURS RESERVES

12 Bruce Bowen F, 6-7, 13th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 7th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr

NETS RESERVES

13 Maurice Ager, G/F, 6-5, 3rd yr
2 Josh Boone, C, 6-10, 3rd yr
55 Keyon Dooling, G, 6-3, 9th yr
17 Chris Douglas-Roberts, G, 6-7, 1st yr
22 Jarvis Hayes, F, 6-8, 6th yr
6 Stromile Swift, F, 6-10, 9th yr
51 Sean Williams, F/C, 6-10, 2nd yr

COACHES

Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Nets: Lawrence Frank

INJURIES

Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (sprained right ankle) is out.

Nets: Yi Jianlian (broken pinkie right hand), Simmons (abdominal strain) and Eduardo Najera (abdominal strain) are out. Carter (hyperextended right elbow) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Jacque Vaughn, Mahinmi.

Nets: Sean Williams, Simmons, Jianlian

NOTABLE

Spurs coming off most impressive victory of season, 105-99 at defending NBA champion Celtics on Sunday. ... Spurs have topped 100 points in five of past six games. They have won 31 consecutive games when hitting the century mark, the longest streak in the league. ... Nets have lost 12 straight to Spurs and haven’t won in New Jersey since November 2002.

- Jeff McDonald

[duncan228]

Wicked awesome: Bonner’s 23 points vs. Boston a season high.

[ManuTP9]

im going to this game! XD

[wisnub]

who knows Pop may sit with Carter and next thing u know hes wearin Spurs jersey..another thing Mason and Bonner still with us

[Manufan909]

Hope the Spurs get a 13+ lead at one point so Hairston could see some time with at least a couple of the Big 3.

[EricB]

Najera being out will be good for the Spurs. He was a pain in the ass in San Antonio.

[SequSpur]

Nets by 40

[duncan228]

New Jersey Nets' Vince Carter gets treatment on elbow, likely to play Tuesday against San Antonio
by Dave D'Alessandro

Vince Carter received treatment on his sore right elbow Monday during the team's day off, and indications are that he'll likely suit up for the Nets Tuesday night when they close out the pre-break portion of the schedule with a game against San Antonio at Izod Center.

"He feels progressively better," coach Lawrence Frank said Monday. "If he makes the same progress (today), he'll probably be able to play."

The Nets were clobbered without their captain Sunday in Orlando, 101-84, and held to 39.5 percent shooting. Carter has had some of his best performances against the Spurs, most recently a 26-point, six-assist effort at San Antonio on Jan. 23, when the Nets had three chances to take the lead in the last two minutes but lost.

The Spurs will be watching Carter closely for another reason: Sensing an opportunity to grab a fifth le with the Lakers experiencing some injury problems, the Spurs recently called the Nets to inquire about Carter's availability.

A deal would be extremely difficult to make, however, because among those players San Antonio is making available, the Nets have interest in only Roger Mason -- now arguably the game's top 3-point shooter, and one of its best closers -- and backup point guard George Hill.

[Rapper]

im going to this game! XD

Are you living in New Jersey?

[Rapper]

duncan228

Thanks for your postings

[Ghazi]

I cheer for the Spurs, for if the nets win this game, thats one step closer to the playoffs.

And if the Nets make the playoffs, our beloved Mavs will never hear the end of it.

[Winters]

This game is not a must-win game for the spurs

[Universe]

Going to be a good matchup if Carter is playing.

[xtremesteven33]

This game is not a must-win game for the spurs

???

[MI21]

Good to see Najera isn't playing, that reduces the injury risk for every Spur player that sees the floor

[Blackjack]

Key against Harris to keep him off foul line; he averages 9.2 attempts per game.

[MI21]

I'm thinking this is as good a thread as any to mention that since the new year, Timmy is putting up 4.7APG with only 2.3TOPG... Pretty impressive stuff for a big man.

[m33p0]

11-0 with 40 seconds left to go... scored 7 points in 1.4 seconds... sheesh.

[TheDarkSide.]

Good feeling about this one. but bad feeling about toronto, just feel like wednesday will be one of those days. hope im wrong

[m33p0]

A deal would be extremely difficult to make, however, because among those players San Antonio is making available, the Nets have interest in only Roger Mason -- now arguably the game's top 3-point shooter, and one of its best closers -- and backup point guard George Hill.

[ManuTP9]

Are you living in New Jersey?

yes

[ElNono]

im going to this game! XD

I'll be there too!! Section 111 with my Argentina t-shirt!

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Tue. Feb. 10
San Antonio @ New Jersey: D. Bavetta, T. Nunez Jr., S. Wall

[PuttPutt]

Referee Assignments
Tue. Feb. 10
San Antonio @ New Jersey: D. Bavetta, T. Nunez Jr., S. Wall