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"... Spurs of all western contenders need a win to maintain their standing as well as their self-confidence ..."
Was that an attempt at humor?
Having suffered a series of tough defeats since February, Spurs of all western contenders need a win to maintain their standing as well as their self-confidence, and they really had a good try last night in Detroit, despite the final result.
The two teams splat the first and second quarters with equal scores in 24 and 21 respectively, to enter the locker-rooms with the game tied at 45. Game continued exactly the same vicious way in the 3rd quarter, at the end of this quarter the Pistons finally finished with a bigger number at the score board but only by two points, despite they once had a 7-pt margin leading over the Spurs in this quarter.
Most minutes of the 4th quarter elapsed with the Spurs trailing. Despite the efforts of Spurs players, the Pistons kept enlarging the margin during the first half of this quarter and had managed to extend it to double digit by 6:54 remaining on clock. Spurs then worked even harder trying to shorten the score difference, but the Pistons did a good job keeping their trenches during the next 3 minutes. The game seemed a bonded loss for Spurs when the clock counted to 3:36 while they were still down by 10 points, 78-88, when the whole auburn palace started to witness Manu’s impressive super return, which would finally tie the game and extend it to OT. During this period of time, Manu managed 11pts of his total 20pts scored in regular time.
However, Manu’s encouraging show didn’t help his team escape Detroit with a win as the Pistons handily controlled the rhythm of the entire 5minutes in OT. Convincingly, the Pistons had settled a 9pt margin over the Spurs by the moment the whistles blew.
In contrast to his well-known conservative styles, Pop used a different formation last night than what was used in most of the previous games, which seemed a little bit weird but was wished to be a positive change…
Bonner was dropped from not only the starting lineups, but also the bench. Instead of beginning his small-ball in the mid 1st quarter, Pop used it from the very start of the game and it didn’t look too bad, even though it wasn’t good either.
In the lineups as RDJ-Bogans-Duncan-Mason-Hill, Duncan was the only player accustomed to the paint while the other four were all usually played as guards or small forwards.
Despite his vertical size which is slightly shorter than most NBA power forwards, Jefferson has almost every element needed to take the role as a PF. Considering athleticism and vertical touch that both are cushy works for RDJ, it ought to be a good strategy, at least a good try to play him as starting PF accordingly. His performances in a new role were still unimpressive as usual, but it’s still a satisfactory result that he didn’t appear to be worse than how he worked as a SF.
Mmm! Taste the failure!
"... Spurs of all western contenders need a win to maintain their standing as well as their self-confidence ..."
Was that an attempt at humor?
Pop has been trying to push RJ out at the PF all season long. This is one of the major reasons RJ has lost his game. Its hard enough to come to a new team ans learn the rotations, its even harder to do it for two positions. Ask, the point guard RMJ. Too many players do not have confidence in themselves and it the positions that Pop wants them to play.
Game Thoughts: That was embarrassing.
You speak the truth. I think this game personified the season, and perhaps our closer-than-expected future in more than a few ways.
Honestly, a part of me wants to trade Duncan to a contender for cap space and picks.
I say let Holt's pocket book burn. I almost could imagine his lack of spending over TD's era til the very end (now) is Pop's motivation for tanking.
"Spend now, huh, when we could have had 1-2 more les with this money before? NO set rotation." - Pop
These aren't "Game Thoughts" as much as they are a "Game Recap"
Nice recap though.
Pathetic lose. Pistons are a few all stars away from being a legit team. They have a good amount of great role players but no leadership. I was impressed with their roster. Gordon, Charlie V, Maxiell coming off the bench. Wilcox didn't play though.
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