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Around the World (Wide Web): Lakers Begin Trip In San Antonio
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This morning, we turn our focus to the Spurs, who have been playing well as of late. They’re only 3-2 in their last five, but watching their last few games seems like they’re on a five game winning streak. I know they did not play well in Orlando, and lost to Atlanta, but Manu Ginobili has been playing like the old Manu and George Hill has been playing very well in place of the injured Tony Parker. Even though the Spurs have stuggled for much of this season against playoff caliber teams, tonight’s game against Tim Duncan and Co. will be no walk through the park as they have not lost in San Antonio since January 31st.
An early preview from Basket Blog: As has become typical of Gregg Popovich Spurs teams, the Silver and Black are picking up their play as the playoffs approach, even with starting point guard Tony Parker going on the shelf on March 6 with a hand injury, due to return in mid April. In fact, the Spurs have gone 9-3 in March* after a 6-5 February, their only three losses coming at Cleveland by two points, at Orlando and at Atlanta in overtime.?*This comes as no surprise, since the Spurs are the NBA’s best March team since Tim Duncan was drafted in 1997, going 152-54 for a .738 winning percentage (L.A. is second at 134-69, .660).??In related news, Manu Ginobili has been playing like … a healthy Manu Ginobili, averaging 21.2 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 53 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range in March. Throw in solid bench production, Tim Duncan’s consistency and an improving Richard Jefferson and the Spurs are dangerous. “(Ginobili’s improved play) helps a lot and I think their bench has been very successful,” said Jackson said after the team photo on Tuesday. “They had a game the other night against Golden State where (Tim) Duncan played 13 minutes and it was one of the highest scoring games they’ve ever had. It just says something about their bench coming to life and their players all supporting one another.”
Post-practice interviews on the Lakers issues and tonight’s game from Land O’ Lakers: Wednesday will feature the Lakers mano y’ mano with the Spurs, a showdown these squads have grown extraordinarily familiar with over the last 10-plus years. As Kobe Bryant noted, “We could run their plays and they could could run ours.” These battles have largely ended in the Larry O’Brien swapped back and forth between Kobe and Tim Duncan. The two haven’t just collected rings during the 2000’s, they’ve arguably been the two best players of the recent decade. I know I’d tab them as such. Still, The Big Fundamental, as his nickname implies, has never been the flashiest or most demonstrative of players, generally content to go about his business and film the occasional Adidas commercial. Even as a 12-time All-Star, Duncan’s low key persona has sometimes meant flying under the radar compared against other superstars. But Kobe’s not losing too much sleep a lunch pail persona has resulted in Timmy being somehow under-appreciated: “They already call him the greatest power forward of all time,” smiled Bryant. “How much more do you want? For that matter, Kobe’s playing no sad violins over the Spurs’ downward slide in the standings this season, despite having gone unhappily through a similar situation in 2006 and 2007. Asked what he felt for the Spurs’ plight, Kobe’s answer was fairly succinct: “Nothing.”
