Spurs vs. Cavaliers April 5 - Game Blog

[EricB]

Doesn't help with two of the big three go 3 of 14.

That being said, its encouraging that Bowen got the majority of the minutes in the second half over Finley.

[Manufan909]

that end of an era talk. This team can be fixed. People fully recover from tendonosis. Ginobli was getting into a groove right before his recent injury (remember how long it took him to adapt, it's going to take a few more games). Artest and Rasheed will be available this off season, replacing Bonner and Bowen. Finely and KT will probably be gone as well, freeing up space for a youth movement.

1) Spurs won't get both, I don't think Artest is a great pickup, and I'd rather have Gooden if he does this in the POs.

2) Neither Bowen nor Bonner expire as far as I'm aware, it's only Ime and Fab who aren't guaranteed, which fits what you want anyways.

3) Fin will mostly likely play next season, it's his choice. I hope he decides to retire, but I doubt it, cuz it'd be too awesome to have only Gist/Hairston/Bowen at sf.

4) I want KT to stay, a big rotation of Tim/Gooden/Ian/KT/Bonner looks nice to me.

[Death In June]

I'm not giving up on the spurs, but if I had to root for another team, it wouldn't be the cavs. I'd rather see the Jazz win, or the Rockets. I honestly cant stand very many NBA teams (as opposed to the NFL).

[bigdog]

Doesn't help with two of the big three go 3 of 14.

That being said, its encouraging that Bowen got the majority of the minutes in the second half over Finley.

I liked that Bowen played alot, too, but the lineups he was in were just horrible.

[EricB]

Bowen should be starting, Finley should be filling in when the liability that is his defense isn't as glaring, and Udoka should be scanning the want ads.

Gooden should be starting, Thomas should be coming in for spurts and using up his fouls. Bonner, while pretty good all-around, can't buy a call for the life of him and just costs the team opportunities, whether or not it's his fault.

If this game isn't Vaughn's swan song in the Spurs rotation, the coach needs a CAT scan.

Agreed.

My starting 5 would be

Parker
Mason
Bowen
Gooden
Duncan

Ginobili
Bonner
thomas
Finley bench



I could see it happening.

Encouraging though to see Mason want to shoot the ball in the second half.

Hopefully he keeps that up and then the shots will fall.

[EricB]

I liked that Bowen played alot, too, but the lineups he was in were just horrible.

sigh

[Death In June]

Yeah because the Spurs can afford Artest and Wallace, right? Also, Bonner is under contract, Finley has a player option and will likely stay, and KT is under contract, too. Unless you want to buyout all of those contracts for the Spurs, absolutely nothing you said will ever happen....maybe Rasheed, but that's it.

Rasheed and Artest can be had for cheap. Artest has a contract worth about 9 million, Rasheed's is the same. That's the price of adding one Vince Carter, which we were planning on doing. I thought Bonner was only partially guaranteed. And I was banking on Finely and KT retiring. They're 37 years old. And do people really think Bowen will be here next year?

[Obstructed_View]

Sure, but he is also a of alot better than the scrub Udoka, who decided to show up for a game or two this season, then he took a vacation again.

I'll grant that he's better than Udoka, but there's no way to suggest that's saying anything significant. Pop took Finley out and put him back in (during the aforementioned 'JV getting torched' timeout) BEFORE Bowen ever made an appearance. Starting Finley at the three when you know Lebron James is looking to make a statement is just inexplicable.

[Manufan909]

Agreed.

My starting 5 would be

Parker
Mason
Bowen
Gooden
Duncan

Ginobili
Bonner
thomas
Finley bench



I could see it happening.

Encouraging though to see Mason want to shoot the ball in the second half.

Hopefully he keeps that up and then the shots will fall.

No Hill love?

[bigdog]

All in all, I think the Spurs are just settling too much for jump shots. Ginobili and Mason are forcing shots, and Ginobili should be driving to the basket ALOT more than he is. I mean, obviously the Spurs would have had a much better chance if Duncan and Manu played decently, and Pop needs to seriously have the doctors look at his brain.

[EricB]

No Hill love?

Maybe.

But Hill's problem is hes very very green and All things considered I'd rather Ginobili run point than Vaughn.

Hill's foul near the end of the game against Indiana IMO sealed his fate.

One of the dumbest fouls I've seen since Parker fouled Rip Hamilton near the end of game 7 in 05.

[Obstructed_View]

Agreed.

My starting 5 would be

Parker
Mason
Bowen
Gooden
Duncan

Ginobili
Bonner
thomas
Finley bench



I could see it happening.

Encouraging though to see Mason want to shoot the ball in the second half.

Hopefully he keeps that up and then the shots will fall.

Hill HAS to be in the rotation, and he's going to have to play some point. He doesn't have to score, but he has to allow Mason and Manu to move without the ball.

[Budkin]

Embarrassing, pathetic, call it what you will... this team has 0 confidence right now and I'm not sure what the they're gonna do.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

The spurs new 4th quarter into at the ATT center should be this:





I think the juxtaposition of the serious final countdown song with the silliness and frability of the kazoo is good fit with how we're playing right now.

[Obstructed_View]

Doesn't help with two of the big three go 3 of 14.

Maybe you should be asking how Duncan and Ginobili only got 14 shots between them in 48 minutes.

[bigdog]

Maybe you should be asking how Duncan and Ginobili only got 14 shots between them in 48 minutes.

I think Duncan was being too unselfish when he had opportunities to do something on offense. After guys weren't hitting their shots, he should have gone in there and taken over.

[EricB]

Hill HAS to be in the rotation, and he's going to have to play some point. He doesn't have to score, but he has to allow Mason and Manu to move without the ball.

I agree, but I think that foul at the end of the game the other night sealed his fate.

[EricB]

Maybe you should be asking how Duncan and Ginobili only got 14 shots between them in 48 minutes.

Couldn't answer that.

You'd have to ask the individual players why they didn't shoot more.

Ginobili seemed to mail this one in from the beginning.

[Obstructed_View]

I agree, but I think that foul at the end of the game the other night sealed his fate.

Much like Nazr Mohammed's three. The old "cut off your nose" coaching philosophy strikes again.

[EricB]

I think Duncan was being too unselfish when he had opportunities to do something on offense. After guys weren't hitting their shots, he should have gone in there and taken over.

Ginobili needs to drive the ing ball, this thinking he's Dale Ellis Bull has got to stop.

Duncan I can see why if his knees were hurting that he'd be passive.

Ginobili's unagression is very akin to 2007 before the playoffs started and seemed to last all through the playoffs until game 4 in Utah.

[Obstructed_View]

Couldn't answer that.

You'd have to ask the individual players why they didn't shoot more.

Ginobili seemed to mail this one in from the beginning.

I don't know about you, but if I'm the coach of a team and I want certain players to get the shots, I can make sure they get the shots.

[Obstructed_View]

Ginobili needs to drive the ing ball, this thinking he's Dale Ellis Bull has got to stop.

Duncan I can see why if his knees were hurting that he'd be passive.

Ginobili's unagression is very akin to 2007 before the playoffs started and seemed to last all through the playoffs until game 4 in Utah.

I'll go back and watch the game again, but I'm pretty sure Manu was going quite aggressively to the basket in this game. They turned into a jump shooting team in the second quarter, but that was mostly due to the lineup on the floor.

[crc21209]

Some VERY VERY good things came out of todays loss:

1. Bowen got the most mins he has gotten in a long time. Hopefully he is back for good now.

2. Gooden looks pretty damn good and hopefully we see more of him and Thomas with TD, and less Bonner.

3. Manu and TD combined for what was it? 10 points. Not going to happen very often.

4. Hopefully Vaughn and Udoka are DONE...and are only used for garbage mins.

[TinTin]

Some VERY VERY good things came out of todays loss:

1. Bowen got the most mins he has gotten in a long time. Hopefully he is back for good now.

2. Gooden looks pretty damn good and hopefully we see more of him and Thomas with TD, and less Bonner.

3. Manu and TD combined for what was it? 10 points. Not going to happen very often.

4. Hopefully Vaughn and Udoka are DONE...and are only used for garbage mins.

And please use george hill and mason? You have to use them over vaughn >_<

[VaSpursFan]

The spurs new 4th quarter into at the ATT center should be this:





I think the juxtaposition of the serious final countdown song with the silliness and frability of the kazoo is good fit with how we're playing right now.

da ...that's freaking hee-larry-us