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Spurs 101
Rockets 95
San Antonio (32-23) at Houston (28-28)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Fri Feb 26, 2010
TV: KENS, FSH
By Kate Hedlin
The San Antonio Spurs returned home after a long road trip and came up with a big win. Their challenge now is trying to build some momentum as they head back to the road.
The Spurs look to avoid losing their third straight away from the AT&T Center when they face the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
San Antonio (32-23) defeated Oklahoma City 95-87 on Wednesday in a brief stop home after going 4-4 on their annual rodeo trip.
Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 26 points and Tim Duncan finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and six assists against the Thunder. Ginobili also delivered a critical block on Kevin Durant in the final minutes that prevented what might have been a fast-break dunk.
San Antonio, 3 1/2 games behind first-place Dallas in the Southwest Division and trying to hold onto seventh place in the Western Conference, had lost its previous two. Now it is looking to win back-to-back games for only the third time since Jan. 15.
“We’ve had some (wins) like this before where it looked like we were going to start being who we’re supposed to be, and then it didn’t happen,” said Ginobili, who averaged 23.7 points in the last three games. “We got to stay humble and keep working hard.”
The Spurs, 12-13 away from home, defeated the Rockets 92-84 on Nov. 27 for their first road win in five tries this season.
San Antonio’s defensive effort against the Thunder was the kind that had been lacking on the road recently. The Spurs limited Oklahoma City to 39.8 percent shooting, but allowed opponents to average 98.1 points and shoot 45.8 percent on the trip.
San Antonio might have an easier time defending against the Rockets (28-28), who have reached 100 points in two of their last eight games. Houston has dropped six of eight.
The Rockets are coming off a 110-92 home loss to Orlando on Wednesday, scoring 40 points in the first half and getting outrebounded 46-37 overall.
“We have to figure out how we’re going to win,” coach Rick Adelman said. “We just lost whatever confidence we really had. We just kind of lost everything, I think with everything that’s happened we just don’t seem to play with the same energy and enthusiasm that we had before. We have to find a way to get that back.”
Aaron Brooks scored 25 points for Houston and Kevin Martin added 19, his best total in three games since joining the Rockets in a trade-deadline deal.
Martin made his first start while fellow newcomer Jared Jeffries scored nine points in 23 minutes. Jordan Hill and Hilton Armstrong also saw their first playing time with their new team.
The Rockets have lost four in a row at home, allowing 110.3 points per game in that span. The last time they dropped five straight in Houston was March 16-26, 2006.
Duncan reached the 20,000-point mark in the most recent matchup with Houston, a 116-109 Rockets road victory Jan. 22. He finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, but shot 5 of 13 from the field.
The Spurs and Rockets have alternated wins and losses in their last six meetings. San Antonio, though, took the last two meetings at the Toyota Center.
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tim Duncan SA 19.1
Aaron Brooks Hou 19.4
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 11.0
Luis Scola Hou 8.4
Assists
Tony Parker SA 5.8
Aaron Brooks Hou 5.1
Spurs 101
Rockets 95
Let's not go straight to assumptions.
Hopefully we can get a win streak going.
Spurs 107 Rockets 101
Go spurs Go
97 - 92 Spurs!
Friday: Spurs (32-23) at Rockets (28-28)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: KENS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - ROCKETS
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 9th yr) - 0 Aaron Brooks (6-0, 3rd yr)
Parker still ailing with left hip muscle strain. Game-time decision.
SG - 3 George Hill (6-3, 2nd yr) - 12 Kevin Martin (6-7, 6th yr)
Martin made first post-trade start for Rockets Wednesday at Orlando.
SF - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 7th yr) - 31 Shane Battier (6-8, 9th yr)
Bogans hit threes on Spurs’ first possessions of both halves Wednesday.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 4 Luis Scola (6-9, 3rd yr)
Duncan averaging 13.7 rebounds over past six games.
C - 34 Antonio McDyess (6-9, 14th yr) - 44 Chuck Hayes (6-6, 5th yr)
McDyess had 15 pts., 14 reb. Nov. 27 in Houston, his offseason home.
SPURS RESERVES
45 DeJuan Blair, F, 6-7, 1st yr
15 Matt Bonner, F-C, 6-10, 6th yr
4 Michael Finley, F, 6-7, 15th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G/F, 6-6, 8th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G/F, 6-5, 2nd yr
24 Richard Jefferson, F, 6-7, 9th yr
8 Roger Mason Jr., G, 6-5, 6th yr
ROCKETS RESERVES
3 H. Armstrong, F/C, 6-11, 4th yr
10 Chase Budinger, F, 6-7, 1st yr
27 Jordan Hill, F, 6-10, 1st yr
20 Jared Jeffries, F, 6-11, 8th yr
8 Jermaine Taylor, G, 6-4, 1st yr
2 Garrett Temple, G, 6-6, 1st yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Rockets: Rick Adelman
INJURIES
Spurs: Tony Parker, strained left hip muscle, is probable.
Rockets: Trevor Ariza (left hip pointer) is out; Kyle Lowry (sprained left ankle) is out; Yao Ming (left foot surgery) is out.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi
Rockets: Ariza, Lowry, Yao
NOTABLE
Season series is tied, 1-1, both teams winning on opponent’s home court. ... Spurs won first game in Houston this season, 92-84, on Nov. 27, but lost at the AT&T Center, 116-109, on Jan. 22. ... The two teams have split the season series four times in the past five seasons. ... Rockets have lost eight of last 10 home games, have fourth-worst home record in Western Conference. ... Hairston hasn’t played since being recalled from Austin Toros on Sunday.
— Mike Monroe
No need to start Bogans in this game (not that there ever would be a need to) because Battier is a non scoring threat (save for spot up three point shooting) and Hill matches up better with Martin. Jefferson should start, you know, so that the Spurs actually have more size, athleticism, offense and overall talent on the floor at the beginning of the game. In fact, I'm not sure Bogans should play at all in this game because he has trouble defending quickness (Martin). Maybe if Budinger get's it going off the bench, but the Spurs should be able to get away with putting Mason (and maybe Jefferson some) on him. It's not like we're talking about an extremely dangerous scorer.
Also, Mahinmi needs to be active. This is ridiculous, as if the team isn't small enough, let's not active the semblance of length, athleticism and rim protection that they do have and all so that a 700th wing can be activated. What if two bigs get into foul trouble or get injured, then what (particularly if it happens early)? Small ball for the rest of the game? It makes no sense.
"Bogans hit threes on Spurs’ first possessions of both halves Wednesday."
and it is like a highlight of his spur career
Last edited by SpursRulez4eVeR; 02-25-2010 at 10:30 PM.
Spurs probably win, we have no idea what we are doing yet with all these new players.
Pop still hasn't figured it out yet either with the new Spurs players.
Going to this one......Spurs better win!
TD can feast in the middle if he gets gis game going. Lets see if Manu can deliver the goods again and as always, will RJ try to be agressive. As for Parker, just rest him.. Spurs risk aggravating his injury.
Duncan better not bail Hayes or the Rockets, in general, out. He needs to put Hayes' ass under the basket. I don't care about his low center of gravity, strength, savvy, will, determination, etc., in defending the post, Duncan should still be able to have his way with him. Other than Hayes, the Rockets only have lightweight defenders like Anderson, Jeffries (who's a good defender, but more so on the perimeter) and Armstrong to throw at Duncan.
Referee Assignments
Fri. Feb 26
San Antonio @ Houston: Tony Brothers; Pat Fraher; Derek Richardson
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