Considering that the Spurs could end up playing the Lakers up to ten times in the six weeks, it's a good idea to get acquainted with these guys. Even though Kobe Bryant will be out due to a shin injury, there are still many things to watch for tonight:
Can Tim Duncan be effective?
Last year against the Lakers, Tim Duncan was absolutely horrible. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum dominated him on both ends of the court; he has never looked so helpless on a basketball court. In those three games last season, Duncan averaged 4.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game while shooting 19.2% from the field (5-for-26). Obviously, the Spurs need their foundation to play much, much, much better this year.
How will Tony Parker do against Ramon Sessions?
Derek Fisher finally reached the end of the road, so the Lakers replaced him with Ramon Sessions. Sessions is a solid offense player but has never been known to be much of a defender. If Tony Parker can dominate this matchup, San Antonio's hopes against the Lakeshow will improve dramatically.
Can Manu Ginobili thwart World Peace?
No player has defended Manu Ginobili as well as Ron Artest through the years. In 14 career regular season matchups, Ginobili averages only 13.4 points on 39.7% shooting from the floor and 30.6% shooting on three-pointers. Will Manu Ginobili have more success against Metta World Peace? Let's hope so.
Can DeJuan Blair survive the size?
While DeJuan Blair has had success in the past against the Lakers, it's almost always been against either Gasol or Bynum -- but very rarely against both at the same time. Blair's lack of size is never as obvious as when he's trying to score over the Lakers' imposing frontline. Can he somehow change that perception tonight?
Will the Lakers shutdown the corner threes?
The Spurs need corner three-pointers to be at their best on the offensive end. The Lakers make it a point to not allow teams to shoot corner threes. It'll be interesting to see if the Spurs can crack their defense or if they'll be forced to score in other ways.
Will San Antonio's depth play a major role?
There's no doubt that the Spurs have the far superior depth. In fact, San Antonio's depth may be the strongest aspect of this team. In theory, if the Spurs can push the pace and turn the game into a sprint, their depth advantage should shine.
How much will size be an advantage for the Lakers?
On paper, the Spurs are at a major size disadvantage. The Spurs won't just have to figure out how to slow Gasol and Bynum, they'll need to figure out ways to score over the top of that imposing duo. If Pop uses his normal rotation, the Spurs will undoubtedly be stretched to their limits. However, that leads to the game's most interesting subplot...
Will Pop play Tiago Splitter next to Tim Duncan?
If Pop is ever going to play Splitter next to Duncan, this will be the game. In theory, it's the perfect answer to Gasol and Bynum. But, as we've seen all season, Pop is very hesitant to play his two biggest players at the same time. Will that change tonight?
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