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sucks to be the knicks.
San Antonio (35-16) at New York (21-31) Preview
Game info: 7:30 pm EST Tue Feb 17, 2009
TV: My35, MSG
By Dan Pieringer
The San Antonio Spurs are a veteran team with a reputation for coasting through the first half of the season and using the second half as a springboard for playoff success.
That doesn’t bode well for the New York Knicks, whom the Spurs have dominated regardless of timing in recent years.
In both teams’ first game since the All-Star break, the Spurs look to continue their pursuit of another NBA le with their eighth straight win over the Knicks on Tuesday night when the clubs meet at Madison Square Garden.
San Antonio (35-16) has won three championships in the last six seasons in part because of momentum it’s built with strong second-half play.
Beginning with 2002-03, the Spurs have put together post-All Star break records of 27-6, 22-7, 18-11, 23-7, 23-6 and 22-9. Combined, they have a league-best second-half winning percentage of .746 in that stretch.
San Antonio has been especially effective immediately after All-Star weekend over the last three seasons. The Spurs came back from the 2006 break to win their first seven games, then opened the second half with 11 straight wins in 2007 and nine in a row last season.
San Antonio’s second-half dominance is bad news for New York (21-31), which has lost 10 of the teams’ last 11 meetings, including seven straight since an 88-75 home victory March 21, 2005.
The Knicks were outscored 54-39 in the second half, and 25-16 in the fourth quarter, of their 92-80 road loss to the Spurs on Nov. 11. Tim Duncan led five San Antonio players scoring in double figures with 23 points and added nine rebounds and seven assists while shooting 11-for-17 from the field.
Both the Knicks’ top performers in that game - Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph - have since been traded for salary cap purposes.
As strong as the Spurs have been against the Knicks lately, they looked somewhat vulnerable Wednesday in their last game before All-Star weekend. They shot 41.9 percent in a 91-89 loss to a Toronto team that was playing without All-Star forward Chris Bosh and point guard Jose Calderon.
“We shouldn’t have lost this one,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “It’s important to go into the break feeling good about yourself and on a good stretch. We were playing a team that isn’t doing so well and has two injured players, so we should have done much better.”
Ginobili scored 15 of his season high-tying 32 points in the fourth quarter, but the rest of the Spurs combined for only five points in the period and San Antonio blew an eight-point lead over the final seven minutes.
The Knicks also dropped their last game before the break, 128-124 in overtime to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. They’re allowing 120.7 points per game during their season high-tying six-game losing streak.
Knicks guard Nate Robinson, who had 33 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds and five steals against the Clippers, thinks the team is learning from its struggles under first-year coach Mike D’Antoni.
“We just have to take the good with the bad and keep pushing,” said Robinson, who won his second slam dunk contest over All-Star weekend.
“We’re getting better, but we lose now. It’s making us smarter and letting us learn from our mistakes and giving us more material to go back to the drawing board and figure out what we need to do to become a team that can put games together and get to the playoffs.”
Notes
Spurs:
C Matt Bonner, who scored zero points in 28 minutes, is in the process of becoming a Canadian citizen. His grandfather is from Newfoundland and is wife is from Toronto. ... The Spurs fell to 3-2 on the annual "Rodeo Road Trip." They have three more stops after the All-Star break. ... G Manu Ginobili scored 32 points off the bench, marking the third time he has reached 30 points as a reserve this season.
Knicks:
The Knicks haven't beaten the Clippers at Staples Center since March, 1998. ... F David Lee had 17 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday. It was his 40th double-double of the season, tying Orlando Magic C Dwight Howard for the NBA lead. ... C Jared Jeffries scored a season-high 16 points and also added 10 rebounds. ... New York's bench scored 12 points.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tim Duncan SA 20.8
Al Harrington NY 20.2
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.5
David Lee NY 11.8
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.4
Chris Duhon NY 8.0
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 35-16 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.8 94.5 Road 17-9 Lost 1 7-3
New York 21-31 4th Atlantic / 11th East 105.1 107.8 Home 14-12 Lost 6 3-7
sucks to be the knicks.
I can't wait for some real Spurs Bball again. We need to get it rolling again.
+NI can't wait for some real Spurs Bball again. We need to get it rolling again.
im going to this game its gonna FN RULE!
does that mean bonner is going to try out for the canadian national team?
Tuesday: Spurs (35-16) at Knicks (21-31)
Express-News
Time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: KMYS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - KNICKS
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 4 Nate Robinson (5-9, 4th yr)
If All-Star break has not cured Duhon, slam-dunk champ gets starting nod again.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 21 Wilson Chandler (6-8, 2nd yr)
Rough showing in 3-point shootout, but Spurs trust Mason when it counts.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 7 Al Harrington (6-9, 11th yr)
Harrington thriving since arriving in Gotham: 25.3 points per game in February.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 42 David Lee (6-9, 4th yr)
Only two players with more double-doubles than Duncan: Dwight Howard and Lee.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 20 Jared Jeffries (6-11, 7th yr)
Bonner looking to revive rodeo trip hot streak after 0-fer in Toronto.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, (6-7, 13th yr)
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 7th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
KNICKS RESERVES
1 Chris Duhon, G, 6-1, 5th yr
8 Danilo Gallinari, F, 6-10, 1st yr
23 Quentin Richardson, G/F, 6-6, 9th yr
31 Malik Rose, F, 6-7, 13th yr
2 Tim Thomas, F, 6-10, 12th yr
5 Anthony Roberson, G, 6-2, 3rd yr
34 Eddy Curry, C, 6-11, 8th yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Knicks: Mike D'Antoni
INJURIES
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (right ankle surgery) is out.
Knicks: Duhon (sprained left ankle), Richardson (bruised chest) and Thomas (sore left groin) are questionable. Curry (sore right knee) and Jerome James (ruptured right Achilles) are out.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Mahinmi, Jacque Vaughn.
Knicks: Stephon Marbury, Cuttino Mobley, James.
NOTABLE
After a nice All-Star breather, Spurs resume rodeo trip against a Knicks team that limped into the break. New York enters with a six-game losing streak that matches a season-high. ... Knicks rank third in the league in scoring at 105.9 points per game, but — true to a D'Antoni-coached team — are struggling defensively. They have allowed 100 points or more in eight consecutive games. ... Spurs won previous meeting this season 92-80 at the AT&T Center in November, despite Parker and Ginobili being out with injuries.
- Jeff McDonald
Wilson Chandler reminds me of a young Stephen Jackson. He was a second round steal.
Lee plays bigger than he is, imo. I always thought he was 6-10/11.
And I'm assuming timvp chose to skip over any game thoughts on the raptors game. Just curious cz I didn't watch the 2nd-4th quarters. , even if I watch the game I want to see timvp's take.
These guys are big at the wings. But when you have Jeffries in your starting lineup, FAIL!!!
im going to this. it will rule.
TP
please dunk on Nate
spurs 130
knicks 100
Nate can fly over others but no one dare to jump over his head which is even harder than diamond. Nate can seize the flashing moment when your crotch is right above his head and hit your nuts with his head, which may do more harm to your nuts even than a hammer can do. and the hurt is likely to be incurable, which means you'll lose the sexual and reproductive function once your crotch is hit by his head. TP is married with eva but they still haven't got one kid, so it's not a good idea for Parker to even try it.
You can also jump high enough to make your crotch reach his head and hit it
O SPURSTALK!
Spurs 108 Knicks 96
Parker has a big game.
Possible triple double for timmy?? he's been flirting with one all season.
ok, it's the last +/- 30games of the season and the Nuggets and Spurs are only percentage points apart. I'm going to have to start cheering for teams playing the Spurs from now on
Kryptonate to get owned by Tony "Speedy Gonzalez" Parker. Looney Tunes saves the day.
Referee Assignments
Tue. Feb. 17
San Antonio @ New York: G. Willard, L. Grillo, L. Richardson
San Antonio Spurs (35-16) at New York Knicks (21-31)
(Sports Network) - The Southwest Division-leading San Antonio Spurs will continue their lengthy stretch of road games tonight, when they pay a visit to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
San Antonio has won seven in a row against the Knicks, including a 92-80 victory in the Alamo City on November 11 of this season. The team has been victorious in 10 of 11 and 12 of its previous 15 matchups with New York, and is also unbeaten in the last three meetings in the Big Apple.
The Spurs, however, had a two-game winning stopped before the All-Star break following a 91-89 setback at Toronto last Wednesday. Manu Ginobili matched a season-high with 32 points -- including 15 in the fourth quarter -- for the Spurs, who are 3-2 on an eight-game trek and 17-9 as the visitor this season.
Tony Parker notched 22 points and Tim Duncan registered his team-leading 32nd double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 boards in a losing effort. Parker had 14 points and Duncan added six points and three boards in the West's 146-119 win over the East in Sunday night's All-Star Game.
The Spurs are four games ahead of rival Houston in the Southwest standings and will also visit Detroit and Washington on the current road swing.
Meanwhile, the Knicks will try to put the brakes on a season high-tying six- game losing streak Tuesday at MSG. They entered the break after Wednesday's 128-124 overtime loss against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, with Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson ending with 33 points, a career-high 15 assists, nine rebounds and five steals in defeat.
Robinson defeated Orlando's Dwight Howard in Saturday's dunk compe ion during All-Star festivities.
Wilson Chandler scored 27 points and Al Harrington contributed 19 and 11 rebounds for New York, which got 17 points and 12 boards from David Lee.
The Knicks are allowing 120.7 points per game during their recent skid and will kick off a two-game homestand versus the Spurs and Raptors tonight.
New York guard Chris Duhon is probable versus San Antonio with a sprained left ankle.
The Knicks are 14-12 as the host in 2008-09.
Knicks beat the spurms....
Knicks 89
Spurms 77
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