Initial Reaction: Spurs @ Hornets - Mar. 29

[xtremesteven33]

Its a regular season win. Not the playoffs.

These scrubs who played well for the Hornets wont step up in the playoffs. Especially on the road against the Spurs. Im not worried the least bit.

[de Soto]

Its a regular season win. Not the playoffs.

These scrubs who played well for the Hornets wont step up in the playoffs. Especially on the road against the Spurs. Im not worried the least bit.

So why attend the games then? I'll just wait for the playoffs when the Spurs will presumably feel like playind again.

[xtremesteven33]

So why attend the games then? I'll just wait for the playoffs when the Spurs will presumably feel like playind again.

That wasnt my point. My point is this Hornets win doesnt mean they can beat us in a 7 game series.

We will have HCA
We have a deeper bench
Plus we have shown we can beat them with a weaker team and without HCA.

[Dex]

Supporting your team isn't supposed to be about having the team that has the best chance to win the le. If you want that, hurry up and jump on the Lakers bandwagon this year, and get ready to don a new jersey next.

Those of you trying to quantify the Spurs chances at winning are just spinning your wheels. I'd prefer to just stand behind my team and root for them, no matter what their 'odds' are.

Some of you still seem to think this championship thing is supposed to be easy.

[EricB]

Lost their first real game in 6 weeks? Didn't they just lose an important game against Houston like 2 weeks ago?

Not having ginobili doesn't make it a real game.

[benefactor]

Not having ginobili doesn't make it a real game.

I am trying to understand the lack of understanding surrounding this....

[LionZion]

This wasn't a must win game for us. NOOCH played like it is for them. All credit to them for pulling out a win.
Pop isn't gonna show his cards in a regular season game. Without giving him too much credit, I'll bet Pop tried out a few of the schemes he wants to try over the two games we played against them with some left for the last game of the season.

No game is a must win for us from now on, unless Houston again comes within a game of us, then everything becomes must win until that gap is widened.

[vander]

TP chokes late in games when playing important ones against winning teams... you're is getting old...

What does TP have to do with this? The sad fact is, Manu just doesn't have the athleticism or quicks to get to the hoop anymore, and even he knows it. Soon defenders will catch on, and guard him even closer on the perimeter, not giving him the open 3 anymore. then what will he do?

[HarlemHeat37]

LOL it was a loss, that's all there is to know..it was the EXACT same game as the 1st Hornets game..we had TONS of wide open shots that weren't going down..losing is inexcusable, but there's no need to meltdown..

it was a pathetic loss, I'm sure the players and Pop are mad at themselves..

this loss means nothing in the long run..regular season games are always meaningless for the long run..

[HarlemHeat37]

What does TP have to do with this? The sad fact is, Manu just doesn't have the athleticism or quicks to get to the hoop anymore, and even he knows it. Soon defenders will catch on, and guard him even closer on the permiter, not giving him the open 3 anymore. then what will he do?

Manu has gotten to the hoop multiple times since he's returned, and this is Manu without any kind of rhythm of chemistry with the team..

I wouldn't expect any different from you though, you're one of the worst posters here..

[vander]

Manu has gotten to the hoop multiple times since he's returned, and this is Manu without any kind of rhythm of chemistry with the team..

I wouldn't expect any different from you though, you're one of the worst posters here..

yes, but all of those times were against the Cippers, the Clippers don't play D

what does rhythm and chemistry have to do with being able to get to the rim, how is being in sync with TD supposed to give him that extra burst?

[Spurs Brazil]

The most maddening thing about all this continues to be the Mason-as-backup-PG experiment.

It is going to doom this team in the post-season. Give Hill the run and let him get experience, and let Mason go back to being an eagle eye shooting guard.

He hasn't looked the same since this backup PG experiment began.

But we're just getting a different look at Pop's inherent distrust for rookies in a different light. He won't give Hill the run, knows Vaughn won't cut it, so we're stuck with Mason at 'point'.

Agree.


Mason playing PG is killing his confidence. Now he's a terrible PG and a bad SG.

We had in Mason a great option to close games with the big 3 and Pop kills his confidence playing him at PG

[de Soto]

Supporting your team isn't supposed to be about having the team that has the best chance to win the le. If you want that, hurry up and jump on the Lakers bandwagon this year, and get ready to don a new jersey next.

Those of you trying to quantify the Spurs chances at winning are just spinning your wheels. I'd prefer to just stand behind my team and root for them, no matter what their 'odds' are.

Some of you still seem to think this championship thing is supposed to be easy.

I suppose you support the Spurs because you like their team colors? Moron. I support a team that gives its best every time and entertains the people who paid for their tickets. That is not the Spurs during the regular season.

Now off! Moron.

[Dex]

I suppose you support the Spurs because you like their team colors? Moron. I support a team that gives its best every time and entertains the people who paid for their tickets. That is not the Spurs during the regular season.

Now off! Moron.

I support the Spurs because I was born and raised in San Antonio and all I have ever known is Silver & Black.

I support the Spurs because my first stuffed animal was a Spurs Coyote, the first famous person I ever met was David Robinson, and the first championship parade I saw was in San Antonio. And the second. And third. And fourth.

And I supported the Spurs in a time when they couldn't even have fathomed such a thing.

You want a show? You want bang for your buck? Go watch a ing movie. No one is making you buy Spurs tickets, and they don't owe you a thing.

You make it pretty easy to see why you got pinked.

[VI_Massive]

My initial and final reaction: Bonner sucks.

I actually have liked his defense down low lately. He blew some boards at the end, and he can get torched on the perimeter, but down low he has been pretty solid. Nothing spectacular, he's no shot blocker or anything, but he's making guys work and forcing them to take lower percentage shots.

Now if only some of those 3s would go down.......its not only bad for merely those shots, but as people have said here, if he isn't a threat to score, his man is going to stay in and clog the lane to hamper the Big 3.

[The Truth #6]

Re: Bonner, it's good to know how far he's progressed this year. He's by no means clutch, but nor is he a complete meltdown in big games either. His game is still progressing. He's getting used to being in crunch situations. Giving up on him in the same way Pop has given up on Hill as a PG would be the mistake.

[The Truth #6]

I agree. Having Mason in this role is ruining him, and costs the Spurs two players every time he runs the point. There's just not any way Hill could be worse in this role.

The Spurs turned into a jump shooting team in the second half, and they got beat for it. Couple that with their sudden inability to secure a rebound or take care of the ball and you get a game they very much deserved to lose.

I reiterate my previous call to have Udoka run the point. He is a GREAT passer, and has very good court vision. Since he doesn't really do anything else well, and he's already on the floor taking minutes from Bowen...

Not having Bowen in the game at all makes no sense to me whatsoever. If Pop doesn't trust his rookies, then why was Hill on the floor at the end to play defense instead of Bowen?

I agree with OV about Mason. We're losing two players at once here. It's extremely dispiriting. Playing Mason at the point, sadly, only exposes his major weaknesses - directing the offense and penetration. The guy is basically a one dimensional spot up shooter but he's excellent in that role. Totally cold-blooded. Pop's love for Mason possibly went too far and now Mason and Hill and the team are suffering for it.

The Udoka idea is unorthodox but in a way I think it's worth an experiment. I'd still have Hill try to be a PG instead of a 3, but if Hill is going to be the defensive specialist while he focuses on his offensive game, then yeah, play Udoka at the 1, why not. I've seen him move well without the ball, especially in a 2 man game with Oberto (perhaps because of the months they spent practicing together when they weren't playing) but I haven't noticed great passing from him yet, but perhaps I haven't been paying enough attention.

Playing him alongside Bowen might be too many offensive liabilities on the court at the same time. With so few games yet, it seems as if Pop has buried his head in the sand. With the whole regular season as a laboratory to test different looks and lineups, it's insane to think Mason as PG would be the one to stick to. Ughh.

[crc21209]

What does TP have to do with this? The sad fact is, Manu just doesn't have the athleticism or quicks to get to the hoop anymore, and even he knows it. Soon defenders will catch on, and guard him even closer on the perimeter, not giving him the open 3 anymore. then what will he do?

Did you not see the slam Manu put on Hilton Armstrong of the Hornets just a couple months ago?