Reply With Quote
Looking forward to Hill and Beno matchup
San Antonio (3-5) at Sacramento (4-6)Preview
Game info: 9:00 pm EST Sun Nov 16, 2008
By Matt Beardmore
While the San Antonio Spurs pulled out a last-second win at home on Friday night, the Sacramento Kings couldn’t.
The Spurs will try to continue their recent dominance at Arco Arena over the Sacramento Kings as the teams meet for the first time this season on Sunday night.
San Antonio, which has won eight of its last 11 in Sacramento (4-6) since December 2002, comes in following a dramatic 77-75 victory on Friday over Houston in which Tim Duncan made a game-saving block on Aaron Brooks in the final second.
“What can you say about Tim Duncan that hasn’t already been said,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose team scored the game’s final 12 points. “He provides the leadership on this team. He is the center of the program.”
With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili sidelined by ankle injuries, Duncan has to be. In three games since Parker went down, the Spurs are 2-1, and Duncan is averaging 23.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks - perhaps none bigger than his only block against the Rockets.
“I was just the last line of defense,” said Duncan, who scored 22 points. “I mean there was kind of nothing else to do there. I see him break free and come out wide open. I’m the help-side defender and I got there just in time.”
Duncan averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds as the Spurs split two games in Sacramento in 2007-08, but in his first 18 games there, he had 18 double-doubles and averaged 25.0 points and 15.6 rebounds.
San Antonio (3-5) is scoring just 82.3 points per game in its last three, but has limited opponents to 79.0 points and 39.7 percent field goal shooting during that stretch. Maintaining this dominance could be a challenge as the Spurs face a Sacramento squad shooting 49.8 percent from the floor and averaging 104.3 points while winning four of its last six.
Sacramento swingman John Salmons probably isn’t looking forward to facing one of the league’s best big men on Sunday. In the final seconds of the Kings’ 97-95 overtime loss to Phoenix on Friday, Salmons had a shot partially blocked by Amare Stoudemire as Sacramento dropped its second straight at home.
“I still think there was contact, but I don’t think anybody is going to call that at the end of the game,” said Salmons, who had 21 points, but needed six s ches above his left eye.
With leading scorer Kevin Martin out the past three games with a sprained ankle and Francisco Garcia sidelined with a strained right calf, Salmon has averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the Kings’ last six games.
In his last meeting with San Antonio - a 101-98 home loss on April 14 - Salmons had his ninth career double-double with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Brad Miller’s return from a league-imposed five-game suspension has been a huge boost for Sacramento. Miller, who had a season-high 20 points with 11 rebounds against the Suns, is averaging 13.6 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in five games this season.
In 20 career games against San Antonio, Miller has six career double-doubles - most recently, a 17-point, 10-rebound effort in a 112-99 win on Nov. 26, 2007.
Notes:
Spurs:
The Spurs split the 2007-08 regular-season series with the Rockets. ... With G Tony Parker, F Tim Duncan and G Manu Ginobili all active, the Spurs are 282-90 (.758). Missing one of three, they are 69-47 (.595) and missing two or more, 3-9 (.250). ... In his third start of the season, rookie G George Hill scored 17 points on Friday.
Kings:
With Friday's 97-95 overtime loss, the Kings now have lost their last six and 10 of 11 to the Phoenix Suns. ... In the loss, C Brad Miller recorded his fourth double-double in five games since returning from suspension. ... PG Beno Udrih has recovered after a rough start to the season. Over the last three games, Udrih has averaged 22.0 points on 56 percent (28-of-50) shooting. ... The Kings have not been at .500 since December 4, 2006. ... Sacramento has yet to beat a team that made the playoffs in 2007-08, falling to 0-4 after the loss to Phoenix.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tony Parker SA 27.4
Kevin Martin Sac 22.4
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.6
Brad Miller Sac 10.0
Assists
Tony Parker SA 5.8
Brad Miller Sac 6.0
Injuries
San Antonio
M. Ginobili Ankle
T. Parker Ankle
Sacramento
F. Garcia Calf
K. Martin Ankle
Last edited by duncan228; 11-15-2008 at 11:38 PM.
Looking forward to Hill and Beno matchup
I thought it made sense to put this here.
NBA coach watch: Warm seats
Express-News
All system(s) go? Not in Sacramento
It is too early in the season for any coach to be on the hot seat, but when a team owner starts telling radio talk show hosts that his coach needs to get a system soon, well, minds begin to boggle.
Kings owner Joe Maloof went on an early morning sports talk show, called “The Rise Guys,” and told the hosts that Reggie Theus “(has) got to get a system. And if he gets that system and we have confidence in him and he’s got a bright future with us. If he doesn’t get that system, then, you know, you know, he’d better try to get one quickly.”
Sam Amick, who covers the Kings for the Sacramento Bee, heard Maloof’s comments and leaped into action. He talked to Maloof to get an explanation and he talked to Theus to get a response.
Most telling: In one paragraph of Theus’ response, published on Amick’s blog, the coach used the word “system” five times: “The system we put in early was a system that would allow those guys to do those things in an early offense. The system that we put in early was an early offense system, a system that would run a continuity out of.”
We here on the NBA Beat page interpret that as: “OK, Joe. Is that enough of a system for you?”
Theus isn’t the only coach starting to feel some heat.
Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman, his team off to a 1-6 start, was asked by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Brian Stensaas about Internet rumors his job was in jeopardy. Stensaas’ blog reported Wittman’s response: “Aw (expletive). And there’s a (expletive) flying saucer out there, too.”
They have a system?!?
Sunday: Spurs (3-5) at Kings (4-6)
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FSNSW
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - KINGS
PG - 3 George Hill (6-1, 1st yr) - 19 Beno Udrih (6-3, 5th yr)
Spurs PG of the future of the present vs. PG of the future of the past.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 15 John Salmons (6-6, 7th yr)
Open looks fewer for Mason without Parker to create them.
SF - 5 Ime Udoka (6-5, 5th yr) - 34 Jason Thompson (6-11, 1st yr)
Lineup shuffle after Kevin Martin’s injury makes rookie Thompson a starter.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 33 Mikki Moore (7-0, 11th yr)
Duncan has four career 20-20 games vs. Kings
C - 7 Fabricio Oberto (6-10, 4th yr) - 52 Brad Miller (7-0, 11th yr)
After serving five-game suspension to start season, Miller well-rested.
SPURS RESERVES
15 Matt Bonner, F, 6-10, 5th yr
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
33 Desmon Farmer, G, 6-5, 2nd yr
4 Michael Finley, G, 6-7, 14th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
35 Anthony Tolliver, C, 6-8, 1st yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
KINGS RESERVES
5 Bobby Brown, G, 6-2, 1st yr
20 Donte Green, F, 6-10, 1st yr
31 Spencer Hawes, C, 7-1, 2nd yr
24 Bobby Jackson, G, 6-1, 12th yr
9 Kenny Thomas, F, 6-7, 10th yr
22 Shelden Williams, F/C, 6-9, 3rd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Kings: Reggie Theus
INJURIES
Spurs: Tony Parker (left ankle sprain), Manu Ginobili (left ankle surgery) and Ian Mahinmi (sprained right ankle) are out.
Kings: Kevin Martin (sprained left ankle), Quincy Douby (sore right ankle) and Francisco Garcia (strained right calf) are out.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Parker, Ginobili, Mahinmi.
Kings: Martin, Douby, Garcia.
NOTABLE
Spurs have held three consecutive opponents to their season-scoring lows — New York (80), Milwaukee (82) and Houston (75).
- Jeff McDonald
"Spurs have held three consecutive opponents to their season-scoring lows — New York (80), Milwaukee (82) and Houston (75). "
thats sweet right there.
Spurs defense is back, baby!!! Imagine if they'd played defense like that the 1st 2 games. "drools"
Over the last three games, Udrih has averaged 22.0 points on 56 percent (28-of-50) shooting
Watch Beno drop 40 points tonight.
Bet their both ready as well. Beno will be looking at Hill as the kid who took his place. Hill will be looking at beno to run all over him.
let's go spurs. i'm excited about this beno-hill match up, very intriguing. go georgie
I'm gonna predict alot of bonner and tolliver out there together with Duncan if they run that triple towers thing alot.
PG Beno Udrih has recovered after a rough start to the season. Over the last three games, Udrih has averaged 22.0 points on 56 percent (28-of-50) shooting. ...
I can't wait to see him play tonight.
Kings: Tonight's game
Kings (4-6) vs. San Antonio (3-5)
Tipoff: 6 p.m.
Where: Arco Arena
TV: CSN
Radio: KHTK (1140 AM)
Outlook: This officially counts as domination now, as the Spurs have won 13 of the last 16 meetings with the Kings and have won seven of the last eight. Kings point guard Beno Udrih gets his latest chance to show off for his old team, as he was a reserve for the Spurs for his first four seasons before first signing with the Kings early in 2006-07.
Spurs update: The annual ritual of questioning the Spurs because of their age quickly became irrelevant this season, as two of the team's younger players are expected to miss the first month because of injury. It's not just any two players, though. It's Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, stars who are the proverbial head and legs of the Spurs' body with only the heart (Tim Duncan) still healthy to help them survive.
Spurs injuries: SG Manu Ginobili (left ankle surgery, out); Tony Parker (left ankle sprain, out).
Kings injuries: SG-SF Francisco García (right calf strain, out); SG Kevin Martin (left ankle sprain, out).
Probable starters
KINGS
No. Player Pos.
19 Beno Udrih PG
15 John Salmons SG
34 Jason Thompson SF
33 Mikki Moore PF
52 Brad Miller C
SPURS
No. Player Pos.
8 Roger Mason PG
3 George Hill SG
5 Ime Udoka SF
21 Tim Duncan PF
7 Fabricio Oberto C
– Sam Amick
Spurs hit the road to Sacramento
(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs will open a short two-game road trip tonight against the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena.
The Spurs are just 3-5 this season and have alternated wins and losses over their first six games in November. In Friday's 77-75 win against the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center, future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan netted a game-high 22 points and came up with a game-winning block on Houston's Aaron Brooks in the final seconds of the game to lead the way.
Duncan also added five rebounds for the injury-riddled Spurs, who trailed by 14 points midway through the final quarter. George Hill helped the cause with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
San Antonio is 1-2 on the road this season and will also visit the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center.
The Kings have lost two of three games since a three-game winning streak, and suffered a 97-95 overtime loss at home to the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
John Salmons paced the Kings with 21 points while Beno Udrih scored 18 points for Sacramento, which is 3-2 as the host in 2008-09. Brad Miller had 20 points, seven assists and 11 rebounds, and Spencer Hawes posted 14 points and 10 rebounds in defeat.
Kings guard Kevin Martin has been out the past three games with an ankle injury and is expected to miss Sunday's game against San Antonio.
The Spurs went 3-1 against Sacramento last season, and have won two straight and 11 of the past 13 meetings.
San Antonio has won five of six at ARCO Arena.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
