Reply With Quote
big game.
do not want to be a team that's lost 3 straight and are now looking over our shoulder.
Game is Sunday, 5:00 CST.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011032729San Antonio (57-15) at Memphis (40-33)
Tipoff: 6:00 pm EDT Sun Mar 27, 2011
TV: FSSW
By Kate Hedlin
While the San Antonio Spurs may not be finding it so difficult to duplicate Tim Duncan’s offensive contributions, his leadership appears to be sorely missed.
After blowing another fourth-quarter lead in their last game, the Spurs will try to avoid a season-high third straight loss Sunday when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies in a potential first-round playoff preview.
San Antonio (57-15) still has a five-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers for the best record in the Western Conference, but it has to be concerned after wasting leads in the fourth quarter to lose back-to-back games for the second time this season.
The Spurs led by 10 in the fourth against Portland on Friday but lost 98-96, committing three of their 19 turnovers in the final 40 seconds.
“It was ridiculous,” said Manu Ginobili, who had 21 points and seven assists but also five turnovers. “One of the craziest games I’ve ever lost in the NBA.”
The defeat came two nights after San Antonio had a seven-point lead in the fourth against Denver before losing 115-112.
Both losses have come since the Spurs lost Duncan indefinitely to a sprained left ankle he suffered against Golden State on Monday. He did not accompany the Spurs on this three-game road trip which ends Sunday.
Ginobili has helped make up offensively for Duncan’s absence, averaging 23.0 points the last three games. Tiago Splitter started in Duncan’s place again Friday and had 11 points and seven rebounds - not far off the All-Star forward’s averages - in 23 minutes.
With Duncan missing Sunday’s game, it will be the second straight visit to Memphis that the Spurs are making short-handed. Tony Parker sat out a 109-93 loss to the Grizzlies on March 1. San Antonio also struggled with turnovers in that game, committing 22.
The last time the Spurs lost consecutive games was Jan. 4 and 5, but they responded by winning their next eight. They haven’t dropped three in a row since Jan. 20-25, 2010.
San Antonio, which has won two of three against the Grizzlies, could face eighth-place Memphis (40-33) in the first round of the playoffs.
The Grizzlies had their three-game winning streak snapped by a 99-96 loss at Chicago on Friday. Mike Conley missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
Memphis had held its previous three opponents to an average of 83.3 points.
“This one definitely hurt, we have to claw and scratch to get into that eighth playoff spot,” said Tony Allen, who scored all 13 of his points in the first half. “I liked our effort tonight but there are no moral victories.”
The loss came hours after the team learned Rudy Gay, out since Feb. 15, will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his partially dislocated left shoulder. The Grizzlies are 9-7 since he got hurt.
While he’s totaled just 13 rebounds over the last two games, Zach Randolph, averaging 12.4 rebounds, had 25 points and 20 boards in the win over the Spurs last month.
The Grizzlies, who play six of their next seven games at home, have a 1 1/2-game lead over ninth-place Houston.
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Manu Ginobili SA 18.0
Zach Randolph Mem 19.9
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.0
Zach Randolph Mem 12.4
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.6
Mike Conley Mem 6.6
*********************
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 57-15 1st Southwest / 1st West 103.5 97.3 Road 24-12 Lost 2 6-4
Memphis 40-33 4th Southwest / 8th West 99.9 98.1 Home 25-10 Lost 1 6-4
big game.
do not want to be a team that's lost 3 straight and are now looking over our shoulder.
So the trend like the last two games is to start the game out with an excellent 1st quarter. Have the opponent cut the lead down before halftime. Keep the game close in the 2nd half before the Spurs fail to execute the play out of the timeout and lose the game by 2-3 points.
Damn, I hope Spurs are mentally prepared!!
the new trend will be lose two in a row, and then win eight in a row.
i see how it is.
We couldn't beat these guys in Memphis, but I do see us gettin' it done at home. I think we win this game by 9 points, 101-92
It's in Memphis.
wait really? I thought this game was at home
...okay, scratch my prediction then. We still win but it's a 3 point game.
I think Memphis will climb into the 7th spot and play the lakers in the 1st round.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...izzlies-40-33/Sunday: Spurs (57-15) at Grizzlies (40-33)
Jeff McDonald
...The Spurs have beaten the Grizzlies two out of three this season, but Memphis owns a scoring advantage in the series 303-300, thanks mostly to a 109-93 win March 1 at FedEx Forum that matched the franchise’s largest victory ever over San Antonio...The Spurs are 1-2 without Duncan this season, but are 0-2 on current road trip and looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season...
Just a couple of quotes, hit the link for the whole piece.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...not-desperate/Spurs hit Memphis hungry, but not desperate
Jeff McDonald
...“Desperate is a strong word,” said Parker, who could only watch as Batum’s buzzer-beating tip capped a gut-wrenching 98-96 loss in Portland on Friday night. “We definitely want to play better, and we definitely want to get a win.”
...At 57-15, the Spurs are still in the driver’s seat in the West, but they’ve begun to cast nervous glances at the speedy purple-and-gold roadster gaining in the rearview.
“It doesn’t seem like that big a lead,” forward Antonio McDyess said. “We definitely feel like we can hold on to it, but you can’t relax because you can still be caught.”
*********************
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...it-and-switch/...Since joining the league, however, Blair has become one of Randolph’s biggest fans.
“He’s definitely a role model that I look up to,” said Blair, who will face Randolph tonight when the Spurs visit FedEx Forum. “He’s a double-double, every night type of guy. He’s the perfect guy to look up to.”
probably not a good thing to see Z-Bo as a role model Dejuan....
Their basketball IQ fits for sure.
i think this will be a great game for our guys to come together and grab a W they need the fan support (blair/hill/bonner) i hope i see splitter in the fourth
if that means the Hornets / Rockets are 8th - Good News
if that means the Blazers are 8th - Uh-Oh
If the Spurs 37th pick gets anywhere near to the level of Randolph it would be ing awesome.
I'd be happy if he was even able to eventually become as useful as Milsap, taken at 17 in the 2nd rd.
http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignment
Sun. Mar. 27
San Antonio @ Memphis: Jason Phillips; Eric Dalen; Tom Washington
Spurs lose by three or five.
A $50,000 fine for every 4th quarter turnover...is that enough to get TP & Manu's attention?
Lol...have fun watching us hold the ball for 22 seconds before jacking up a three if that was to be implemented.
Why would Pop rest the guys tonight, 48moh? You go for the win tonight and worry about tomorrow, well, tomorrow. This win is important.
I think the Spurs will get the upset win tonight. Its weird calling a Spurs win over Memphis an "upset", even on the road, but I guess that's what this would be without Tim. Spurs are winning tonight and Portland is getting slapped tomorrow. Come Tuesday we'll all be looking back on the Portland choke as having been a blessing in disguise.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
