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Big Al is only averaging 17 pts this season? What happened?
Minnesota (7-24) at San Antonio (17-11)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Tue Dec 29, 2009
TV: KSTC, FSSW
By Brett Huston
There’s nothing surprising about consecutive victories from the San Antonio Spurs, who have won eight of 10 overall to seemingly put their early season mediocrity behind them.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ back-to-back wins, however, practically register as shocking.
A third straight Minnesota victory for the first time in nearly a year would certainly qualify as a stunner, as the Spurs seek a 10th consecutive victory over the Timberwolves and an 11th straight at home in the series Tuesday night.
San Antonio (17-11) found itself at .500 through 18 games while adjusting to a roster filled with new faces, but has played more like the decade’s winningest team over the past three weeks.
The Spurs have shot 51.9 percent from the floor over their last 10 games and averaged 104.8 points, with Tim Duncan scoring 21.1 per game to lead the way.
Duncan scored 26 in a 112-97 win in Milwaukee on Saturday, but it was Tony Parker’s turn to carry the offense a night later in New York. Duncan was held to 13, but Parker had a team-high 22 in a 95-88 victory over the Knicks.
“The whole season is about jelling for us, try to adapt to all the new guys,” Parker said. “We changed more than half of the team, so it’ll take some time.”
While Parker and Duncan have provided stability as Richard Jefferson, Keith Bogans, DeJuan Blair and Antonio McDyess get acclimated to their new club, it’s the team’s other championship holdover who’s been the biggest wild card.
Manu Ginobili has scored in single digits six times in 14 games since returning from a groin injury Nov. 29, but when he’s productive, the Spurs typically win. San Antonio is 10-2 this season when Ginobili has at least 13 points, and he did that both Saturday and Sunday while shooting 55.0 percent.
“I’m very happy with the way I played the last two games and the way the team played,” said Ginobili, held to seven points in each of his last two home games. “It’s going to be a nice trip home.”
Six of the Spurs’ next eight take place at the AT&T Center, and they should feel pretty good about facing Minnesota (7-24) to open that stretch. They’ve won the past nine meetings in the series by an average of 10.6 points and have limited the Timberwolves to 83.9 per game in winning the last 10 in San Antonio, where Minnesota hasn’t won since Jan. 14, 2004.
Ginobili has averaged 24.3 points on 57.0 percent shooting in his last eight games against the Timberwolves. Parker averaged 33.0 points versus Minnesota last season, including a career-high 55 in an overtime win at the Target Center on Nov. 5, 2008.
All of a sudden, however, the Timberwolves are playing nothing like the team that lost 15 straight earlier this season. Minnesota has won its last two and is 4-3 over the past two weeks after beating Washington 101-89 on Saturday behind a career-high 27 points from Corey Brewer.
“I feel like we are a young team and we are just getting better game-by-game and hopefully we can keep it up all season,” said Brewer, averaging 16.7 points over his past seven games.
Al Jefferson averaged 29.0 points and 11.0 rebounds against the Spurs last season, but teammate Kevin Love was held to 9.0 points per game on 37.1 percent shooting. Love, though, has posted double-doubles in eight straight games.
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Team Stat Leaders
Points
Al Jefferson Min 17.1
Tim Duncan SA 19.9
Rebounds
Kevin Love Min 12.9
Tim Duncan SA 10.3
Assists
Jonny Flynn Min 4.2
Tony Parker SA 5.6
Big Al is only averaging 17 pts this season? What happened?
it seems like we only play sucky teams.
Probably having problems adapting to a new coach's system. He's usually been very good vs. the Spurs in the past. Just hope the bunch that lost to the Blazers doesn't show up.
Can it be three?: Off to San Antonio
by Jerry Zgoda
The Wolves worked out at Target Center this afternoon and then boarded a plane to San Antonio for tomorrow night's game against a Spurs team that has found itself after a slow start this season.
Ryan Gomes has worked out fully the last two days after making his return from a high ankle sprain in Saturday's victory over Washington.
Kurt Rambis on him: "I still think he has a little bit of a lingering mental barrier to push through, the trust factor. When you experience so much pain, you have to go out there and play freely without thinking about it. In some instances, I see him thinking about it, where he doesn't want to push or cut back hard. But that comes with time. Otherwise, I think he's fine."
Gomes played about 16 minutes in his return Saturday and had five points and five rebounds.
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Wolves gameday
Preview: The Spurs have won two in a row, five of six and eight of 10 after starting the season 4-6. They won 112-97 in Milwaukee on Saturday and 95-88 at New York on Sunday. ... The Spurs have won the past nine games between the teams, including season sweeps the past two years. ...The Wolves have won consecutive games for the first time since last April, and four of their past seven games after starting the season 3-21.
Players to watch: Spurs F Tim Duncan must be healthy because he's playing like his old self again. He's averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a couple of blocks a game...Timberwolves killer Tony Parker -- who scored 55 in a Target Center game last season -- warmed up for tonight's game by scoring 22 against the Knicks on Sunday.
Injuries: Wolves F Ryan Gomes scored five points and had five rebounds in 16-plus minutes Saturday, his first game back after missing six because of a high ankle sprain. Spurs Fs Michael Finley (sprained ankle) and Matt Bonner (broken hand) are listed as out.
- Jerry Zgoda
Referee Assignments
Tue. Dec 29
Minnesota @ San Antonio: Bill Kennedy; Mark Lindsay; Jason Phillips
There were several close games in spite of the Spurs winning streak against Minnesota. They can't sleep on this one.
He completely tore his ACL and had to have reconstructive surgery (kind of like what Blair had done). That's an injury that takes a while to come back from.
Tuesday: Timberwolves (7-24) at Spurs (17-11)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: FSNSW
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - TIMBERWOLVES
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 9th yr) - 10 Jonny Flynn (6-0, 1st yr)
At 14.3 ppg, Flynn is behind Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings for rookies.
SG - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 7th yr) - 22 Corey Brewer (6-9, 3rd yr)
Brewer ranks first on Wolves’ Dunk-o-meter with 27.
SF - 24, Richard Jefferson (6-7, 9th yr) - 3 Damien Wilkins (6-6, 6th yr)
Fouls plagued Jefferson in N.Y., breaking string of five double-digit outings.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 42 Kevin Love (6-10, 2nd yr)
Duncan’s 13 points vs. Knicks matched lowest total since Halloween.
C - 45 DeJuan Blair (6-7, 1st yr) - 25 Al Jefferson (6-10, 6th yr)
Jefferson’s comeback from knee injury remains a work in progress.
SPURS RESERVES
8 Roger Mason Jr., G, 6-5, 6th yr
34 A. McDyess, C/F, 6-10, 14th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 8th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G/F, 6-5, 2nd yr
22 Marcus Haislip, F, 6-10, 4th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 2nd yr
42 Theo Ratliff, F/C, 6-10, 15th yr
TIMBERWOLVES RESERVES
14 Brian Cardinal, F, 6-8, 10th yr
19 Wayne Ellington, G, 6-4, 1st yr
8 Ryan Gomes, F, 6-7, 5th yr
1 Ryan Hollins, C, 7-0, 4th yr
11 Sasha Pavlovic, G/F, 6-7, 7th yr
4 Oleksiy Pecherov, F, 7-0, 3rd yr
7 Ramon Sessions, G, 6-3, 3rd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Timberwolves: Kurt Rambis
INJURIES
Spurs: Michael Finley (sprained left ankle) and Matt Bonner (fractured right hand) are out.
Timberwolves: None
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi, Finley, Bonner
Timberwolves: Jason Hart, Nathan Jawai
NOTABLE
Winners of eight of past 10, Spurs have a chance to move a season-high eight games over .500 against Wolves, who come in with West’s worst record. ... Spurs have won nine in a row against Minnesota. ... Parker averaged 33 points vs. Wolves last season, scoring 55 in double-OT thriller.
- Jeff McDonald
the Wolves trying to be the Lakers by testing the triangle offense+ KL injury: Al is much better since KL is back because Defense has to focus on two bigs instead of just AL + recovering of a long injury.
Al loves playing the Spurs, I'm expecting this one to be closer than we'd like.
aaah the 55 points of last season. What a memorable momentthat was awesome.
I hope TP continues like he did the last game. Please Tony, just be Tony!
Bring it on
We get a preview of a guy a few of us want as a future Spur: Corey Brewer.
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