Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Lakers - Jan. 12

[timvp]

Good posts, HH and CBF. Not notch

Are there going to be Game Thoughts?

Yeah, starting in a few minutes.

[EricB]

If gasol had been there it wouldve been interesting if pop wouldve gone to Blair ratliff or mcdyess. Dice played a damn good game so most likely him.


Dice see s to be oberto reincarnated. Plays mediocre in medium to low games and shows up for the big ones.

[Flux451]

DEFENSIVE INTENSITY

Man, they were hustling out there last night. I was really pleased with Parkers defense and intensity. He seemed to stay with his man which has been mediocre this whole season. IF only the Spurs can keep this up, then we might have something here. Hill needs to keep his energy high on all opponents, not just cuz its Kobe or RonRon....who does stupid all game, like bumps, grabs, streetball mentally fo sho.

[ElNono]

Yeah, starting in a few minutes.

Thanks!

[TJastal]

So about Bogans. Kudos to his defense. BUT...

Is Bogans using up so much energy at the defensive side of the ball when it comes to the good teams/good players that he cannot shoot properly?

This 1 for 6 shooting nights against +.500 teams are becoming the norm for him. Meanwhile, Roger Mason played another outstanding defensive game to go along with clutch shooting (as is the norm for him against +.500 teams)

I think Roger is slowly making a case to be in that starting lineup.

[EricB]

Bogans brought alot more than defense. His rebounding and other intangibles were fantastic last night.

[Flux451]

I am starting love how our line up and rotations are shaping. Our team is starting to inch its way toward elitism.

[newacc]

Better a win than a loss, but it was hard for me to be happy beating a team with Kobe for only one quarter and no Gasol.

When Kobe played in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, he could barely move which broke the measuring stick the Lakers were supposed to be. It looked like the Spurs had the edge on this one anyway - Kobe or not - but I wanted to see them finish strong and get win against a venomized Laker team.

On the other side, if I'm the Lakers I would start sitting Kobe for awhile. I read he said he'd be fine for the Mavs game. That guy has a ton of mileage and while he's still got the talent and smarts, his athleticism is waning and his wear and tear is adding up. If the Lakers don't rest him, he's going to break down during the playoffs.

[Bender]

remember Blair's comment a while back...?

"I don't plan on hitting any rookie wall..."

[wildbill2u]

Now that we know Tony has plantar fasciatis our evaluation of the team for the rest of the YEAR will have to be recalibrated. He's been the engine that makes the Big Three go and his injury will hurt in so many ways.

[Sportcamper]

Hey…They are talking about a Sasha for George Hill trade…Is this true?

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs are far from a finished product. They've consistently had stretches where they just totally look out of rhythm on both ends. For this year's team, things tend to unravel quickly ... for whatever reason.

Thought I'd share the reason: Go back and watch the third quarter. There are two Spurs offensive plays for the bulk of it that weren't jumpers. Parker's and-1 against Bynum was the only one until Manu's cut if memory serves. When they hit the third or fourth jumper to extend the lead in the third, I actually turned to my wife and said "The Spurs are about to give up this big lead and lose the game".

The only reason they didn't lose the game is because the fool's gold feeling from hitting all those jumpers actually helped them play with energy on the defensive side, which isn't always the case. Once they missed a couple of them, the floodgates opened. They were able to get it back under control with some inside play and some good defense, and hit some more jumpers late to inflate the margin back, but the all-jumpshot mentality they came out with to start the second half could have been the killer.

[SpuronyourFace]

Good win, but it doesn't mean much beating the Lakers without Kobe the Ripper and Pau.

[ElNono]

Good win, but it doesn't mean much beating the Lakers without Kobe the Ripper and Pau.

Kobe actually played...

[pookenstein]

Hey…They are talking about a Sasha for George Hill trade…Is this true?

good game but when the fakers put together their run late in the third i really thought we might blow the game again like we did against the mavs, okc or utha.
but fortunately we stepped up on the defensive end and went to the basket instead of just settling on jumpers.
now lets go on and beat the thunder!

[Obstructed_View]

Good win, but it doesn't mean much beating the Lakers without Kobe the Ripper and Pau.

Actually, it means exactly the same either way: 1 in the W column. Only a fool would really try to make the case that a game on January 13 means any more than that. Tonight's just as much a measuring stick game as last night's was for the Spurs.

[Brazil]

Thought I'd share the reason: Go back and watch the third quarter. There are two Spurs offensive plays for the bulk of it that weren't jumpers. Parker's and-1 against Bynum was the only one until Manu's cut if memory serves. When they hit the third or fourth jumper to extend the lead in the third, I actually turned to my wife and said "The Spurs are about to give up this big lead and lose the game".

The only reason they didn't lose the game is because the fool's gold feeling from hitting all those jumpers actually helped them play with energy on the defensive side, which isn't always the case. Once they missed a couple of them, the floodgates opened. They were able to get it back under control with some inside play and some good defense, and hit some more jumpers late to inflate the margin back, but the all-jumpshot mentality they came out with to start the second half could have been the killer.

For me it's more like ouch Tim is on the bench opponent team is going to make a run.

[Obstructed_View]

For me it's more like ouch Tim is on the bench opponent team is going to make a run.

Maybe on the defensive side, but they were playing with energy on both ends while those jumpers were falling, and I don't think Timmy was shooting them.

[mingus]

-the biggest thing that sticks out for me is the offensive balance. the points came from different players, and that's what it going to take. it's not like it was before where if one of the big three was off, the game was likely over. this is exactly (and of course their stellar defense) what made the '03 team so damn good.

-Tim Duncan showed why he's still as good as Kobe and Lebron.

-Parker never became the Spurs leader, or best player. it's Duncan and it always will be if you want to call this team a championship team. Duncan's got to be the best player.

-Manu's passing and court awareness has gotten better.

-George Hill is a capable defender on Bryant. he made him work. id' still like to see him be more aggressive with his offense. seems to defer too much, when he's got the athleticism and quickness to get to the basket and score.

-Mason has to be kept on this team. his hot shooting is an x-factor. he can put up points in a hurry and is a great guy to put in the game when the stadium starts to feel like minnesota for the Spurs. he can singlehandedly rectify a sinking offense with his shooting. i've been a critic of him in the past, but he's a neccessity and great alterantive when you have a guy like Bogans that can sometimes burn you as bad with his inablity to shoot as he can help you with his defense.



^^^ a poor man's game thoughts

[Old School 44]

Glad we got the win, but the thing that disturbed me was the turnovers when the Lakers made their run. It wasn't like the Lakers were playing stellar defense. It was mostly sloppy passes and poor decisions on our part that changed the momentum. If Kobe was in, a lapse like that would have cost us the game. Good thing is, in time, I think this can be corrected.

Hopefully, beating the Lakers (even without Gasol and a less than 100% Kobe) gets us over the mental hump of "beating teams with over .500 records". I expect big effort and a big win tonight over OKC.