Game Thread: Spurs vs knicks -- FRI. (1/8) - 7:30PM CST (3:30AM Riga Time)

[TheGreatYacht]

BatManu20 needs to make the game threads from now on tbh. Op is a got

[SAGirl]

I said it early in the thread, teams with young athletic bigs are going to give the Spurs trouble. Porzingas is pretty much THE young athletic big right now. A lot of people seem to have forgotten how much trouble Lopez has given Tim the last couple of seasons. To me, that was one of the first signs that Tim really was aging. There was a time when Tim would have just ripped him a new one. Instead, he went straight at Tim quite a lot, and made Tim put up some really bad shots on the other end. You notice that Tim played less than 21 minutes tonight, and that left the Spurs under-sized against this Knicks team.

There are always going to be teams that match up better against a particular team. If the Spurs meet a team like that in the playoffs, it will probably be a long series. Or a short series, with a lot of close games.

I have noticed several off games by Tim already this season. He's looked very poor against athletic or talented bigs, and when he does the team struggles. Off the top of my head, games we were close or lost, Tim didn't have a good game and we had to minimize his minutes.

[bklynspursfan]

IDIOT, Kawhi was clapping his hands b/c he WIDE OPEN & Tony even acknowledged him after he called his own number. It's was LMA that opened up the lane for him b/c Porzingis didn't want to help off him otherwise he was wetting the bed outside the paint.

So I'm an idiot cause u named 1 play? I've never spoken to you on here before, but don't be a dude. No need for that... He may have missed him on 1 possession but what I said is still accurate.

This wasn't Kawhi's best game, no one was in rhythm down the stretch.

[SAGirl]

Danny had a good game at both ends. Manu had a good game. Kawhi had a very pedestrian game (for Kawhi) on the offensive end. That was due to his expending so much energy on D. But when Kawhi was out, Danny played Melo very well. I think there were minutes for Simmons in that stretch, especially with Patty being subpar - again. I also would like to have seen Pop give Boban a shot against Lopez. Tim couldn't do it tonight, and he only played 21 minutes. Pop clearly wanted this game, and he shortened his rotation to the vets.

Actually some of the minutes Simmons got would have in the past been Patty minutes. There was a lineup in the bench with Jerian Grant and Galloway, both quick PG. In the past that would have been Patty and he only played 15 minutes, he could have given 6-8 more easy. Pop staying with Simms shows some trust. Like I said, I thought his minutes were fine, but they needed to look for him more to make plays and didn't. His role won't be amplified this season. It is what it is.

I do think Pop needs to reconsider testing Boban. Tim has been struggling against quality bigs regularly, and when he does, we are in trouble. He already does so much defensively and his passing opens up opportuni es for others. D.West played really well next to LMA so I can't fault Pop's call either. We'll see with Boban. All may not be written yet on him.

[cjw]

Puck Frinceton

Go Penn

But now Tommy Amaker has their league on lockdown

[sasaint]

I have noticed several off games by Tim already this season. He's looked very poor against athletic or talented bigs, and when he does the team struggles. Off the top of my head, games we were close or lost, Tim didn't have a good game and we had to minimize his minutes.

All the more reason to test the water with Boban. Porzingis was not Tim's cover. Lopez was. For a good part of the 4th, Kawhi was on Porzingis, and Danny was on Melo. Those 3 Spurs plus Tony/Manu and LMA/Boris/West was a lineup that begged.

[bklynspursfan]

This is a problem if the only guy who can really score in crunch time in Tony Parker. LMA just doesn't have the moves to do so. Leonard has trouble against longer opponents.

Eh, Tony has been solid overall. It's a luxury to have several guys who can step up. It's been LMA, Kawhi, TP, Manu, Bobo, etc at different times.

Parker happened to have Calderon on him, he won't have that kind of mismatch often. It was the right time for him to attack, and why he got more mins than Mills tonight

[Chinook]

Go Penn

But now Tommy Amaker has their league on lockdown

Penn was the cream of the conference right up until the year I went there. Then Lin came about, Miller moved on, and I never got be root for a Tournament team.

we still have squash tho (... don't we?)

[bklynspursfan]

Yea, Tony made the right decisions at the end. Pop had already called for plays for LMA and Kawhi and they didn't get it done. It was actually Manu coming in and Tony pouring in a few buckets. He picked his spots well in this one I thought. Everyone got shots and opportunities at the end and yes, Tony had the most favorable match up and he was rested.

Exactly.. it can be any one on any given night asked to take us home. Most times its Kawhi, and rightfully so. But if doesn't have it going , other guys have to step up

[sasaint]

When you look at all the factors the Spurs controlled tonight, you'd think they would have won fairly easily.

Total rebounds S-49 NY-44
Offensive Rebounds S-12 NY-10
Points in the Paint S-60 NY-33
Turnovers S-8 NY-8 (any time the Spurs are under 10 turnovers, its usually a solid win)
FG% S-44.1% NY-41.8%

So what kept the Knicks in this game? It's pretty simple, when you look at the box:

The Knicks shot a ridiculous (for them) percentage from the 3P line. The Knicks are 23rd in the league, and average 33.7% from the arc. Tonight they shot 43%.
Kawhi took 4 FT's to Carmello's 10. (18 FGA for Kawhi, compared to 15 FGA for Melo.) Right calls, or wrong, the whistles were a big factor in the game.

Seems like you can be counted on to muddy the clear waters of emotional discourse with facts.

[SAGirl]

When you look at all the factors the Spurs controlled tonight, you'd think they would have won fairly easily.

Total rebounds S-49 NY-44
Offensive Rebounds S-12 NY-10
Points in the Paint S-60 NY-33
Turnovers S-8 NY-8 (any time the Spurs are under 10 turnovers, its usually a solid win)
FG% S-44.1% NY-41.8%

So what kept the Knicks in this game? It's pretty simple, when you look at the box:

The Knicks shot a ridiculous (for them) percentage from the 3P line. The Knicks are 23rd in the league, and average 33.7% from the arc. Tonight they shot 43%.
Kawhi took 4 FT's to Carmello's 10. (18 FGA for Kawhi, compared to 15 FGA for Melo.) Right calls, or wrong, the whistles were a big factor in the game.

I looked it up. 3 pt shooting was a factor in this game, and we had been defending the 3 really well, except against PF that shoot 3s.

Ryan Anderson anyone? Teletovich?

Pop will be specially upset with the lack of defense on the 3, they made some contested ones, but there were a few that were open. the ones Carmelo hit were open, so were Porzingods. Our bench really didn't have the 3 rolling tonight. Knicks defended our 3s well. I even thought the one Tony took was not an open look for him.

[cjw]

Penn was the cream of the conference right up until the year I went there. Then Lin came about, Miller moved on, and I never got be root for a Tournament team.

we still have squash tho (... don't we?)

At least I had one year with Onyekwe and Archibong when they got an 11 seed and lost to Tony Allen's OSU team. Melo played in the first game that day in Boston to kick off his le run.

Went to the tournament three of my four years there, the last year being up at the half on LMA's Texas squad with Ibby. Then it was all downhill.

Pales in comparison to people who went in 70s and saw a Final Four or two other Elite Eights.

Miller inherited Dunphy's team and his recruits never panned out. But of a game coach, was the tactician on Napier's UConn le team.

[BatManu20]

Bunch of whiny es.

"oh, these blow out games are boring"

Spurs win a close game against a team on a 5 game winning streak.

"what a ty 2nd round fodder team. parker hero balling g*t"

Welcome to ST.

[BatManu20]

[SupremeGuy]

I remember that . He's already a better player than that scrub ever was.

I know man. I'm old cause I remember Fatmelo tearing it at Syracuse. That was a crazy draft. I thought Lebron, with all that ing pressure, would blow. But goddamn he shut me up.

lolz and that asshole that went 2 got a ring before Lebron.. ing pistons

[rasuo214]

People ing about a close win against the Knicks and I turn on my tv and OKC is struggling against the Lakers. I wonder if they have fans who think they're 1st round fodder...

[SpursIndonesia]

I actually remember Arvydas Sabonis in '86. That is a much better comparison.

Sabas can kill you on the block at his peak, he's around 290-300 lbs pure muscle, a Boban with O'Nealesque athleticism. He is a true big man in every sense.

I don't think as good as Porzingod is, he will ever be that menacing, physical monster on the block like the great Lithuanian truly was. Just doesn't have the body build type to be one, but he still is gonna kill you in a variety of ways, and actually faster on the perimeter.

[TampaDude]

the Knicks! GO SPURS GO!

[sasaint]

Sabas can kill you on the block at his peak, he's around 290-300 lbs pure muscle, a Boban with O'Nealesque athleticism. He is a true big man in every sense.

I don't think as good as Porzingod is, he will ever be that menacing, physical monster on the block like the great Lithuanian truly was. Just doesn't have the body build type to be one, but he still is gonna kill you in a variety of ways, and actually faster on the perimeter.

Sabonis was not 290-300 at his peak. Nor was his game limited to being a beast on the block. He was astonishingly athletic especially by comparison to the bigs in the NBA at the time. He reached weight long after his prime when he was playing for the Blazers.

[SAGirl]

Sabas can kill you on the block at his peak, he's around 290-300 lbs pure muscle, a Boban with O'Nealesque athleticism. He is a true big man in every sense.

I don't think as good as Porzingod is, he will ever be that menacing, physical monster on the block like the great Lithuanian truly was. Just doesn't have the body build type to be one, but he still is gonna kill you in a variety of ways, and actually faster on the perimeter.

He dribbles from the perimeter like a SF. He doesn't need to post up big guys when he's moving around them and getting where he wants to go.

[BillMc]

Victory!

[UNT Eagles 2016]

And you still have a "my room"?

I was PCSing when I was 22 after a 4 year tour. You're up in your room hating the world on your guitar.

Only over Christmas break when I'm back home with family. When it's the school semester I have an apartment up in Denton. It's simple.

[dabom]

Sup Bill.

[BillMc]

Sup Bill.

Not much. Overslept so had to watch the game on ILP while avoid seeing the scores. Happy to see us eek out a victory.

[SpursIndonesia]

Sabonis was not 290-300 at his peak. Nor was his game limited to being a beast on the block. He was astonishingly athletic especially by comparison to the bigs in the NBA at the time. He reached weight long after his prime when he was playing for the Blazers.

Well, Blazer's Sabonis weight was more than 300 lbs for sure, not any smaller compared to 330-350 lbs peak Shaq. He was very athletic but i don't think he could have ever matched the quickness & agility of PorzinGOD already on the perimeter. Exactly my point that they can't really be compared since playing a different spot & game, though their skills indeed overlap here & there.