Spurs find way to beat .500+ foe
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News Web Posted: 12/31/2009
At the moment they walked into the AT&T Center for the last time in 2009, the Spurs were on a streak of nine victories in their past 11 games, which had commenced a quick climb back from below .500 and coaxed their fan base back from the suicide ledge.
On paper, the Spurs were as hot as any team in the league. Their coach, Gregg Popovich, was not quite so enthused.
“If all nine wins were against Cleveland, Orlando, Phoenix and the Lakers, I’d be pretty impressed with us,” Popovich said before his team blasted Miami 108-78 Thursday night. “That’s not the case. Hence, I’m not quite as impressed.”
Even Popovich the perfectionist was impressed with what he saw New Year’s Eve.
Behind a vintage performance from their Big Three and an old-school performance from their lockdown defense, the Spurs rolled to their most lopsided victory of the season — while in the process handing Miami its worst loss of the year.
On the last day of December, the Spurs (19-11) were able to accomplish something they could not in the previous 30 days — beat a team with a winning record. A perfect 0-5 against over-.500 teams heading into the night, the Spurs recorded their first quality win of the month in resounding fashion.
“It was a good 48-minute effort,” Popovich said, “which is always nice to see.”
Tim Duncan had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Manu Ginobili added 18 off the bench and Tony Parker had 15 points and nine assists, all in somewhat limited engagements.
It was the Spurs’ first victory against a team with a winning record since Nov. 27 at Houston.
“It was about time,” Ginobili said. “I was very glad to see the team perform like that for 48 minutes, without having letdowns.”
For the final three quarters, the Spurs treated the Heat as if they were just another sub.-500 team — which might soon be the case if Miami (16-14) keeps playing the way it did at the AT&T Center.
“They trampled us, and we simply got what we deserved,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Spurs celebrated New Year’s Eve 2009 by partying as if it were 2005.
Their Big Three owned the first half — Ginobili with his gymnastic drives, including one right-handed layup on a no-way-he-gets-that-off finish in traffic; Parker by setting up residence in the paint; Duncan by simply being Duncan.
Then the Spurs’ defense, the cornerstone of their three championship teams in the just-expired decade, popped in to say o.
After allowing 49 points — including 20 of Michael Beasley’s 26 — in the first half, the Spurs limited the Heat to just 29 after intermission.
Miami did not record its first basket of the second half until a Beasley jumper with 6:57 left in the third. By that point, the Spurs had surged to a 66-51 lead.
The Heat, which had spent its energy in a fruitless comeback at New Orleans the night before, were finished.
Miami went without a basket from the 3:23 mark of the third quarter to the 8:41 mark of the fourth, a span of 8:11. Meanwhile, the Spurs put together a 21-1 run to grab a 96-62 advantage.
The game would have been in doubt only if Vinny Del Negro had been the coach of the Spurs.
“They played well and they deserve it,” said Miami’s Dwyane Wade, who had 16 points but was harassed into 6-of-18 shooting. “Sometimes it just takes a little time to get it going. They’re hitting their stride now.”
The Spurs, for now, remain cautiously optimistic. After closing 2009 with a pop-the-bubbly kind of victory, they are hopeful for better things to come in 2010.
“We’ve got a lot to improve to become contenders and be respected as one of the best teams in the league,” Ginobili said. “We have not been that steady so far this season, but we’re on the right track.”
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...t_500_foe.html
Exactly ...dont get your panties all wet...beat a team when is not playing the second game of a back to back
I guess McDonald really reads Spurstalk after all
......and when the Lakers and Celtics beat teamsoff a back to back they are
It is one thing to beat a team playing the second game of btb but it's another thing to do it by 30 pts holding them with Wade below 80.
I got the feeling Wade was slacking throughout the game. He looked nothing like last season's MVP level of player. Wade stopped himself. If he wanted to, he would score above 20 easy.
You spoiled s kill me, "but Dallas didn't have their special pillows in their hotels last night", "the Lakers didn't have their shoe laces in the right angles, I'm not impressed by this win".....
Can't any of you enjoy a win anymore? We won by 30. We're 19-11. The team looks better than it has all year from a cohesiveness standpoint.
Just enjoy it for once.
Ignore the Haters. The team is looking better every game, which is all the Spurs or the hardcore want for the new year.
We could be 30-00 and people would still .
Like I said in another thread, anytime you win by 30 that is an impressive win. These guys are all in the NBA and anyone can beat anyone on any given night so it was a pretty good win even though they were on a back to back they are still NBA players.
A 30 Point Victory over any team In The NBA Is A Good Thing. Most Games Are decided By less then 10 points.... most by less then 5
Del Negro is done in Chicago, he doesn't need anyone else piling on.
Yeah, I should have said something about that. That was a cheap shot from Jeff and was kind of low.
I do not buy this for a minute. At the beginning of the year, even when the Spurs beat bad teams, they looked bad. The Spurs look as if they are starting to gel.
Furthermore, one thing the Spurs nor any of the +.500 teams that beat them this year have had a chance to play them in a 7 game series. This team looks like it is going to be real dangerous by the end of the year. Keep in mind one of our best shooters this year won't be back for a few weeks. I like where the Spurs sit right now.
All good signs and for 2 games in a row it was just pure fun watching the Spurs play ball. But I have learned to try and not get too up and down. There is a ton of basketball to play and many things can change.
The questions proposed at the beginning of the year are still lingering. Can this team stay healthy and can the big 3 play at a championship level going into the playoffs?
This is still a ing NBA team a win against anyone by 30 is still pretty goddamn impressive no matter the cir stances, so stop hating and enjoy the win.
I agree that winning by 30 points against any NBA team is nothing to scuff at. However Miami looked so bad and disinterested that calling that an NBA level team that night might be a bit of a stretch. Miami played probably there worst game of the year.
Spurs played very well and looked good yes, but can you honestly say that Miam
brought it to the Spurs?
This is a veery good sighn from the Spurs , but going as far as saying this game is what proves the Spurs are primed to take out the Big boys still remains to be seen.
The Lakers have the best record in the league and they don't look like their record at all. Take the wins and enjoy the maturation process that this team looks like they're finally going through.
A win by 30 points very impressive! I am amazed with all the people in here are saying things like “Miami looked so bad and disinterested that calling that an NBA level team that night might be a bit of a stretch.”- Chomag. or “beat a team when is not playing the second game of a back to back” - Manudo Flopo.
If the spurs beat the fakers on the 12th the same ppl will be in here saying things like “beat this team on the road and then MAYBE I’ll be impressed” or “we only got the win because Kobe didn’t have his lucky condom”.
STFU and enjoy the win!!!
People can enjoy the win while at the same time analyze the situation long-term. They are not mutually exclusive events.
the problem is they don't enjoy the win and just point out the obvious flaws in the wins (or make up some bull negativity.)
Ignorance is Bliss isn't it.
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