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A loss to a Sacramento team that's already packing for Cancun would be disasterous. However, I sense a 20 pt Spurs win. If I'm Pop I sit Duncan for this one.
San Antonio (51-28) at Sacramento (16-63) Preview
Game info: 9:00 pm EDT Sun Apr 12, 2009
TV: My35, CSCA
By Matt Becker
The San Antonio Spurs are heading to the playoffs for the 12th straight time, but unlike previous seasons, they’ve been stumbling down the stretch instead of gaining momentum for a le run.
Despite their recent struggles, they still have a chance to host a first-round series.
The Spurs look to build on an important victory over a playoff-bound team and move into a first-place tie atop the Southwest Division when they visit the NBA-worst Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
San Antonio (51-28) has averaged nearly 59 victories over the past eight seasons, but injuries to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have made wins harder to come by.
The Spurs had lost four of their previous six before pulling out a 105-99 victory over Utah on Friday night. Parker finished with a game-high 31 points, while Duncan had 14 points and nine rebounds after finishing with a season-low four points in Wednesday’s 95-83 loss to Portland.
“Every one is very important right now,” said Duncan, whose knees have been bothering him since the All-Star break. “But more than that, getting our confidence up and getting a rhythm going.”
The Spurs are locked in a back-and-forth race with Houston for the Southwest crown. San Antonio, which has won seven division les in the past 10 seasons, was atop the Southwest for much of 2008-09 before going 8-8 over the past month and losing Ginobili this week to a season-ending ankle injury.
The Rockets have taken a one-half game lead and have only two left to play. They host New Orleans on Monday before wrapping up the regular season at Dallas on Wednesday.
San Antonio appears to have a slightly easier schedule. After this meeting with the Kings (16-63), the Spurs visit lowly Golden State on Monday before their home finale against the Hornets on Wednesday.
“It starts with effort, getting out there and playing hard, but I think we need to step up our game defensively with Manu being out,” forward Ime Udoka said. “We don’t have the same margin for error defensively because we’re not as physical. Just come out and play hard and get a few road victories and finish it up at home.”
The Spurs have had little trouble beating Sacramento lately, winning four straight and nine of the last 10 meetings. San Antonio won at Sacramento 90-88 on Nov. 16 - its sixth victory in seven games at Arco Arena—and 101-85 at home Dec. 22.
While the Spurs are trying to find their rhythm for the playoffs, the Kings are gearing up for the NBA draft lottery.
Sacramento, which has dropped seven straight since defeating Phoenix 126-118 on March 29, shot 32.6 percent from the field in Friday’s 109-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I was embarrassed at the way we went out and did not play and it will not continue,” interim coach Kenny Natt said.
The Kings, who have lost eight in a row twice this season, will have a 25 percent chance of getting the first overall pick in the draft if they finish with the worst record in the league.
Kevin Martin, averaging a team-high 24.6 points per game, sat out his fifth straight game Friday because of a sprained left ankle. Natt is hopeful that he’ll return Sunday.
Notes
Spurs:
The Spurs have now defeated the Jazz 23 consecutive times in San Antonio dating to 1999. ... G Tony Parker was 13-of-17 from the free-throw line. ... F Drew Gooden scored 14 points off the bench.
Kings:
If the Kings finish with the worst record in the NBA, they will have a 25 percent chance of getting the first overall pick in the draft lottery. ... G Kevin Martin sat out his fifth straight game because of a sprained left ankle. Interim coach Kenny Natt is hopeful that he'll return for Sunday's home finale against San Antonio. "I wouldn't say that he's any closer, but there's still a chance that he'll play in our next game," Natt said. "I'm not counting that out." ... Sacramento hit 17 percent of its shots from the field in the first quarter, falling behind 35-13 after the opening 12 minutes.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tony Parker SA 21.9
Kevin Martin Sac 24.6
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.5
Jason Thompson Sac 7.3
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.9
Beno Udrih Sac 4.7
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 51-28 2nd Southwest / 5th West 96.9 93.5 Road 24-15 Won 1 6-4
Sacramento 16-63 5th Pacific / 15th West 100.8 109.7 Home 11-29 Lost 7 1-9
A loss to a Sacramento team that's already packing for Cancun would be disasterous. However, I sense a 20 pt Spurs win. If I'm Pop I sit Duncan for this one.
Beno time!
Come on, we should get a good win out of this game. Full confidence in them, go spurs!!!
Speaking of Beno,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJAo...eature=related
Teach me how do you do that!
Sunday: Spurs (51-28) at Kings (16-63)
Express-News
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: KMYS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - KINGS
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) -19 Beno Udrih (6-3, 5th yr)
Parker had 13th 30-point game vs. Jazz, looks for more vs. ex-understudy.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 32 Francisco Garcia (6-7, 4th yr)
Mason averaging 15.7 points since Ginobili's season-ending injury.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 5 Andres Nocioni (6-7, 5th yr)
Acquired at trade deadline, Nocioni only Argentine in this game.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 34 Jason Thompson (6-11, 1st yr)
Duncan looked spry vs. Utah, but another taxing back-to-back looms.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 31 Spencer Hawes (7-1, 2nd yr)
Hawes became Kings' big man on campus after Brad Miller dealt to Bulls.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
90 Drew Gooden, F, 6-10, 8th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
2 Marcus Williams, G, 6-7, 2nd yr
KINGS RESERVES
52 Calvin Booth, C, 6-11, 10th yr
3 Ike Diogu, F, 6-9, 4th yr
20 Donte Green, F, 6-11, 1st yr
23 Kevin Martin, G, 6-7, 5th yr
7 Rashad McCants, G, 6-4, 4th yr
24 Bobby Jackson, F, 6-9, 3rd yr
15 Cedric Simmons, F/C, 6-9, 3rd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Kings: Kenny Natt
INJURIES
Spurs: Manu Ginobili (stress fracture, right fibula) is out.
Kings: Kevin Martin (sore left ankle) is a game-time decision.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Ian Mahinmi.
Kings: Kenny Thomas.
NOTABLE
Looking to build momentum, the Spurs open their final road trip of the regular season against the worst team in the Western Conference. ... The Spurs seek their first two-game win streak since winning three in a row from March 24-27. ... The Kings have lost seven straight games, are 0-6 in April, and have surrendered 100 points in 15 of the past 17 games. ... Martin, Sacramento's leading scorer, had missed the last five games with an ankle problem.
- Jeff McDonald
I would try to sit TD down for both the Kings and Warriors, bringing him into the second halves if need be.
Play TD in the 1st half of this game...if you get a big lead..sit him for the 2nd half. I think you play him at Sacramento and rest him at GS. We can win both games like that...
Look out for GS, they just creamed the Jazz (they suck right now, I know) and you know they want revenge from that one point loss a little while back.
timmy sits out neither, maybe resting will have his tendonosis act up, he plays both games for the 1st halves imo.
it just rest Duncan the whole game, its not like if we get 4th seed we will never have to play a road game, let him rest and its ok if we lose, atleast he would be healthy in playoffs when it counts.
I wouls sit him against the Kings and play him against the Warriors.
id like this to go to 6OT with a close spurs win
I believe no game in the NBA has reached 5 OT, and you want 6.id like this to go to 6OT with a close spurs win
tp should drop 50 tonight
Spurs try to gain ground in Southwest at Sacramento
(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs are still in search of another Southwest Division le and will open a short two-game road trip Sunday against the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena.
The Spurs are a half-game behind the idle Houston Rockets for the division lead, and will also visit Golden State on the trek. They are 24-15 away from the Alamo City this season and have alternated wins and losses over the past six games overall.
In a 105-99 home victory versus the Utah Jazz on Friday, Tony Parker finished with 31 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead the Spurs, who are also just a half-game behind Houston and Portland for the third seed in the Western Conference standings.
Roger Mason added 16 points and Tim Duncan chipped in 14 and nine rebounds in a winning effort. The Spurs will close out the regular season on April 15 versus New Orleans.
Sacramento will try to stop a seven-game losing streak Sunday with a home tilt versus San Antonio. The Kings are coming off Friday's 109-78 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, as Beno Udrih totaled 18 points in a losing effort.
Ike Diogu had 13 points and Andres Nocioni recorded 11 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento, which will try to improve its 11-29 home record Sunday night. The Kings will wrap up the season with a pair of road games against Denver and Minnesota.
San Antonio has won the first two meetings with the Kings this season and is unbeaten over the last four matchups between the teams. The Spurs have won 20 of the previous 26 encounters with Sacramento, which has dropped 10 of the last 15 as the host in this series.
it will be a night for the ages then
Referee Assignments
Sun. Apr. 12
San Antonio @ Sacramento: D. Crawford, B. Adams, J. Goble
Sacramento Bee.
Spurs (51-28) at Kings (16-63)
Outlook: After facing consecutive opponents that featured All-Stars on their frontlines, the Kings figured to catch a break against the injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. What the Kings got was an embarrassing loss. Forward Jason Thompson and center Spencer Hawes had played well lately before the Clippers debacle. Hawes missed 14 or 18 shots, and Thompson misfired on 7 of 10. Perhaps Beno Udrih, facing his old team, can provide a spark. He was the only King to make at least half his shots (9 of 15) against the Clippers. Udrih made a career-high six steals in his previous game against the Spurs, a 101-85 loss in San Antonio on Dec. 22.
Spurs update: The Spurs will be motivated to sweep the three-game season series with the Kings because playoff position is fluid in the Western Conference. Entering Saturday, the Spurs were the No. 5 seed, which would have them start a first-round playoff series on the road against Portland. San Antonio is playing the first of back-to-back games, with a visit to Golden State on Monday.
Kings injuries: G Kevin Martin (sore left ankle, day-to-day).
Spurs injuries: G Manu Ginobili (stress fracture in right ankle, out).
The skinny: In today's home finale, the Kings have one last opportunity to play well and send their fans into the offseason feeling positive. If the Kings beat the Spurs, they will avoid finishing with the worst home record, in terms of percentage, in franchise history. A loss will give the Kings the worst record in franchise history. However, the Spurs won't be easy to conquer as they battle for playoff position.
I hope Duncan plays tonight and sits out tomorrow.
Don't let the Kings record fool you. They have some nice bigs in Hawes and Thompson and could give the Spurs fits. They have good defenders in Garcia and Nocioni as well. Martin is a game time decision with his ankle but I suspect he plays.
The Warriors will only have 8 players available tomorrow night and Turiaf always plays Duncan well. I hope if Pop makes him rest a game it'll be tomorrow night.
Spurs need to win all 3 games to have a chance at moving up in the seeding. I think Sacramento loses tonight, and Spurs win by a big margin. The team is feeling more confident now that Timmy has made it clear, whether true or not, that he is playing with much less pain. The Captain of the ship has spoken and his mates will back him up.
Come on Spurs!
Duncan shouldn't be too overconfident heading into this game. They should still monitor his minutes. Why not let Gooden play. So that he could prove to the Kings it was a mistake buying out his contract.
Best of Luck to the Spurs in this game.
Pop should start Gooden.
I agree, Gooden should start. We should give Tim rest as much as possible before PO-s.
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